The Countdown: In Between the Lines

Second Chances

"I will teach you how to cook," Po promised.

"You've already taught me basic cooking," Tigress protested. "What else is there to teach?"

"Just because you know some basic cooking lessons doesn't mean I'm going to stop teaching you," Po told her firmly. "Think of it like kung fu. Do you stop training just because you know how to kick somebody?"

Tigress sighed. "I see your point," she said.

"Hey, you're getting better though. Now you can cook noodles without making them too salty."

Tigress rolled her eyes, trying to stop a smile from forming at his eagerness. "Whatever you say, Po," she said.

Po walked into the hallway, gesturing for Tigress to follow suit. "Come on," he said. "Lets make some food before Shifu and Mei-Ling wake us up."

Tigress chuckled in amusement before following him down the hallway and out of the barracks.

The masters still felt a bit weird having Mei-Ling in the Jade Palace (especially since they weren't used to having her appear for breakfast), but they tried to resume a normal conversation during their meal, which consisted of bean buns and noodles. (Monkey had commented that he was surprised that their food wasn't burnt, resulting with a warning glare from Tigress and some condemnation from Po). Afterwards, the masters went to the training hall to begin their lesson, beginning with a warm-up that didn't really please anyone.

"That's it! We're going to die!" Po cried.

"Po, you say this every time," Shifu grumbled, his ear twitching. "And have you died?"

"You never know!"

"The point of these exercises is to ensure that, if you are ever in these situations, you'll manage perfectly fine."

"I don't mean any disrespect, Master Shifu, but when in life are we going to be chained back to back to one of our teammates and trying to avoid dying at the hands of the Swinging Blades of Death?"

"When you least expect it," Shifu told him flatly. "And since you seem so eager to complain, you can start off the warm-up."

Po frowned, a look of terror crossing  his face. Mantis snickered in response.

"With Mantis," Shifu added.

Mantis stopped snickering and looked at Shifu in disbelief. "Uh..." he started, but Shifu interrupted him by asking him to come over with Po so that the two could be chained up.

"Wouldn't it be-oof! Wouldn't it be better for me to get chained to Viper?" Mantis asked as Shifu chained him and Po together. "Or maybe even Monkey?"

"You'll work with whoever you get stuck with," Shifu told him. "This will vary from day to day."

"Wait!" Po cried. "We're doing this every day?!"

"Until you've all escaped the Slicing Blades of Fear with every single one of your teammates," Shifu corrected. "Now, you two take your place in the middle of the blades and wait for further instructions." 

Po held back a sigh and did as he was told, Mantis gulping and anxiously trying to look back and spot any potential danger. Shifu waited for them to take their positions before walking over and standing by the controls to activate the equipment.