Hey everyone! I am SO SORRY for the incredibly long wait!! I've been really busy, and a lot of weird things have happened, but I've finally got this chapter ready to post. Thanks for those who did review! Everyone, Please review this chapter!!! I really need feedback on this...hahaha.

If I tell you
Will you listen?
Will you stay?
Will you be here forever?
Never go away?

Never thought things would change
Hold me tight
Please don't say again
That you have to go.

A bitter thought
I had it all
But I just let it go
Hold your silence
It's so violent
Since your gone.

Skipper looked up as Tai Lung placed him and King Julien in separate metal cages and then upon the metal block, side by side. He watched the giant cat sprint off and leap into an obstacle course that only the top Masters of Kung Fu use as a training ground... As much as he had grown to despise this snow leopard with every essence in his being, Skipper had to admit, Tai Lung had a few moves he wouldn't mind learning himself.

"Skipper! Oh, finally, a familiar face! I never thought I would be saying such a thing...ever, like, in my life...but boy am I happy to see you!"

King Julien exclaimed, snapped Skipper's mind out of thought. He turned to face him. The look on the Ring-tails face told Skipper that Julien would have leaped into his flippers out of pure joy, that is, if they weren't separated by metal bars.

"Ring-tail! What in Davy Jones locker are you doing here?!"

Skipper exclaimed, and then a horrible realization hit him.

Where are the others?! Wasn't Julien with them..?

"Julien, quick! Where are the others?! Where are Marlene, Private, Kowalski? What in the name of sweet salmon has happened to them? WHERE ARE THEY?!"

He screamed the last words, taking Julien by surprise. The lemur King seemed genuinely taken aback by the penguins sudden outburst, and even a little frightened.

"The others...? Eh...are-are you meaning the silly otter--"

Julien began nervously until Skipper cut him off.

"She's not silly! Yes, them you idiot, where are they?!"

Julien held a finger to his chin to think for a moment, bringing Skipper the slightest amount of hope. Whatever hope he had mustered however, was brutally crushed when King Julien began speaking again.

"That...my flippered friend, remains a mystery. Even I, the King...am not knowing where the otter and your other flightless friends may be going. I left them a long time ago to look for little Lillian..."

Skipper paused, gave Julien a look as if he had finally lost whatever sanity that was left in his mind.

"Little who?"

"Oh! I'm sorry, my bad...what I am meaning to say is little Jillian."

Julien corrected himself with a smile.

Skipper arched an eyebrow.

"And who in good gravy is that?"

Julien looked at him as if he were stupid.

"Wow...I had no idea penguins have such bad memories.... You've met her before! You know...de little lemur...the cute little black one?"

Skipper glared, before realization finally took over.

"You mean Rita? For your information, her name isn't Jillian Ring-tail, it's Rita."

"Hmm, she must have changed her name.... yes she must have changed it so the green monster would forget she was alive. Uh huh! That's it...I'm a guineas."

While Julien was speaking, Skipper took the time to analyze the lemurs features. Aside from a few miner cuts and bruises, Julien did not appear badly injured, and for that he was glad. No-matter how much the royal pain in the neck would annoy him at times, Skipper would never wish any real harm on the lemur.

"You see penguin, I was looking for little Rita like the oh so heroic, charming, hansom, honorable..."

"I get it!"

Skipper interrupted, rolling his eyes. He could tell the recent events hadn't effected the lemurs usual arrogant persona even in the slightest.

"Let your King finish!"

Julien said, crossing his arms in a childish manner.

Skipper sighed.

"Proceed."

"What? What is this pro-ceed you are saying... I do not have any seeds to pro, whatever that is meaning..."

Skipper palmed his face, growing irritated.

"Just. Continue."

Julien looked confused for a moment or so and paused to scratch his head.

"Eh, continue what again?"

"Fish and chips man, what you were saying earlier! About Rita!"

Skipper looked about ready to explode, though Julien, as usual, went on completely oblivious of his companions growing irritation.

"OH! Rita, yes...such a charming little lemur, I do admire her for de little girls oh so daring bravery...doesn't it just sent the shivers down your back, Skipper?"

