The Ticking Contingent: The Countdown vo.2

Great minds insult alike

"Po!!!" Li cried in alarm. "Are you okay? You fainted! Did we hit you?! Are you blind?! Is it too hot?! Do you need some water?!"

Still exhausted and out breath (and a bit hot actually), Po just said he was hot and sat up, allowing Li to run around looking for a cool bucket of water to give him. Mr. Ping was just as concerned and began to press Po with another thousand questions. The Dragon Teacher was still very discombobulated and decided, while his dad was going on about him working himself too hard, that he should keep this vision to himself for the time being. It had been pretty spooky, thinking on it, and Po would rather not discuss it at the moment. Li soon came back with the water and Po gulped as much of it down as he could, thanking his dad for the help. He then got back onto his feet and apologized for worrying everyone. Li made him sit in the shade while the class continued on with practicing the claps. Po didn't pay much attention to them though as the  vision swirled around in his head for a while. Particularly the death part. 

Was someone going to die? 

Po went over what he had seen, but nothing concrete really came to mind. He saw a place he didn't recognize, felt pain he had never experienced, heard noises that overwhelmed him....

Was...he going to die? 

Was this why he needed a new dragon warrior?!

Po's head still swirled with thoughts as he finished up the class and headed up to the Jade Palace. He needed to sit down and get this vision cleared up in his head! Po debated on whether or not to tell his friends, but decided not to for the time being. If someone was going to die, he'd rather know for definite than send everyone into a panic. He just needed to maintain a good poker face so someone didn't ask too many questions. Fortunately, he was able to put his thoughts to the side when he reached the kitchen and saw a familiar face laughing away with his friends. 

"SHIFU!" Po exclaimed happily. "What are you doing here?!" 

 "Oh, good evening Master Po," Shifu greeted. "I was thinking today that I hadn't seen everyone in a while, and I thought today might be a good day to stop by and say hello. And also meet your new trainee." 

Zhen, who was sitting next to Shifu, started laughing, surprising Po. "You never told me your old master had a great sense of humor!" she remarked. 

Po chuckled sheepishly at varying memories of getting smacked with a flute or staff. "Yeah, nothing but laughs with Shifu," he said. "Great memories." 

As he went to the stove to start making dinner, Mantis told Shifu that it was great to see him after a whole year and asked how he was doing with his tea classes. 

"It's been very relaxing I have to admit," Shifu told him. "I didn't think I'd like retirement, especially after figuring out chi, but there's something about sitting outside and looking up at the sky that's strangely exhilarating." 

"I know!" Zhen exclaimed. "People always think that you can get your thrills from beating the livin' snot outta' the little guys. But stargazing and strollin' through the woods does the same thing, you know? I don't even know how. You just get this weird sensory feeling that just...fits." 

"My sentiments exactly!" 

"I didn't take you for the stargazing type, Zhen," Po remarked from the stove. "Is that why you almost never rob people at night?" 

"No, but it's a bonus," Zhen admitted with an eye roll. 

"Don't mind Po, now," Shifu told her, taking a sip of tea from a cup he had on the table. "He works with simple logic."