The Curious Tale Of Momoda

A Normal Life

Shifu groaned as his sigh and strength left his body. "She's doing my job for me," He muttered in his room. The map of all their failed attempts to find Momoda stood as a reminder on the back wall above his cot behind him. His white teacup reflected his sadness. "And she's doing a better job than I ever could."

"Master Shifu, don't be so hard on yourself," Po said, sitting across from him. The two pandas sat at a low red table, drinking some tea while Po reported what happened last night.

"But it is true. She manages to turn Master Viper's spirit around with a candid conversation that neither I nor you could produce in her. Monkey takes training more seriously. Crane is more confident in his fighting and himself. It makes me wonder if my way of teaching is hindering or stalling you."

"I mean, Mantis is the same, right?" Po grinned. The red panda stared as the wisp of steam rose from his tea. "Yeah, I think we both suck at encouraging people right now."

Shifu sighed, "In any case, I've decided to let you deal with her."

"I'm sorry what?" Po asked.

"She seems to open up the most with you. Maybe you can figure out her end goal."

"So what? I'm supposed to be up all night?!"

Shifu shook his head with a small smirk "No, Po. I'm not going to exhaust you. Master Tigress's training has already shown me that I may be pushing you all too hard. And expecting too much."

Po's head tilted to the side. "What's wrong with Tigress?"

"She's... I believe she's overtraining," Shifu groaned lowly. "She's been more exhausted as of late and... I can't help but feel like I'm responsible for her... unhealthy attitude toward training."

"Is she okay?"

"She's fine for now. She just needs some rest," Shifu replied.

"What happened?"

"When morning came, I found her completely knocked out in the Training Hall. She was breathing and snoring, but I couldn't get her to wake up."

"Whoa, that's deep sleep."

"Exactly," Shifu sighed.

"But... that can't be your fault. You didn't tell her to train harder. That was her own decision."

"But I started that attitude with Tai Lung and even more so with Tigress. I'm starting to see the errors of my... teaching more clearly."

"Hmm," Po stroked his chin as his master got up.

"But that's another matter entirely."

"Hmmm," Po got up, bowed, and left. "Maybe it isn't," He muttered to himself.

Three nights went by. No sign of the tiger, but Po didn't really mind. The panda could be seen muttering to himself day and night in the crowded or lonely streets over who Momoda was and what exactly she was doing. He even muttered in his sleep. Her actions had no reason or motive to them but knowing her they were exactly her style of mayhem.

But was it mayhem?

Po couldn't figure that out. He went over the evidence in his head: Crane had a new girlfriend, Monkey took training more seriously, Viper was more confident in her strength and herself, and Master Shifu was learning the hard way that his teaching had consequences. And they couldn't deny that the village was safer at night.

Po sighed. That didn't explain why Momoda was doing this, who she was, or if she intended to do all of this. "What is she trying to do?" He muttered.

Because Master Shifu had appointed him to interact with the tiger, Po began taking charge of the mission to find and catch Momoda. Hence why he was alone down on this warm spring night. He didn't do this every night; the others would still help, except Tigress. The others refused to let her. "Why?"