Finally though, Julien noticed the death glare Skipper was giving him and laughed nervously.

"Ah! Right... You see...I was looking for Rita when these huge giant...dog things grabbed me and lemur-napped me! Me! A King! Now don't say a word penguin—here he slipped a hand through the bars and held a single finger up to Skipper's beak to silence him—"I know what you are thinking! How daring of them!? I know, right? Now I bet you are thinking...how did such a brave and noble lemur King escape..do you know how Skipper?"

"I haven't the faintest idea."

Skipper replied sarcastically. He slapped the lemurs hand away from his break, in return, causing Julien to quickly retract his sore hand, and cradle it with his other.

"I didn't! Which is why I am now trapped in this horrendous cage type thing."

Julien exclaimed in frustration, kicked a few of the bars with his foot, which, in the end had proved to be a meaningless task. He let out a groan and hopped on one foot, holding the other in pain.

"Noooo, really? I would have never guessed."

Julien ignored Slipper's comment, and instead, went off on a rant about his precious feet and how none may hurt them, not even the metal bars.

Skipper rolled his eyes for a second time, before Tai Lung's mighty voice caught his attention. He and Julien each turned simultaneously towards the right side of the stage where the snow leopard had just finished a series of miraculous Kung Fu moves and perfected the ending with a flawless landing. He did a bow for the audience of hundreds of Great Danes...

Skipper looked out into the crowd and noticed that other animals had come to join them, mainly rottweilers. His eyes searched the many rows of eager faces until finally, he spotted a tiny familiar figure....

Sweet potato pie, that's Rita!

She had climbed onto the head of a Great Dane who seemed to be cheering the loudest. Skipper guessed Rita's reasoning behind the action was to get a better look, a better feel, of everything that was taking place.

"And that is how the real dragon warrior perfects the ancient arts of Kung Fu!"

Skipper heard the Snow leopard shout in a voice that portrayed enough pride to fill an ocean, yet also, a sting of bitterness singed his tone. At the sound of his cry, the crowd gave a joyous cheer.

Tai Lung waited until the sound had died down a bit, before a huge eerie smile crept onto his face. It was in this moment that the snow leopard did the vary thing Skipper had been dreading all this time... Tai Lung had shifted his attention over to his and Julien's cages once again, and Skipper feared what would come next....that is, until a strong voice seemed to cause the huge beast to pause.

"Tai Lung....you will never be the Dragon Warrior!"

Tai Lung had stopped in his tracks, fists clenched in raging anger. He glared at the tiny figure that had appeared on the opposite end of the stage.

~~~Rita's POV~~~~

Rita's eyes lit up at once...

Could it be? Could that really be him...? No...that's impossible.

Still, I stood on the dog's head, high on my tippy toes. I had to get a better look...I had to know. I finally spotted the nervous, almost frantic faces of King Julien and Skipper. My stomach twisted in a mixture of anxiety and grief, and my vision flew passed them, to the tiny figure standing on the opposite end of the stage, a good few feet behind Tai Lung. I knew I had heard his voice before, there was no doubt in my mind.....

But where?

Skipper froze as the smoke cleared around the stage to finally reveal the small form of a familiar red panda.. he noted the navy blue cloth that had rapped around one arm, the one where a huge chunk of his sleeve seemed to have been torn off by an enemy, though he was not yet able to get a clear view of his face.

Tai Lung let out a deep chuckle and it seemed, for the moment, that all of his anger had disappeared. Skipper knew all too well that in actuality, it was just suppressed, waiting for the right moment to make itself known when he needed it most...in combat.

"Well I must admit it has been a long time...too long actually, to have been away from your favorite student, Master."

He spat the last word almost like poison, and Skipper could not help but notice the panda flinch as the powerful snow leopard advanced.

Wait a second...Master....? Could that be....? Is he....?

No.....no way!

"I have told you before Tai Lung, I am no longer...your Master."

Master Shifu finally stepped into the spotlight, and Skipper's eyes widened to saucers...

It's him! I can't believe it's really him... what is he doing here?

King Julien had cocked his head to the head, and was currently staring at Skipper in confusion.

"Hellooo? Skipper? You somewhere in that small head thing of yours?"

His voice brought the penguin out of thought, and back to reality, but Skipper ignored Julien.

"Have you missed me?"

He could hear Tai Lung taunt the aging red panda as he walked forward, with each step, he was a little closer to his main target.

"So sorry to hear about your little..." Tai Lung paused to give a cruel smirk.

"Accident."

Shifu only glared back, refused to give his former student any satisfaction of knowing how badly he had truly injured him...Skipper could tell just by the amount of crimson that had already seeped through the cloth around his arm. He flinched as he took the time to truly examine the extent of his allies visible injuries. A thick layer of blood covered Shifu's chest. It could even be seen through the thick layer of his brown robe, giving the liquid a dark, almost black sort of color.

Of course, Skipper could not be sure if all of the disturbing substance actually belonged to Shifu himself or if it were the effects of a battle with an enemy. Either way, he noted that Shifu had plenty of other wounds to make up for it. Some were miner, yet other's could prove to be fatal if not treated. Nevertheless, Shifu seemed to be doing a good job at masking the pain, because he did not back down, even when Tai Lung lunged for him.

