Kung Fu Panda Fanfic - The Rise of a Hero

(V) In Search of Problems

After a few long days of walking, the duo finally reached the border of the city, which consisted of a huge lake that could only be crossed by boat, since going around it would take another few days of crossing.

After the long coexistence, the Fox began to show a certain... "closeness." So to speak. At least he no longer distrusted the food the panda prepared, and he even deigned to reveal his name when Po asked him... On the fifth time at least.

The aforementioned responded to the name of Zhen, and did not reveal any information about herself other than that she grew up an orphan on Juniper streets. A place that Po was completely unaware of, but whose tales of the fox created great pain in his heart.

It only took hearing a couple of stories to know that Juniper was anything but a pleasant place to grow up without parental love. In Zhen's own words, a place where corrupt governors line their pockets with bribes from criminal groups and big crime families. A place where survival depends on the strongest or the most rogue. A place where the words compassion and honor had long disappeared.

Po couldn't blame her. Despite his past and the loss of his biological parents at a very young age, he had the joy of growing up under the wing of a loving father in a peaceful place far from war or misery. Things that he knew already in his adult stage, when he was able to differentiate the goodness from the evil of this world.

That wouldn't mean he would start trusting Zhen blindly, but at least he would understand his pain and the reason for his attitude and actions. The simple fact that he hadn't tried to escape this whole time was a good sign. And who knows, maybe even such a withered heart can even see the light of hope.

It was night, and from the hill you could see the millions of lights coming from the city on the other side of the lake. Now... all that was left was to find a ship and a captain to take them. And just down the hill was a tavern that looked very promising.

Po: - So... That's Juniper City... -

Zhen: - Yes... The famous Juniper. - He said ironically. - Just a boat away. -

Po: - Will we find a captain here? -

Zhen: - For the right price, these scourges will take us wherever we want. Or of course... We can always ask Roberto for a discount. -

Po: - I would prefer to have to avoid it... We don't want more attention than necessary. -

They both walked down the hill, until they were close enough to the tavern to read its name. ¨Happy Rabbit Tavern.¨

Zhen: - Is something wrong? - He asked when he saw that he stopped.

Po: - I don't like this place. -

And sure he was right, very different from what the name of the place stated, Po could feel an aura of contempt and evil coming from the place. And to confirm their suspicions, a rabbit flew out from inside after tearing the paper from the window in their direction and screaming in fear.

Po didn't hesitate to catch it in mid-flight, but he was so scared that he was shaking and unable to say anything about it. So it would be best to put it aside and prepare for anything that could happen. And without any other options, they entered the tavern.

As soon as Po entered the place he felt absolute contempt for every diner present. The rabbits were, in effect, the workers of the place, but they were nothing more than a prey to ridicule and abuse from every type of ruffian you could find there.

Po's presence did not go unnoticed, as his large size hidden under the cloak and hat gave him a mystical and dangerous aura, one that quickly made the ruffians look away. As if even they wanted to avoid problems.