The Countdown

Departure

Almost everyone in the room went silent, leaving Li's question to hang in the air.

"Come back with you?" Po repeated slowly. "As in...travel miles away to see people of my own species that I haven't seen in years?"

"Exactly!" Li exclaimed happily. "It'll give us more time to bond and I'll get to bring you home to our village."

"Absolutely not!" Mr. Ping exclaimed, bringing breakfast to the table. "My son is needed here in the valley. Plus, you're practically a stranger! How can he go visit a place with a complete stranger?!"

"Dad!" Po yelled in annoyance.

"Po, you can't leave!" the old goose begged, going over to Po's seat and giving him a tight squeeze. "What if something bad happens while you're away?! Or you don't have enough food to make it there?! Or you get killed by an attacker?! Or what if you like it there so much that you never return?!"

"Dad, I wouldn't stay there forever," Po promised him, not noticing the slight look of panic that crossed Tigress' face. "It would be just for a short time. Then I'd come right back."

The Dragon Warrior turned to his biological father and asked, "Um...how far away is your village?"

"Not far," Li promised. "From here in the valley to there, I believe it's about a four day journey."

"See?" Po told Mr. Ping. "I wouldn't be gone any longer than a month. If I do go."    He looked over at his friends and master. "Would you guys be okay if I took some time off of master duties?"

"Not at all," Master Shifu assured him. "I think this trip would be very enlightening for you, Po."

"We'll keep the valley safe until you get back," Crane promised.

"With all our new skills combined it shouldn't be hard," Monkey told his friend.

"Just expect a fanatic mob of fans when you get back," Tigress warned with a small grin.

Po weakly smiled. "Right," he remembered. "You guys better help me when I get back."

"We promise," Mantis assured him.

Po smiled and turned back to Li. "Sounds like an awesome idea," he told him. "When do we leave?"

"I was thinking tomorrow morning," the panda replied with a joyous expression. "That way you can say goodbye to your friends and the people here."

"Great. Looks like we'll have time for a game later tonight," the Dragon Warrior said, looking at his friends.

"I'm kicking your guys' butts again," Viper warned with a smirk.

"Please!" Monkey exclaimed. "My skills have improved. You're going down this next game!"

"Well, Po," Master Shifu told him, watching everyone continue to eat. "Since you won't be leaving us for a little while, you'll have plenty of time to join us for training today."

"What are we doing today?" Tigress asked the grandmaster.

"I'd like to go over some of the scrolls in the Sacred Hall of Warriors," came the answer. "To review our knowledge on various abilities and different objects used in kung fu."

"Sweet!" Po exclaimed. "Time to master the eye gouge!"

"Well, you all have fun with your kung fu stuff," Mr. Ping told the group, cleaning the counters and the dishes. "I have to head back down and run my restaurant. I'll see you later though, Po. Right?"