~~~Rita's POV~~~~

I couldn't believe my eyes...I wanted to pinch myself until I could see a small bit of crimson drip from my skin, just to prove this wasn't a dream. Apart of me almost wished it was. Something inside me recognized the small figure at once, and I could have sworn my heart skipped a beat. I had only heard rumors of the Great Kung Fu Warrior known as Master Shifu...

He would visit me sometimes in my dreams and show me the life I always wanted. Of course, as fantasy's always do, the dreams stayed in my heads only as inviting, cruel, taunting illusions of everything I couldn't really have in real life. Funny how that is...

Still, there was something about his eyes...they were so familiar... they reminded me of the fox I had met so long ago. Cold, yet gentle... firm, yet soft...strong, yet sensitive somewhere deep inside, buried with bride, grief, and sorrow. Haunted. I shook my head to clear my thoughts and drag myself, kicking and screaming, back to the world I hated most... the cold world ofreality.

I returned my gaze to the fight.

What the heck is someone like Master Shifu doing in a place like this, anyways?

I couldn't help but wonder... Master Shifu was a Kung Fu Warrior after all, and an underground sewer in the heart of New York City isn't exactly the first place you'd think to look for him.

I watched the red panda carefully, and flinched when Tai Lung lunged for him. I had taken the time to notice all of the many wounds on his small body, the worst, being the one on his arm... at least a blue cloth was tired around it to help stop the bleeding, but I could still see the cruel crimson that leaked through the thick fabric. Some of the substance had already turned black as it dried. I flinched at the site... It invoked a terrifying thought...

How much blood has the tiny Master actually lost?

I shivered a little. My mind began to race.

What is he doing?! He doesn't stand a chance! If he goes through with this, he'll be killed for sure! What is he thinking?!

You'd think I would be used to blood by now. Instead, even through the years, it was always the opposite. I hated the site of blood... it reminded me too much of how easily it could drain out of your body, and leave you lifeless within mere minutes. After all, blood is the source of life in an animals body, and I watched too many bleed out before my eyes...

I wanted to help them.... My heart desperately screamed for my body to do something, but my mind held back... it was bound, held captive, by an immobilizing fear, leaving me helpless to do anything aside from watch...watch and weep for the ones I wasn't brave enough to save.

The images still haunt me. The victims terrified faces still stare back at me late at night in my dreams with cold, empty eyes. Begging, pleading me to do something...anything to end their misery. I hate myself for being such a coward...for hiding when I could have done something.

I shook my head to try and clear my thoughts for a second time, and redirected my attention back to the fight... Master Shifu had presently taken a hard blow from Tai Lung in the stomach that had thrown him several feet backwards, though Shifu didn't hesitant.

He flipped out of the way seconds before Tai Lung punched the floor of the stage with a force that broke through the wood, the vary spot Shifu had been standing moments earlier. The incredible impact left a large crack in the remaining pavement. Tai Lung leaped down off of the stage and glared hateful daggers of spite into Shifu's eyes....

"Are you happy now, Shifu? Are you happy battling against your own son?"

