Kung Fu Panda 4 (rewritten)

Crossroads of Destiny.

In the early morning hours, when the sky was still dark blue and purple, everyone in the Valley of Peace was still sound asleep in their bed. A thin layer of fog was gliding close to the ground as dew dripped down from the young leaves of a new peach tree that had just started sprouting and its buds had yet to bloom.

Inside the Jade Palace, there was no soul present. It was like a ghost town, lifeless, deserted and the only sounds there were the water in the pool and the wind whistling through the palace's columns. However, there was one resident who had woken up rather earlier than he intended to, but he felt uncharacteristically eager to start the day.

As Po strolled down the path towards the Jade Palace, he started to feel someone's presence behind him. Turning around, he saw Tigress standing in front of him with tired eyes and a soft smile, causing him to blush. Quickly regaining his composure, he greeted her.

"Ah! Morning, Tigress."

"I know you're content with starting your meditation early, but we're still sleeping. Some of us haven't been getting that much sleep these past few days." Tigress reminded him, Po nodded.

"Of course, sorry 'bout that. It's just that I finally feel proud of getting up straight away and not sleep through till the afternoon, like I'm only improving further and further as the Dragon Warrior. Although I'm already practically at the top, huh?" Po joked as Tigress chuckled and glanced up at the Jade Palace and then back at Po.

"It's crazy to think that you used to be a fumbling and obnoxious kung fu geek who didn't even last a minute inside the training hall... and look at you now. A full grown Dragon Warrior, who will soon teach our art to the next generation."

"Ah. Yes" Po sighed with delight.

"Is... is something bothering you?" Tigress asked. "I know you always get up early when you're either agitated or to get things off your mind."

"It's about the "new student" thing." Po nodded, Tigress placed her hand on Po's forearm.

"I've been trying to find an answer, guidance from the universe, but I guess it didn't had any." Po said

"I know you're having trouble handling this... change, but time can only move forward. There is a new era ahead of us and I think we should embrace that." Tigress said, Po's shoulders slumped as he sighed.

"Honesty, I don't know. Everything has always been the same for so long and I'd rather keep it that way. I don't know if I can handle this "new era"."

Knowing Po's distaste for sudden change, Tigress didn't try to argue with him, especially this early in the morning. All she gave was a quick nod.

"Po, I know you don't like change, I really do, but look at how much you've changed." Tigress hinted, to which Po chuckled.

"I'm saying this only because I care about you." Tigress reminded him.

"I know you do, you always do." Po smiled, watching Tigress return to the barracks to get more sleep and felt glad that she didn't notice the light shade of pink beneath his white fur.

Clearing his throat, he continued his way to the Jade Palace to start meditating.

Po sat on the floor with his legs crossed in front of the pool. Closing his eyes, deep breaths. And soon, his focus deepened as he was now meditating. Softly repeating the same mantra.

"Inner peace... inner peace."

He repeated that mantra for about half an hour, until his ears caught the sound of a faint thump from behind him. Po shrugged it off as something in his mind and continued meditating, but when the faint thump sounded another three times, it had then become a loud and rapid clanking, which finally got Po out of his focus.