The Lion and the Peacock

Departure

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In the Jade Palace

Leo Lung was sitting on his cot in his room when Zeng burst into his room. Leo glanced up, seeing the goose panting in his doorway. Leo smirked, a quick chuckle escaping his lips as he commented, "You can never seem to catch your breath, huh, Zeng?"

"...Very funny." The messenger goose said. Leo rolled his eyes playfully. He stood up,

"What is it that you need to tell me, then?" Leo inquired, his ears perking so he could listen to the bird.

"Master Shifu has gotten a scroll from Gongmen City. It is about Master Thundering Rhino. He wants to talk to you and the rest of the Masters. He says it is incredibly important." Zeng straightened his back, finally getting his breathing under control.

"Ah, alright. Thank you, Zeng." Leo said, smiling as he moved to exit his room. The goose scrambled out of the way, watching as Leo trotted on all four paws out of the dorms and towards the courtyard of the Palace.

When Leo arrived, he saw that the Furious Five and Po had just gathered around Master Shifu. Shifu looked at Leo as the lion stood upright. The worried expression on Shifu's face was all Leo needed to conclude that something was not right. Leo's brow furrowed and he frowned, standing up on his back legs.

"Are you all familiar with the Master of Gongmen City?" Shifu asked, glancing back at the scroll.

Before Leo or Tigress could answer, Po spoke up quickly, "You mean Master Thundering Rhino?"

"Yes." Shifu said, his eyes scanning the scroll as he read and reread its contents.

"The son of legendary Master Flying Rhino?" Po asked, his excitement building. His imagination began to whirl as he thought of what Shifu would say next, "The slayer of the ten-thousand serpents of the Valley of Woe?"

"He is dead."

Master Leo, Tigress, Po, and the rest of the Masters were stunned into silence. However, that silence did not last long. Po, of course, was the first to speak up: "Whoa."

"But that is impossible!" Master Crane said under his breath, letting the weight of reality set in.

"Master Rhino's horn is impervious to any technique!" Tigress argued, her brows furrowing in confusion.

"I agree." Leo Lung put his two cents in, "Master Thundering Rhino is..er, was one of the greatest Kung Fu Masters in China. What happened?!" Leo demanded. Shifu glanced up to look at his students.

"This was no technique. Lord Shen has created a horrendous weapon. It can breathe fire and spit metal. Unless he is stopped, this can be the end of Kung Fu!" He said sadly.

Leo Lung felt all the blood drain quickly from his face. His heart dropped into his feet. The lion could hear Po talking to Shifu, but he blocked the panda out. Did he hear Master Shifu right? Lord Shen? Leo knew that name. It was a name from his past.

Then, suddenly, Leo was back in Gongmen City. He was smaller and less muscular. He was not scrawny, but he was certainly less toned than he is now. His mane, which was usually thick and full, was just starting to grow in. His neck and shoulders were exposed. Leo felt an oddly familiar ache in his shoulder.

In front of Leo stood two peafowl. One was large, noble, blue peacock, with his tail feathers spread. His wife, a beautiful purple peahen, stood beside him. Behind Leo Lung stood a young white peacock, just about Leo's age. His face was full of pride and arrogance. It was Lord Shen. But the blue peacock in front of Leo crowed angrily at Shen, "Leo Lung of the Jade Palace has informed us of your crimes. I hereby decree that you, my son, Shen, are exiled from the city! Do not return!"