There was a certain venom in the snow leopards voice that made him seem all the more menacing.

Shifu merely stood there...just feet away from his opponent. His eyes seemed to be searching Tai Lung's own for something that the criminal did not seem to posses.

RUN! Don't just stand there Shifu, what are you waiting for!? Run! RUN!

But Shifu continued to stand where he was, ignoring my minds desperate (unheard) protests. Tai Lung rushed at him with full speed, and that's when I realized that Tai would show his apparent adopted father no mercy...he charged relentlessly and punched the red panda hard in the gut.

This time as Shifu struggled to regain his breath from another blow to the stomach, I noticed he wasn't able to get up this time... I quickly looked away. At this point, I refused to watch anymore.

He's tormenting him! Shifu...he's going to die out there!

My mind screamed, as if he were someone I used to be close with...as if he were once my best friend. I can't explain the feeling with mere words alone, because there would never be enough. The best I can do to describe what I felt is to say that I felt a strange connection to Master Shifu that I couldn't place. Seemingly, there was no rhyme or reason behind the strange motion, and I tried shrugging it off.

Then why don't you do something about it?

A voice whispered that I could only recognize as my conscience.

I turned my head.. On my visions hasty retreat, once more I spotted the two cages that Skipper and King Julien were trapped in, and paused. My heart leaped inside my chest. Skipper! My mind desperately called out his name. If only he could hear me...

There they were...so close, and yet so far. It truly is a terrible feeling to be so close to the ones you care about so much, and yet....know that you can't reach them.

I studied their expressions for a moment or so to keep my mind off of the fight. Julien seemed oblivious, as usual, so I quickly moved on to Skipper. My ears perked up when he caught my gaze, stood up, and then began yelling something I couldn't hear, waved his flippers in a frantic motion. I cocked my head to the side and gave him a puzzled look. I began to panic as horrible scenarios played out before my minds eyes.

What on earth? Skipper, What is it? What's wrong?!

As much as I wanted to scream out to him, I knew, for his safety and Julien's, it was probably best not to draw anymore unneeded attention to them... the crowd however, seemed too focused on the battle between Tai Lung and Shifu to really notice, or care about me anymore.

I was suddenly lost, forgotten in a sea of chaos. Even the dog I had been standing on suddenly let out a hollering cheer and took off with the rest of the crowd, General Mina at the lead, to get a closer look at the fight. The atmosphere itself felt a lot like being at a dog fight, and I hated the feeling with everything inside me. I quickly leaped off the Danes head, and onto a nearby pipe just in time before I became the crowds living, or otherwise not to living, pancake.

"Rita! Get out! Get out while you still can! RITA! RUN!"

Skipper screamed, panting heavily, his heart felt as if it would explode. He saw Rita presently clinging to a broken pipe...he watched her climb up to a more stable one, and pause... Skipper studied her face and concluded that she seemed to be having a hard time deciding which move she wanted to make next, which would be the smartest, and which would eventually lead her down the path to fate.

Even Skipper himself had to admit that it would be a tricky decision to make, and one that had to be carefully thought out and well organized. Otherwise, one wrong move could prove to end in disaster. Skipper cursed himself, and the cage that prevented him from doing anything to assist his newfound friend.

He had witnessed first hand, to his utter and complete horror, what ruthless damage Tai Lung had already done to Master Shifu, and he was said to be the greatest Kung Fu Warrior in all of China....if the snow leopard were in alliance with Volcom, how much more torment would he inflict upon poor Rita as punishment for helping him if she did not escape?

The lemurs haunting words still replayed in the back of his memory....

"Nah, death would be the easy way out...it'll be something worse...much worse."

And maybe...something else?

"No! Please...don't leave me! SKIPPER!"

A strange voice screamed out from somewhere hidden deep in the vary depths of the penguins memory banks, things he had tried so hard to forget, and had succeeded for a time. It seemed his past might be finally catching up with him. Flashbacks began to play out on a mental screen, images began to flash together to organize scenes that only Skipper's minds eye could see, erupting haunting emotions only he could feel...

"Hello? Silly Penguin....? Are you hearing me?"

