The FT Squad's Adventures in Kung Fu Panda 2 P6

With the production of Shen’s weapons getting very close to completion, Boss Wolf let out a loud howl that caught the attention of every wolf around the city.  Stalking through the city streets and scaling the rooftops, they rushed to the factory in preparation for Shen and Roark’s takeover of China.  As this happened, Po, the Five and the FT Squad snuck around the dark alleys, attempting to go into hiding unseen.  “This way,” whispered Tigress as she led her friends through the alley.

She stopped behind a wall, near the entrance to Gongmen Jail.  She saw the two wolf guards hearing the signal to get to the factory.  They leaped onto a rooftop, abandoning the entrance and leaving it open.  With that, Tigress opened up the doors to the jail as everyone got inside.  Po tumbled to the bottom floor of the jail as everyone else got in.  The only ones who were left in the jail were Masters Ox and Croc, who haven’t left their cell.  “You,” said Ox, “what did you do?  It’s chaos up there.  What happened to stopping Shen?”

Po got on his feet as his friends stared at him, confused but disappointed that he let Shen go.  “Yeah,” said Monkey.

“What did happen back there,” asked Wubbzy.

Unsure what to say, Po replied, “hey guys, come on.  Give me a little credit.  I meant for him to get away.  Because, uh…it was a trick, was a plot…and I thought I might…figure out his plot…more.”

But this wasn’t enough for the Five or squad.  “That makes no sense,” said Mantis.

“What do you mean,” asked Po, “of course it does.”

“Don’t be an idiot Po,” said a furious Kyle, “you were faced against Shen while I was fighting Roark, but you just let him go like you didn’t care, and because of that, he nearly took my arm off.”

Po was startled by Kyle’s words.  “What…what do you mean,” he asked, “of course I…”

“Po,” said Tigress as she approached Po who tripped onto his back, “the truth.  You had Shen.  What happened?”

“What are you talking about,” asked Po, trying to stay in character, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.  I mean, ok, he caught me off guard.”

“Dude, you almost…” said Kyle, only to be silenced by a gesture from Tigress.

Kyle backed away from Tigress, who knelt down and looked Po in the eye.  “The truth,” she said.

Po opened his mouth, about to say something, but quickly closed it.  Seeing that Po wasn’t answering, Tigress got up.  “Fine,” she said, “they will keep you far from danger.”

Tigress gestured towards Ox and Croc.  “Real far,” commented Croc.

Po glanced at the two before turning back to Tigress.  “What?”

“You’re staying here,” said Tigress.

Tigress started walking back to the others.  Seeing that she was ordering him to stay at the jail, away from Shen, Po got to his feet and tried stopping her.  “WAIT!  I have to…”

Before Po could catch up, Tigress swiftly turned around and gave Po her fierce glare.  This caused everyone around her to react with shock.  The squad and rest of the Five froze in fear.  “Oh…my…” muttered Dennis.

Suddenly remembering this glare from his training days, Kyle started getting nervous of what was about to happen.  “Oh no,” he whispered.

“You’re staying here,” said Tigress sternly.

“I’m going,” said Po who wasn’t backing off, “and you can’t stop me.”

Po tried getting past Tigress, only for Tigress to grab his arm and twist him around and send him spinning towards the cell.  But Po quickly turned back and said, “ok, I wasn’t ready that time.”

“Guys, don’t,” begged Viper.

Tigress posed, ready for a spar.  “Ready,” she said, meaning business.

“Look,” said Po as he pointed towards the ceiling, trying to fool Tigress.

But Tigress didn’t fall for it.  She tossed Po towards the ceiling.  He came back down a few feet away from Tigress, towards the cell.  But Po quickly got back to his feet and rushed back to Tigress again.  Ox and Croc watched as the two sparred.  As for the squad and Five, they couldn’t stand watching Po get beaten by Tigress, but didn’t want to get in Tigress’ way.  But Kyle thought otherwise.  “Guys, stop this fighting.  We’re supposed to be on the same team, not turning against each other,” said Kyle before rushing in to stop them.

But Kyle was stopped by Cassidy.  “Kyle, don’t,” she said, “if you get in there, you might take another beating and your scratch might get worse.”

“Don’t we get a say in this somehow at least,” asked Rex who also wanted the fighting to stop.

“I don’t think so,” said Kimmy who was unsure, “Tigress proved her point when she gave him that glare.”

“I know I ain’t gettin’ in her way,” said Donkey.

As for Po, he ended up near Ox and Croc’s cell again.  He rolled onto his belly, trying to get back up.  “Stay down,” urged Viper, not wanting Po to get hurt any further.

As Po tried getting to his feet, he said, “I have to get to him.”

“Tell me why,” said Tigress angrily.

Seeing that there was no way of deceiving Tigress, or the others, Po gave in.  “He was there, ok?  The peacock was there the last time I saw my parents.  He knows what happened…where I came from…who I am,” said Po.

Tigress stared at Po, but as she did, she felt her anger subsiding upon hearing Po explain why he let Shen get away.  Po got to his feet and turned to Tigress, not wanting to fight.  “Look, I’m going…I have to know,” he said, “the hardcore can’t understand.”

But as Po walked towards the exit, Tigress scowled and lunged at Po.  “TIGRESS, NO,” cried Viper.

