Insecurities

A Small Seed

"Well, it's good to have you back to normal, Po," Tigress replied, gracing a small smile that made the panda give a goofy grin. "However, that still doesn't explain why you were in such a mood in the first place."

"Well, it's kind of complicated," said the now nervous panda.

"Life usually is." Po gave the smirking cat a deadpanned look. He rolled his eyes as they continued walking to the barracks. "So?"

"Oh! Um... it's a little personal," Po replied nervously.

"Tai-Lung got to hear it."

"No, he didn't. Shifu interrupted us before I could tell him," Po replied plainly.

"So there is something," Tigress noted. Po threw his hands up in exhaustive defeat.

"What is it that you want me to say?" Po stopped, turning to Tigress. Tigress crossed her arms and looked at him, calculatedly.

"I just want to know that you're okay," Tigress replied honestly. Po smiled, resting his hand on her shoulder.

"I will be," Po promised as he left her at the kitchen of the barracks.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to go find something. If Zheng-Hau is as good as Shifu says, I need to make sure I have some kind of advantage."

"He was a servant. How difficult can he be?" Tigress asked confidently. Po shrugged as he walked backward.

"Not everything is as it seems," Po replied as he walked out of sight. Tigress sighed before walking into the kitchen with Crane and Monkey.

"Still being elusive?" Monkey asked.

"No, he's better, but I don't think he's telling me everything," Tigress replied, sitting down to her usual tofu meal. "Anyways, do we know why Zheng-Hau is doing this?"

"Well," Tai-Lung joined in, walking into the kitchen. "I did some asking around in the village. Apparently, he's been making war with many of the officials of the region. He's even amassed an army big enough to challenge the official of the providence. Zeng said that he came around the time that you guys became the Furious Five. He left about 2 years afterward." Tigress nodded but turned her head to the side a bit in a questioning look. "I didn't ask Shifu because I figured he was feeling guilty about him."

"Why?"

"He mentioned something about seeing Zheng-Hau's decline," Tai answered Tig. "Zeng told me he looked like one of the bunnies when he was young, which is why you guys didn't really notice him. Shifu may feel guilty about letting Zheng-Hau get to this state." Tigress nodded. She was feeling a little guilty as well. She remembered a little of the young bunny, but she didn't know it was him. Besides, they had a lot of servants other than Zeng.

"So, he's planning coup d'états? That can't be a good sign," Crane mentioned.

"Well, we'll be able to stop them easily," Monkey said carefreely.

"There is a problem," Tai-Lung started ominously. "Zheng-Hau's army is full of villagers, mostly bunnies, gazelles, pigs, and ducks. It's going to be difficult to figure out who's for us or against us." Tigress looked at him with a serious glare and nodded.

"What about Po?"

"Hmmm?" Tai-Lung's eyebrow rose at the bird's question.

"Sneaking in is going to be the goal, but what about Po? He's going to be noticed," Crane said plainly. Tai-Lung looked at Tigress.

"I think we'll all be noticed," Tigress sighed pessimistically, looking at Tai-Lung who nodded, "We'll have to figure out something." Meanwhile, Master Shifu was meditating at the Tree of Heavenly Wisdom.