He could hear King Julien's voice gradually grow a little more distant with each passing second. Soon, voices of all kinds, young and old, chided together to form words....some sounded desperate.

"We're losing altitude, Skipper! Medea! Medea! The plain can't take much more!"

"Skipper, I'm scared!"

"We have to jump!"

"But I'm scared!"

"We have no other choice!"

Others...cruel.

"You don't understand, it's either her or us...I don't know about you, but I choose her!"

"You don't know what your talking about Manfredi, your not thinking straight man! Just calm down!"

"No! I know what I'm doing...now you can either come with me, or have fun sleeping with the fishes."

Some...were terrified.

"Daddy what are you doing? Why-Why is mommy on the floor?"

BANG!

"MOMMY!"

The little penguin looked up, her face stained with tears.

"Skipper...Skipper? Do-Don't leave....please!"

The sounds of devastating sobs faded off until a different voice took their place, one that took on the same devastating tone. It screamed out the words of pure and utter desperation,

"Skipper...Skipper don't leave me! PLEASE!"

It was nearly impossible to make out the mammals face however, as the image flashed before Skipper's eyes, he realized the poor little thing was covered in smoke and coughing violently. Skipper noted the tone belonged to a little girl....different than the one before. The only physical trait he was finally able to make out was the figures frightening familiar crystal blue eyes, overflowing with broken tears...

Wait a second...I've seen those eyes before!

Soon the images his mind projected took over any sites or sounds emitted from the outside world......

A small pair of crystal blue eyes stared worriedly at a pacing red panda. Skipper knew the child was far too young to understand why her father was so upset, or the reason he was sending her away, but Skipper knew, nonetheless, that the tiny red panda could comprehend that something was wrong with Master Shifu, and in her childlike innocence, it hurt her to see him in such a state.

Skipper had been sent to the Valley of Peace, along with his team, Manfredi and Johnson, on an important mission, perhaps the most important of his life. Tai Lung, a feared criminal wanted for several thousand terrible felonies, had escaped from Chor Ghom prison to seek out his revenge not only on the Valley of Peace, but on Shifu's own daughter, Netra.

With the aged Kung Fu Master's dear friend, Master Oogway, departed from the world of the living, the threatened red panda had asked, out of pure desperation, for Skipper and his team to carry out a mission so deadly, he warned it could threaten their vary lives... The mission being to offer their protection for his beloved little Netra, going to near impossible lengths to ensure her safety.

Upon his request, Master Shifu had failed to mention the actual reason behind Tai Lungs pursuit of Netra, but Skipper figured it was not his place to ask. It was only his role to take Netra far away from the Valley, even China itself, to a place where it would be close to impossible for Tai Lung to track her down, a task that had already proven to be a lot more tricky than he had originally thought.

Still, after putting together carefully laid out strategy plan, if everything went accordingly, Skipper and his team had managed to find a solution that would sneak Netra safely out of China, unseen by any lurking enemies.

Shifu had explained that she was, after all, the panda's only blood related child and he had stressed that he had made enough mistakes in his long lifetime, and he could not bear the thought of making another so devastating, especially one that would effect little Netra.

Skipper, never one to shy away from danger, felt honored that Shifu would entrust him and his team with such a great task, and had excepted this mission to carry out the aging Master's command without hesitation. He was also assigned to find the little one a loving family that would care for her, just in case.......

Skipper grimaced.

He did didn't want to think it. The weight the poor child would carry, and the empty whole in her heart where her father once filled, would stay that way forever, bleeding occasionally more times than others, if poor little Netra grew up with the absence of her father.

Despite the ache in Skipper's heart that went out to little Netra, even he had to admit that he could understand Master Shifu's need to take caution. He wanted to make sure Netra was taken care of even he did not survive the battle he knew he must face, with Tai Lung...and Shifu had told Skipper that he had a terrible feeling that he wouldn't.

Skipper could see it every time he caught a glimpse of the look in the aging panda's misty eyes... the worry, sorrow, grief, the heavy burden he carried around on his shoulders and the strain it brought... but most importantly, he saw Shifu's great love for little Netra. It was truly a look that could have cracked even a heart of stone. The little red panda cradled securely in Skipper's gentle flippers blinked up at him with with the saddest eyes he had ever seen, and broke his mind out of thought.

