The Peacock, The Panda, and the Fox

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Our story begins with a shadow puppet show. Two peacocks overlook a tall, majestic tower.

Narrator: Long ago, in ancient China, the peacocks ruled over Gongmen City. They brought great joy and prosperity to the city, for they had invented fireworks.

Puppet citizens gather in the streets as colorful fireworks explode over the city. We then switch to a room in the palace: a young white peacock experiments with the gunpowder. A small explosion from the bowl surprises him, and then he smiles darkly. Shen's mother and father witness this outside his room and look at each other with concern.

Narrator: Their son, Lord Shen, saw darker power in the fireworks. What had brought color and joy could also bring darkness and destruction.

We cut to the throne room: Shen's parents watch as the court soothsayer puts two items into a small bowl, and an apparition emerges. In the apparition, a white peacock is consumed by a yin yang symbol as green eyes appear.

Narrator: Shen's troubled parents consulted a soothsayer. She foretold that if Shen continued down this dark path, he would be defeated by two warriors. A warrior of black and white, and a warrior with eyes as green as precious jade stone.

Shen watches the scene from behind a pillar. He scowls and exits the palace with a small army of wolves.

Narrator: The young lord set out to change his fate, but what he did next... only sealed it.

A moment later, the residents of a small panda village watch in horror as Shen sets his wolves on them. During all of this, Shen confronted what looked like a female fox with white and brown fur and jade green eyes. Shen struck her down as she fell limp. Shen looked saddens for a moment before his face grew cold. Back at the palace, Shen bursts in on his parents, triumphant. His expression changes when he sees the looks on their faces.

Narrator: Shen returned to his parents full of pride, but in their faces, he only saw horror.

Outside the palace gates, Shen and his parents stand on opposite sides. Shen's father signifies that Shen is banished.

Narrator: He was banished from the city forever.

Shen furiously says words back before departing with his wolves. Shen's parents' shoulders slump as they watch their son leave.

Narrator: But Shen swore revenge: Someday, he would return, and all of China would bow at his feet.

A door to the shadow puppet show closes as we cut to real life as we see a foundry in the mountains. A pack of wolves are seen heaving, pounding, and burning metal. One of the wolves, a large soldier with one eye, jumps over to Shen and bows.

Boss Wolf: It's almost done, Lord Shen, but we've run out of metal.

Shen: Search the farthest villages. Find more metal! China will be mine.

We then cut to the Jade Palace, where two kids are seen playing with Po and Yue action figures in the Training Hall's courtyard.

Bunny Child: And then, the Dragon Warriors joined the Furious Five!

Pig Child: And they became the most awesome kung fu team ever!

Bunny Child: *Mimicking Po's voice* "Enough talk. Let's fight!"

Pig Child: *Mimicking Yue's voice* "Nothing can stop us now!"

They play together with their action figures. Suddenly, voices and thumping sounds are heard coming from inside the Training Hall.

Bunny Child: Listen! Listen! You can hear the Dragon Warrior's training right now!

Inside the Training Hall, all the obstacles and other training equipment are seen as vacant. Meanwhile, the voices continue.

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