The Lion and the Peacock

A Home for Us

The sun shone bright the day that work was finished. The birds sang their joy and the flowers seemed to bloom in unison when the town was rebuilt.

The Valley of Peace was finally complete. Every citizen had a home for their family to live in. Every shopkeeper had a shop to sell their wares. Men, women, and children alike rejoiced at their brand new homes.

The four months after the birth of Huo whirled by faster than Leo Lung could've imagined. Homes and stores were rebuilt on their foundation. Where there was enough space, more buildings were built. Any animal who could work worked. The number of tents and canvases outside the Valley decreased as each animal moved back into their home.

The homes themselves were beautiful. Even the farmers, who couldn't afford a two story home, were given a beautiful farm house. The homes in the center of the Valley, where the wealthier animals lived, were just as extravagant. Leo knew- he helped build them.

A European-style town square, suggested by Milu, was built at the base of the Jade Palace stairs. In that square was a beautiful fountain, complete with beautiful trees and benches surrounding it. Any time the Jade Palace occupants entered the Valley, the first thing they were greeted by was the town square, which seemed to be the new hot spot for anybody wanting to get a taste of fresh air.

There was also the business street, where many stores and production lines were created for many of the shopowners of the Valley. Many of the shops, however, still had enough money stashed away to restart business. Many foreign and exotic goods- such as African garments, Korean furniture, and Indian jewelry- were imported and sold at the brand new stores.

Mr. Ping's noodle shop was built bigger than before to accommodate new customers; of course, having an adopted son who was the most famous warrior in China was a big boost for business. The kitchen was high enough for Po to stand up straight in, and featured a Roman-style aqueduct with running water to wash produce as it arrived. The dining room, which was still open air, had more space between the tables- perfect for a certain large panda- and now seated almost 100 customers. Mr. Ping was absolutely ecstatic when he saw the new shop.

One evening, when Leo Lung and the Furious Five visited the shop after a long day of helping the Valley rebuild, they found Mr. Ping and Po talking and laughing in the kitchen. The dining room was empty- the sun had already set and many animals were turning in for the night. The Furious Five sat down at a large table while Leo went to the counter. The two cooks saw him and Po smiled eagerly, "Hey Master Leo! Hey guys!" He waved happily to the Furious Five, who waved back.

"We'll just have some soup tonight, Po." Leo nodded contently, "Have you been cooking all this time?"

"Mostly just prepping for tomorrow's crowd. A lot of hungry workers, you know?" He said, gesturing to vegetables in front of him, which had just arrived several hours earlier.

"Ah, I bet. Will you be staying here tonight, then? We won't mind if you have to." Leo smiled.

"Yeah!" Po perked up, "My new room has all sorts of new posters and action figures and-" The panda stopped himself suddenly when he realized the Furious Five were listening in with amusement, "I mean, yeah, it's pretty cool."

Everyone laughed and, after Leo payed a generous sum to Mr. Ping, sat down to eat dinner. Leo Lung gulped a spoonful of the soup and grinned, "Po, I must say you've done it again. This is delicious."

"Yeah! Your soup is really good."

"I wish I knew the secret ingredient!"

"You have to show us how to make it, Po!"