"Skippy, why is daddy so upset?"

She asked innocently, her voice edged with raw emotion.

Skipper looked down at the child, unsure of how to answer.

"Well, Netra, he..he's upset because..."

But before he could finish, Netra cut him off.

"Is he leaving because I did something bad?"

The words were spoken with such a tender sorrow that made Skipper's heart melt. He shifted her in his flippers to a more comfortable position.

"No! No, no, no, no.... What would make you something like that, Netra? No... Master Shifu, err, I mean your father is upset because he doesn't want you to go."

The small panda seemed to think this over for a moment or so before looking up.

"Why do I have to go?"

She asked, an ocean of salty tears filled her deep blue eyes...

Eyes just like her fathers, thought Skipper.

"I've told you before Netra, you have to leave because it is my job to keep you safe, and you wouldn't be safe here."

Shifu sighed tiredly, taking the little red panda from Skipper's flippers, into his own small arms. He held her close to his chest, and Netra buried her face within the warm, welcoming fabric of her fathers soft robe. The only place she truly felt safe was when she was in his arms.

"But...I-I don't want to leabve..."

Netra sobbed, her voice muffled into his soft fur.

"I want to stway here...with you."

Shifu sighed, gave Skipper a pleading look, in which he simply returned with a simple shrug of the shoulders.

"What can I say? Of course she's going to be sad! What kid in their right mind is going to want to leave the only family she's ever known? It's only natural for the little panda to respond by...by...."

Skipper immediately regretted the words the second after they had forced their way out of his beak.

"Not helping, penguin."

Shifu said, shot Skipper a cold glare.

"Oh, sorry."

He muttered. Once he fully realized who he was talking too, his gaze faltered to his feet, though only for a few moments. When Skipper looked up, he noticed that Nerta's quiet sobs had grown into hysterical waves of utter devastation, and she seemed to be clinging to Master Shifu as if she feared he would disappear the moment she let go.

Then again, she probably does...poor kid.

Skipper watched as the elder red panda rubbed his daughter's back in soothing motions in an attempt to calm her down. But how could he expect her to calm down when she was losing the only parent she had ever known, the only one she could run to seek console from?

The kid will probably cry herself to sleep for weeks! Maybe even months...maybe she'll even need therapy! Or...maybe she'll join the army.

Skipper found that he had to keep reminding himself that Shifu had only the best intentions for sending Netra away... it would be somewhere far away from the sinister clutches of the snow leopard that craved her vary life, safe from harm. Still, Skipper knew all too well that Netra would always need Shifu, and though he was trying his hardest to protect her, sometimes what a parent thinks is the right choice, even out of love, doesn't always mean it is the right one.

"There, there...shhh...Netra, you must remember it will not be forever. We'll see each other again."

Shifu forced the best smile he could, pulled his daughter closer to him. The little panda responded by tightening her grip, and resting her small chin on his left shoulder. Skipper noticed she had calmed down, if only a little, though tears were still raining down her face as if to match the weather. A loud crack of thunder startled the little panda and she hid her face in the soft fabric of Shifu's robe once again, into his shoulder.

"Shhh...it's only thunder. Promise me something, okay my little angel?"

He lifted Netra's chin just enough so that she was looking directly into his eyes. Shifu shifted her in his arms to one side, reached into the pocket of his brown robe to pull out a small silver trinket of some sort. It sparkled in the faint light to reveal a beautiful pink diamond locket that was carved into the shape of a heart.

"Now I want you to open this locket whenever you feel alone...promise me you will keep this...and know that I am always with you. Promise?"

Netra looked up at her father with the saddest eyes Shifu had ever seen. Skipper could tell by the heartbreak the red panda wore so transparently on his face. There was no way a child Netra's age could possible understand what her father asked of her... though Skipper had to give Netra credit for trying her best.

The little panda looked at Shifu through teary eyes and whispered a small,

"I-I..promise."

"That's my girl."

He smiled, gently tied the solid gold chain around her neck. The diamond hung loosely on the panda's neck, much like a long choker would.

