A crocodile comes crashing through the door, which flies off the old hinges and onto the dusty floor. He tries to get on his feet but his gut twists in pain like there's broken plates in his belly. It's bad enough even before a foot stomps him back on the floor. The nauseous groan doesn't deter Tigress, who only digs her heel into him more.

"You lot are stronger than I thought." Fenghuang yawns, crossing her legs. She doesn't even get up from her chair. "I guess there's no 'liability of the team' in this generation's Furious Five. Gonna be that much harder to choose who the Dragon Warrior is going to be."

"Silence." Tigress' stare doesn't break. The four follows her into the old hut. Who knew such a humble abode would be the lair of the most famous of the exiled masters? "Give me the panda and the scroll."

"Why do you still ask for him?" The owl questions. "You've found me. That's the only reason the poor man had to come, hm? Because he is the only one who knows my face."

"He has no involvement in this." The tiger growls. "Give him to me."

"He is safe back in the valley." Fenghuang sighs, shaking her head. This master is quite the angry one. "As you said, he is simply a citizen caught in the crossfire of the politics of masters and he deserves peace."

Viper's eyes would be narrowing if it were possible. She could be lying and she could be telling the truth. The logical assumption is that the enemy will always lie, but something in her gut tells her something different. "What are you up to, Fenghuang? What's your game?"

"To open the eyes of China." Her answer is direct and simple. "We masters are picked from the most promising youths scattered all over the land. For years, we endure soul-breaking training and then forget our names to become living weapons. Five of the most promising of the masters are chosen to be the Furious Five, and then there's the dream of all who practice our art: becoming the Dragon Warrior."

"You had your shot years ago, you hag." Monkey smirks. "Time to retire."

A slow, pitying laugh. It grows from soft chuckles to a blaring, obnoxious laugh that seems to echo from the walls. Fenghuang shakes her head. "You think I want to be the Dragon Warrior? Oh, how wrong you are."

Even Tigress is speechless, but there are no needs for words. Her fists will do the talking. One rock hard punch tears through the chair Fenghuang was reclining on just a second ago.

"My, my, Shifu certainly has an eye for talent." Fenghuang smirks, a spark in her beady eyes. "Don't catch me wrong, I hold no value for that scroll that the Coucil loves so much. I'm certainly glad I saved you five, however."

"What do you mean they're not going to find it?" Po impatiently asks. "And where am I?"

"You're back in the Valley of Peace. My house." Cobra's face shows a hint of concern. "And I hope my wife got out of the Jade Palace like I told her to, because that place is going to be a hellhole."

"I can't believe you did this." The panda can't even process what she's saying. "I've known you ever since I was so young. Well, not really who you are, but-"

"Po. I know you feel powerless, and that's why you admire the powerful. But that's the thing with power. You earn it and you'll want to keep it, make it bigger, so that no one can ever take it away." Cobra says, like bile is in her throat. "I'm glad that you have so much faith in me that you couldn't see me doing a deed this awful. Think what you will of me, but I don't regret my choices, for I have saved the Furious Five."

Did he hear that right? "You saved the Furious Five? How?"

"Tai Lung was the ultimate symptom of a disease. The Grandmasters' obsession with the scroll spread to the masters and you know we all greed for the power it holds. It's evil, Po. You bleed for years and years to see nothing in that scroll for you, and it changes people. It was only a matter of time. They locked him up not because he was too strong for them, solely because they have strength in numbers, but because their arrogance wanted to parade him as an example to spread the scroll's legend. Now, he's escaped and he will stop at nothing to find it." She says, unlatching some sort of attic door on the ceiling.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"Minimizing casualties. If I don't make it, someone's going to get you out of here tomorrow." The door swings open. Her pride won't let Po see the look on her face. "I've said it before, but you're a good kid and I never say anything I don't mean. A real good kid. Wish I could stay here and watch over you. Listen, faith is good. I know you believe if having a good world and I know you can make it happen, but some things are rotten to the ground and you have to burn it down to build something new right on top of it's corpse."

What the hell does that mean, though? "Master Cobra... I don't understand. Please let me go, I need to find the Furious Five."

"You will. And they'll be glad to see you."

That's the last thing she says before she shuts the door behind her. A click of the lock, and silence will be Po's only company for now.