The Curious Tale Of Momoda

A Strange Night

"Are you sure you're okay, Master Shifu?" Tigress asked for the ninth time.

"I understand your concern, Master Tigress, but I am quite fine," Shifu replied.

"She did a real number on him, though," Viper said, looking at his arm again. She finished putting the last touches on his sling. "Just give your arm a little rest, okay?"

Shifu nodded as he looked at his arm. Rubbing it tenderly, he looked back at his students lined up in the Hall of Heroes. "This tiger is very dangerous. More dangerous than I thought."

"She must be stopped," Tigress said.

"We don't even know why she's here," Crane pointed out.

"It doesn't matter," Tigress growled. "She obviously means harm if she attacked Master Shifu."

"For a moment, it felt like I was fighting Tai Lung again," Shifu said. "Her strength is very impressive."

"Momoda?" Crane echoed absentmindedly. "Any ideas why she told you that, Po?"

"No!" Po quickly said. His eyes darted left and right as he stood as stiff as a plank. "The point is that she's strong and she's-"

"Causing real harm," Tigress finished.

"That's not what I was gonna-"

"We have to increase the patrols," Tigress went on, "We should try and rout out this... Momoda before she hurts someone else."

"Other than the bandits," Mantis added.

"And we need to train more," Tigress added. "If this tiger is as strong as Master Shifu said, then we'll have to be at our best to defeat her."

"I don't know if that's really necessary," Po spoke up. The whole room looked at him. The panda bolted his eyes around the jade pillars, looking for a way out of the tense silence. "What I mean is... uhhh... maybe we shouldn't act so hastily."

Tigress crossed her arms. "Why not?"

"It's just... until we figure out why she's here, we might cause more harm than good. Know your enemy, you know?" Po cheesily smiled. Tigress only rose an eyebrow, spying on the panda's awkward grin.

"I think Po's on to something," Monkey said. "Don't you think more training is over the top, Tigress?"

"What do you mean?"

Master Monkey shrugged his shoulders. "It's probably just a fluke that she got away this time. She just caught Master Shifu off guard, that's all."

"That doesn't happen often."

"But it's not impossible. I mean, Master Shifu is getting up there in age and Po is... Po."

The two pandas stared at the simian warrior with voiceless grumbles. "Monkey, she's right," Crane said. "Just because Tigress and Po are strong doesn't mean we should be slacking."

"Yeah, that's Po's job," Monkey laughed. The room glared, "I'm kidding!"

"Monkey, that's enough." Viper hissed.

"Besides," Mantis said on the simian's shoulders, "If Po and Master Shifu had problems with her, what makes you think you can take her on?"

"Simple, I don't let my pants fall down," Monkey laughed.

"Anymore you mean," Shifu commented, making everyone snicker. The primate simmered quietly. Who could forget the time Master Oogway had to humble the unpredictable monkey? "Nevertheless, training should be done. This tiger is very powerful. Possibly more powerful than Tai Lung."