"But daddy....I-I don't want you to leave..please stay...I promise I'll be good!"

Shifu paused.. her words had struck somewhere deep into the vary depths of his heart. He knew the task at hand would not be an easy one, yet he knew he could not let his own heartache get in the way of his daughters safety.

"It's nothing you've done...this is only for your safety...."

He whispered, and Skipper could have sworn he seen a single droplet of water fall atop Netra's forehead, though she herself did not appear to notice.

"Now Netra, you have to be strong... Skipper will take good care of you. You like him, don't you?"

Shifu forced the words he knew he must speak out of his rebellious mouth.

The child nodded slowly.

"Ye-Yes...of course."

"Do you think you can be strong? Can you do that for me?"

Shifu asked softly.

Netra avoided his gaze and murmured a small,

"I'll try..."

Shifu smiled and hugged her closer.

"I love you..."

Right in this moment, everyone directed their attention towards two huge wooden doors as they busted open to reveal a cheetah. It sped into the room at full speed and on it's back, sat a penguin no smaller than Skipper himself clutching onto his companions fur for dear life in one flipper, the other clutched tightly to a golden scroll.

"Skipper! Master Shifu!"

Skipper immediately turned his attention to his recruit when he heard the penguin shout out their names. Johnson leaped off of the cheetah when he skidded to a stop before them, and ran up to Skipper.

"It-It's Tai Lung!"

The penguin exclaimed. Turning to Master Shifu, he handed him the scroll in his flipper.

Right in the same moment a gray goose Skipper recognized to be one of the many messenger birds of the Palace, flew into the room and crash-landed into the cheetah's leg, earning an annoyed glare from Manfredi.

"So-So sorry Manfredi!" He apologized nervously, out of breath, before turning to Shifu.

"Tai-Tai Lung is on his way! He should be here any minute now... please Mater, we don't have much time!" The bird exclaimed frantically, also receiving a glare from Johnson.

"Ya know...we were perfectly capable of delivering the news to them ourselves."

He muttered while Master Shifu ripped open the scroll he was given with a free hand, and scanned it over with his sharp eyes. Skipper shot his comrade a cold glare.

"Johnson." He scolded firmly. "Remember man, we're only guests here, so try to be polite."

"Yes Sir...."

The penguin replied slowly, his eyes dropped to the floor in a sheepish manner.

Skipper returned his gaze to Master Shifu. A mixture of emotions hid somewhere within the aging red panda's deep blue eyes, and his face, Skipper noted, had turned a ghostly pale. He could tell whatever information kept hidden in that scroll for only Shifu's eyes to see, must have been something terrible, though the great Kung Fu Master seemed to be trying to remain strong for little Netra.

She looked at her father, the same confused worry still etched within her expression.

"What is it daddy? What's wrong?"

Netra asked. Skipper could tell from many years of military training that she too, could feel the endearing tension that now layered the room in a thick fog of invisible smoke. She also sensed fear, and the unnerving fact that something was dangerously wrong, more so than her young mind was able to fully comprehend.

"Something bad has happened Netra...something vary bad. You must leave now...go with Skipper, he'll take care for you!"

Shifu said hastily before handing the frightened red panda over to Skipper, who quickly took her in his flippers.

""Daddy don't go! Please...don't leave me!"

The sound of her broken cries filled Skipper's heart with regret, even as he held the little one against his chest in hopes of offering her some sort of comfort. When he had first agreed to take on this mission, Skipper had never dreamed how hard the grueling task of taking such a young mammal away from her father, would truly become.

"It will not be forever Netra, I promise..."

Shifu said, a bittersweet warmth in his tone. Skipper watched him plant a soft kiss to the young red panda's forehead one last time.

Everyone gasped as the doors flew open a second time, revealing none other than the source of everyone's fear and current trouble.... Tai Lung himself stood just feet away from the other's, a confidant, eerie grin spread wide across his face.

"I have returned home, Master..."

At the sound of the snow leopards taunting words, Master Shifu quickly grabbed one of the many satin blankets one of the messengers birds were conveniently holding near by, and rapped it around Netra so that even her face was covered before Tai Lung could get a clear view of who or what the child was, or so he hoped. He looked at Skipper and motioned a hidden message for only the penguin to see.

