The Last War

26. Xiang's Revolution

After Po's scream, Sheng jumped out into the darkness and struck at the shadow which had bent over the panda. Someone fell backwards with loud moaning.
Meanwhile, Po had picked up himself and brandished his fists in all directions.
"Who's there?!" two voices asked at the same time.
Suddenly, a white shroud hastened over the floor and the lord lifted the lantern and inspected the room with the light. In the prison cell stood Po, Sheng and another big figure at the wall.
Po looked at the ox in surprise. "Uh, don't we know him, or is that a doubleganger?"
King Wang rubbed his chin where Sheng had dealt him a blow.
"Who in the heck are you?" After some heavy wink he stared at the unusual group. "Hey, aren't you from yesterday?"
Po crossed his arms. "No, we aren't from yesterday, we are from today."
"Hey, aren't you his son?" King Wang asked when he was seeing Sheng in the dim light.
"Where is my mother? Where is my sister?" Sheng asked instead of an answer.
"Your mother? I don't rightly know. Xiang holds sway over her."
"Did he start it already?"
"Started what?"
"He had provoked the incursion deliberately. Or did you think he surrendered because of sloppiness?!"
Po rubbed his head. "Uh, just a minute. Your fath... uh I mean... well, he, had planned everything?"
"Let's not bother with such things!" Sheng railed about the panda. "I retrieve my mother and my sister, before he hurt them."
"I don't understand a thing," Po added.
"Damn it! Don't keep asking me!" The young peacock got upset more and more. "I want to be out of here!"
Po lifted his paws calmly. "Okay, okay, okay, don't panic." And turned to Shen. "What do you think? Should we?"
The facial features of the white peacock had become callous. It looked like he was waiting for an explanation too, but Sheng was in deep rush, that he burked an inquiry. "Let's go."
"Alright," Po said and went to the cell door. "How can we open that stupid door?"
"What is it all about?" King Wang asked behind them.
Po laughed. "Oh, that's a nice silly story, I mean... Just a minute. What are you doing here?"
"Xiang had bribed some of my people without my knowledge and threw me in here."
Po narrowed his eyes. "That Xiang is a bad guy."
"But who are you?" King Wang asked more.
Po cleaned his throat. "My name is Po, and I'm the Dragon Warrior."
King Wang's eyes grew wide. "You are the Dragon Warrior?"
Po smiled nervously. "Well, maybe it doesn't look like, but it's me."
"Really?"
"Yes. But would you excuse us, we have to..."
"HEY! I heard so much about you! I'm wearing that the whole time with me."
The giant took out something under his fur jacket. Po forgot the door and stared at it. That thing looked like a little panda.
"HeY! Is that... a Dragon Warrior action figure?"
"The first one." Wang lifted the figure with pride. "It's my lucky charm."
Po couldn't believe it. "Woaoahawo... Hey guys! I have a fan!"
Shen and Sheng narrowed their eyes unimpressed. "Nice."
Meanwhile, Po and King Wang walked on kung fu eggshells and made a lot of silly kung fu movements. "Wuahai!"
Shen covered his face. It was embarrassing for him.
"Could we go out of here now?!" Sheng interrupted their dance of joy.
Both Dragon Warrior fans froze. "Okay, where had we got to? Oh yes, the door."
But before Po could pay his attention back to the cell door, King Wang laid his hoof on his shoulder.
"Second, wait! Before we put on airs... I want to know one thing."
"Anytime, buddy."
"What has he to do with everything? Who's he?"
He pointed at Shen.
"Uh, that's Shen." An angry hiss let Po correct his report. "Uh, Lord Shen."
King Wang was confused. "The insane white peacock with that conquest tantrum? I heard about that the tabloid press. I thought he was dead."
Po chuckled. "Well, that's a very long story."
"And what has he to do with all?"
"Well, he is with her."
"With whom?"
"Her."
"Who? Her?" Wang pointed upwards.
Po nodded. "Yes, with her."
"Impossible. She is with him."
"Who?"
"Him."
"Alright, alright. Who is him?"
"Xiang. And who do you mean?"
"Yin-Yu."
"How can it be?"
Po lifted his paws. "Alright, alright. Wait. He and she were together before he came..."
"Who is he and she?"
"Aggghh!" Po tore his hair. "Shen and Yin-Yu came together before Xiang. Xiang married Yin-Yu, and then came Xia and SJ.... I mean Shen... I mean Sheng. (Damn it.)"
King Wang started to understand. "That means, he and she were first and then he came and was with her..."
"Yes, but Xia and S... Sheng are from him."
"Who him?"
"Him."
Po pointed at Shen.
"From him?"
Po nodded. "Yes."
More than confused Wang scratched his head.
Po petted his arm. "It's a complicated story, I know. I'm a beginner with that, too. But first, we should see how we come out here and to take them out."
"Who?"
"OPEN THE DOOR AT LAST!" Sheng screamed.
Po nodded hastily. "Yes, yes, yes, yes... I do immediately, I..."
All stared with open mouths. The door had already opened and Shen stood in the corridor.
"Anyone wants to follow me?" Shen asked and walked away slowly.
King Wang couldn't explain how the white bird had opened the door so quickly.
"Life experience, I think," Po said.