But as it seemed she was going to attack Po, she instead hugged him.  This caught everyone off guard, even Po.  Crane’s jaw dropped as he watched Tigress hug the panda.  “The hardcore do understand,” Tigress said gently before looking Po in the eye, “but I can’t watch my friend be killed.”

Po looked at Tigress in surprise, not expecting this to come from her.  “We’re going,” said Tigress as she turned to the others.

“Hey, maybe you can’t watch me be killed,” asked Crane nervously.

“Stop being a wimp,” replied Tigress as she walked past him.

“And…she’s back,” commented Monkey as he and the others started leaving.

This time, Po didn’t follow them.  He stayed where he was, disappointed that he was still told to stay at the jail, but surprised that Tigress actually showed an act of compassion towards him, something he never expected to come from a hardcore warrior like her.  As he thought, Ox sighed and said, “don’t worry kid.  You’re better off here.”

Po glimpsed at Ox before thinking about what to do.  Should he really stay and keep out of trouble, or go to Shen anyway and find an answer about his past?

Back with the other warriors, they left the jail and started heading towards the factory.  But as they did, Kyle couldn’t help but feel a sense of guilt for not arguing about bringing Po with them.  Sure he was angry that he didn’t get Shen, but since Po revealed that the peacock had something to do with his past, he didn’t know what to think.  “We just have to get to that factory and somehow get rid of those weapons,” said Elsa, “I’m not sure how we’ll do it though.”

“We’ll think of something once we get there,” said Widget, “right Kyle?”

But Kyle was silent.  “What’s the matter,” asked Wubbzy.

Kyle sighed.  “Nothing guys, I’m fine,” said Kyle, “but I can’t help but think leaving him behind was the best idea.”

“We had no choice Kyle,” said Tigress, “I didn’t want him to jeopardize our mission like what happened before.  If he defeated Shen while he could, you wouldn’t have been nearly killed.”

“I know Tigress,” said Kyle, “but still…he doesn’t know where he came from, but Shen does.  How is he to find out his origins?”

“I don’t know…but we can’t think of that now,” said Tigress, “we have to stop Shen and Roark.”

“Exactly,” said Hathi, “we cannot let those scoundrels conquer China and the world.  We’ve defeated Roark before, and we’ll do it again if we must.”

“This time, we’re gonna take that bird down,” said Rudy, who was ready for action.

Though saddened for Po, Kyle realized that they were right.  The sake of fighting for freedom was now a top priority.  “Alright,” he said, “let’s go.”

Back at the factory, as the wolves kept working on their weapons, Shen wielded his sword around, practicing his moves, all while gloating about how he was close to victory.  “You were wrong Soothsayer.  We sail to victory tonight,” said Shen to the nearby Soothsayer, “your magic panda is clearly a fool.”

“Are you certain it is the panda who is the fool,” asked the angry Soothsayer, “you just destroyed your ancestral home Shen.”

“A trivial sacrifice, when all of China is my reward,” said Shen as he stuck his swords tip in a torch and burned the peacock tower on a China map, “and also the world for my apprentice.”

“That tower was never my favorite building anyway,” said Roark, “that was an example of how we’ll destroy kung fu when we achieve victory.  So much for ‘warrior of black and white.’”

“Yes,” said Shen, “so much for that.”

“Then will you finally be satisfied,” asked the still angry Soothsayer, “will the subjugation of the whole world finally make you feel better?”

“Hmm, it’s a start,” said Shen as he and Roark walked towards a balcony, “I might also convert the basement into a dungeon.”

Shen glared at the Soothsayer before turning to his work in progress.  “The cup you choose to fill has no bottom,” said the Soothsayer, “it is time to stop this madness.”

“This is no metaphor you goat,” said Roark, “this is the real deal.  It is time we achieve our goals and take what we were denied.  Besides, why should listen to you when you were wrong about everything?”

“Yes,” said Shen, “why on Earth, would we do that?”

“So that your parents can rest in peace,” said the Soothsayer, trying to urge them to stop going down their dark paths.

Upon hearing the Soothsayer mention his parents, Shen’s expression of pride turned into slight sadness.  “My parents…hated me,” he said, “do you understand.  They wronged me…and…I…will make it right.”

“They loved you,” said the Soothsayer, “they loved you so much that having to send you away killed them.”

Shen stood in silence for a moment, recalling how he did get love from his parents before banishment, before hardening his heart and saying, “the dead exist in the past…and I must attend to the future.”

The Soothsayer looked down, deeply saddened that her efforts to urge Shen to reconsider were in vain.  Roark glared at the Soothsayer, having no sympathy for her.  “Set the Soothsayer free,” ordered Shen, “she is no use to me.”

“Yes my lord,” replied Roark as he and a gorilla soldier approached her.

“Goodbye Shen,” said the sad Soothsayer, “I wish you happiness.”

“Happiness must be taken,” said Shen, “…and I will take mine.”

“So will I,” said Roark, “so long lady.”

The gorilla put his hand over the Soothsayer’s shoulder, preventing her from walking back.  The Soothsayer quickly smacked the hand with her staff.  Shen didn’t turn back to the Soothsayer, no longer feeling any remorse for his actions, or second thoughts of his plan.