Skipper, of course, deciphered it at once, and yelled for his team in coded secrecy to follow his command. They did so without compliant or hesitation, and within minutes, he and his team were on a private vet, soon to be far away from the Jade Palace, Tai Lung, and....

"Daddy! No, wait! I want to stay! Wait!"

The tiny child struggled to toss the blanket off of her body, and leap out of Skipper's flippers. Netra frantically ran to the window where Skipper knew she was frantically searching the ground for her father.... unfortunately, she had made it just in time to see the large snow leopard land a hard punch to his opponent's face. The blow threw Master Shifu, painfully literally, through the walls of the Jade Palace and out of sight.

Netra let out an understandable gasp of utter and complete horror. Skipper could not imagine what the effects of witnessing something like that would do to someone of such a young age, but he knew the effects would not be good.

"DADDY!"

The scream barely pierced her lips as Netra's voice cracked with grief, tears immediately sprang to the red panda's eyes and spilled down the sides of her face much like a river of sorrow flowing from a broken heart.

Skipper enveloped her in his flippers once again, and sat down slowly on the seat of the plane. Johnson was busy flying the plane, so Manfredi decided to offer his leader what support he could. He wasn't exactly the most comfortable around kids, or the most sensitive for that matter,but he thought he'd give it the best he could.

Skipper could feel the young child trembling against his chest.

"Is-Is he... Dea-Dea-Dea-"

"Shh..."

Skipper shushed her, rocking the little one back in forth in hopes that it would bring Netra a bit of comfort.

"Your father is a great Kung Fu Master.... I'm sure he'll be fine."

Manfredi said, trying his best to make shave his harsh military tone into sounding sympathetic.

"Will I ever...will I ever see-see him again?"

Skipper exchanged a look with his comrade, thought he hoped he had done a good enough job of keeping it hidden from Netra's naked eye. He did not want to lie to the little panda, but sometimes telling a small fib is much easier than delivering the devastation that follows a painful truth.

"Of course...someday you will."

"When?"

Skipper swallowed uneasily. He had hoped she would have simply dropped the subject. Truth be told, he had no idea if Netra would ever see her father again, or if he would even live through the battle with Tai Lung. Shifu himself was not even certain that he would survive, and Skipper did not want to be the unlucky one to witness Netra's reaction, and devastation when she found out that she would never see her father again.

"He's never coming back....is he?"

Netra asked softly. Her voice had fallen calm, yet it was filled with an ocean of the deepest sadness.

Skipper paused...lost for words. He looked at Manfredi, hoping he would offer some sort of guidance. Instead, the cheetah only shifted uneasily in his place, and stared deep into the child's crystal eyes.

"No, Netra...he's not coming back."

The words were spoken in a strict tone. Skipper knew Manfredi was never one for letting down a soft truth, though he figured he would at least try for a child. Skipper shot his recruit a cold glare. He knew that the impression, the impact it would leave on Netra would imprint in the little panda's mind, haunting her for the rest of her life.

Netra reburied her face into the penguins chest... Skipper could not be sure if this was an act of retreat from a cruel world, or because she felt safe with him. Nonetheless, soft sobs slowly grew into hysterical cries of sorrow that racked Netra's small form, and made her young heart bleed. She clung onto Skipper as if he would fade away the moment she let go...the same she had done to Master Shifu hours earlier.

For what seems like years, but in actuality were mere hours, Skipper rubbed the child's back and held her close. He allowed her to keep her face buried into his feathers, and whispered gentle words every once and while, whenever her sobs would grow louder. All the while Netra would keep repeating the same heartbreaking phrase over and over again....

"Why...? Why did he leave me?!"

Eventually though, Netra cried had herself to sleep. She presently lay cradled securely in Skipper's protective flippers, buried into the warmth of his embrace..safe.

"Don't you worry about a thing little panda...I won't let anything happen to you...I promise."

If I had told you
You would have listened
You had stayed
You would be here forever
Never went away
It would never have been the same
All our time
Would have been in vain
Cause you had to go.

~Within Temptation.