Kung Fu Panda: The Umbral warrior of the Jade Palace

Chapter 8

Alexia and Shifu continue to walk in the path while Po was way behind them. Minutes later, Shifu and Alexia were meditating in the front of the pool while they waited for Po. When Po finally arrived, he collapsed on the floor and was trying to catch his breath. Then he started to crawl his way to the pool. 

Po: You both... dragged me... all the way out here... for a bath?!

Po took his time in catching his breath and he begins to pat his armpits with water. Alexia sighed before speaking. 

Alexia: Po, we do not wash our pits in The Pool of Sacred Tears.

Po: The pool of- 

Shifu: This is where Oogway unraveled the mysteries of harmony and focus. This is the birthplace... of kung fu.

Po was in pure amazement and disbelief as he places a hand in his chest. Shifu performed a few kung fu moves while Alexia demonstrates her sword-fighting skills. Then they looked down at Po. 

Shifu and Alexia:  Do you want to learn kung fu?

Po: Yeah...

Shifu and Alexia:  Then we are... your... masters!

Po: Okay! 

Po started to become teary-eyed as he was overwhelmed with emotions. 

Shifu: Don't cry.

Po: Okay...

Po sniffed then wiped his nose and gave the two master a smile. Both masters smiled back to his determination. 

Alexia and Shifu made their way to the grass field. Shifu stood in a rock While Alexia was beside him. Then they instruct Po. 

Alexia: This is where your legacy will begin. 

Shifu: When you focus on kung fu... when you concentrate...you stink.

Alexia: I agreed to that.

Po's face dropped a little, knowing that he was not wrong on that statement. Then Shifu continued speaking. 

Shifu: But perhaps that is my fault. I cannot train you the way I have trained the Five or Umbra. I now see that the way to get through to you... is with this. 

Shifu showed a bowl of dumplings to Po. 

Po: Oh great, 'cause I am hungry.

Shifu and Alexia chuckled as he pulled the bowl away from Po when he tried to reach for it. 

Shifu: Good. When you have been trained, you may eat. 

Po scowled as Shifu ate one dumpling. He offered Alexia to have one but she gestured a "no thanks" to him. Shifu walked to the next area and spoked. 

Shifu: Let us begin. 

 Po has finally begun his training. His first training was doing sit-ups on the branch of the tree. Shifu was above him, holding the bowl with him and Alexia was leaning in the tree, watching Shifu train Po. Po continued with his crunches until a snap was heard from the branch. Shifu and Alexia jump off the branch and landed on the edge of the cliff. Po nearly fell but he was able to rescue the bowl and that's when the branch snapped in half and fell out of sight. Shifu caught the bowl and the dumpling by his staff. Alexia sighed and pinches her nose out of disappointment. 

 Po's was next training was defending himself while holding the bowl. Shifu was armed with his staff while Alexia uses her Wooden Bokken instead of her Nikana. She didn't want to mince Po into pieces during his training. Shifu and Alexia continuously attack Po while he was trying to keep the bowl from falling from his grasp. Po manages to fend them off for three seconds before Shifu smashes the bowl. 

 The third part of Po's training was making him do Push-ups in hot burning coal while he was trying to reach for the dumpling. Then he was tasked to do a balance while holding multiple bowls in his body. While Po and Shifu were doing their training, Alexia was kneeling in the rock, admiring the view of Shifu helping Po with his training. It reminded her days with Tai Lung before he went violent. She still misses him and wished that it didn't end like that. 

 After the training, Alexia sets a bowl of dumplings and two empty bowls on a boulder. She and Shifu pick up a pair of chopsticks. 

Shifu: After you, Panda. 

Po was a little suspicious about the sudden offer for him. 

Po: That's it? No situps? N-no... no ten-mile hikes?

Alexia: Nope. The hike was only for us to get here. It was not part of the training. Remember that we vowed to train you? 

Shifu: And you have been trained. You are free to eat. 

Po was still not convinced at their words. He picked a pair of chopsticks and gave them a cautious look. 

Shifu: Enjoy.

Po smiled at Shifu as he raises the dumpling to his mouth. However, Shifu snatches the dumpling out from Po. Po saw Shifu ate his dumpling.

Po: Hey! 

Shifu: I said you are free to eat. Have a dumpling.

Po reaches for another dumpling and brought it closer to his mouth until Alexia took his dumpling with a quick swift and ate it. 

Po: Hey!

Alexia: As he said, "You are free...to eat."

Po: Am I?!

Shifu and Alexia: Are you?! 

Po: WHA! 

Po slams the table, sending all the dumplings in the air. Shifu and Alexia leap in the air and eat as many dumplings as they could until there was only one left. Po tried to reach for the dumpling, only for Alexia to grab it in midair. Po fell in the ground as I landed in front of him. Alexia passed the dumpling to Shifu, who was standing in the rock. 

 Po and Shifu suddenly had a chopstick battle until Shifu hid the dumpling in one of the bowls and mixed them with rapid speed. Thanks to Po's food senses, he uncovered one of the bowls that have the dumpling in it. 

Po: WHOO! 

Alexia: I don't think so. 

She snatched the dumpling away from Po's grasp and taunt him to come and get it. Both of them were in another round of chopstick battle. The battle ended when Alexia smacks Po's chopsticks, sending the dumpling airborne again. Alexia pulls out her bokken to attack Po but Po managed to best her. He swipes her foot, making her lose balance. Before Alexia landed to the ground, Po catches her in the waist and at the same time, caught the dumpling on the other hand.

Shifu was shocked at Po's performance. He was able to beat his best pupil just like that. Alexia, on the other hand, was blushing madly at the current position that she was on. Their eyes were gazing to each other until Shifu interrupted with an 'ahem'. Po helps Alexia stand up while she wipes the dust away from her. Shifu smiled as he knew that Po has passed the test. He gestures Po to have the dumpling as his reward. 

Surprisingly, Po tosses the dumpling to Shifu, which shocked him. 

Po: I'm not hungry...Master.

Shifu smiled as they both bowed to each other. Po's determination and readiness put a smile on Alexia's face. She knew he was ready to face Tai Lung. But she thought to herself. 

Alexia: Will I be ready to face him?

End of Chapter