Disclaimer: I do not own any Kung Fu Panda Characters

The Panda's Debt

Chapter 1: Lonely Panda

A little panda baby was sitting in a radish crate eating away. When the wind pushed the crate down the river, and into a wide stream, the gentle waves rocked the panda to sleep and when he woke up his jade orbs saw a soft substance. It was sand he landed near a small wood far away. He crawled out looking for food for he was hungry. Since he was too little for climbing he ate all the radishes he could. Then it began to rain and he hid in the crate.

The young panda at a young age learned how to climb trees and gather food. When he got too big for his radish crate he wandered around till he found other places to sleep. His only choices were dank caves or under trees. For four years the panda grew but did not have a name or know how to talk. Till one day he wandered around his woods till he saw something shocking.

Just a few paces away he saw little animals not like him but they were little. A few had long ears and puffy tails. Other had wings with flat feet, and pink skin with snouts. He walked up behind them as a bigger animal was talking. The animal was a deer and she held up a card with a red letter on it with a picture the panda knew well put didn't know the name. "A is for Apple," she said. This weird letter was called A, and the picture was a food the panda ate. He looked at it hard but didn't understand. Yet he stared and listened.

For the past month he sat in the back looking at the pictures and learning they were letters and that letters formed something called words. Words formed sentences and then he learned something called numbers. No one ever noticed the small panda boy and for four more months he knew how to count to at least 100. Read words and know what some words were. He felt happy but one day he went to the small place where the children were but they were gone. Feeling sad he wandered around and he came to a place filled with people. Yet they wore something called clothes and the panda wore no clothes.

He saw a pair of yellow pants hanging on a line and he left two apples in their place. Putting them on they fit perfectly. He walked around and he saw some children playing and he wanted to play too. When he approached them they all gawked at him with odd looks. "What do you want fatty?" asked a bunny boy.

"To play," the panda said proud that he could talk.

"Go away we don't want to play with you," snapped a duck girl. The panda was upset and walked away. A few tears fell from his face as he continued walking. He walked up to an elderly goat and thought maybe he would want to play. Yet the goat told him to go away as well. Everywhere in the village the people told the panda to go away or they didn't see him. He became sadder and sadder until he left the village feeling unwanted.

Another lonely year passed and the panda traveled to villages in search of a friend. He came to one where the people seemed nice but he was cautious of people. Most told him to go away and he thought he wouldn't find anyone who would want him. Till he came to an old ox, "Hey kid where is your mom or dad?" he asked.

"Don't have one sir," the panda said.

"No parents huh? You must be an orphan; you will have to go to the orphanage it is just down that hill. It is called the Bau Yu Orphanage I am sure you will be able to get parents there. Someone would want to adopt a panda," said the ox.

The panda heard about parents and how they were people who took care of small children. They read them stories and gave them baths and fed them inside a warm house. He thought it would be nice to have someone care for him for a change. So, off he went to this orphanage place. He walked a great distance and saw a building but his smile turned to a frown. Part of the building was on fire and a frantic caretaker she looked like an antelope was frantically getting all the kids out. "Oh no where is Tigress!" she screamed. That caught the panda's attention. He gazed at the building at thought a child was still in there. If he was in there he would want someone to rescue him. So, he went to the back of the building and climbed the wall and he had plenty of practice with trees.

He listened carefully and his ears picked up a cry. "Please someone help me!" cried a frightened voice.

"Hold on I am coming", he told the voice. He climbed to a window where he heard the voice and tried to open the window. Yet it was hot it burned his paw. He moaned in pain as he put his paw in his mouth. The fire was rising and he had to get the voice out. Closing his eyes he formed a fist and smashed it into the window. The glass shattered as he crawled into the room. A trickle of blood was on his paw and he licked up the blood the best he could. His jade orbs scanned the room it was a mess and very dark. Still he saw a lone bed and a figure underneath petrified with fear.

The panda looked underneath the bed and saw a pair of frightened golden eyes. The eyes belonged to an orange and black striped tiger wearing a red vest about his age. "Are you Tigress?" he asked.

"Yes," the tiger said in a frightened tone. "Who are you?" she asked. The panda didn't know what to say for he didn't have a name. Then he remembered what that ox called him.

"I am panda and I am here to get you out," he said.

"We can't the doors is locked," Tigress told him her tiny body shaking. Po wondered why they would lock her in a room but knew now was not the time to ask questions.

"We will go out the window. Come on get on my back," he told her.

"But I may hurt you I am strong for my age," Tigress explained.

"Just get on my back and don't worry about me," he said. Looking into his jade orbs she felt calmer. Climbing on his back the panda climbed down and Tigress was still scared.

"Panda I am scared!" she cried afraid they will fall.

"Don't worry Tigress I got you. You will be safe I promise," he said. They made it safely to the ground and he placed her under a tree. She was still scared from the fire and he saw her fear. She seemed so lonely and scared he wanted to take her with him. If living here meant being locked up and being left behind in a fire, then he was better off on his own. He heard voices and didn't want to be blamed nor sent to stay at this place. He ran into the woods but hid well enough to see Tigress.

A funny looking animal with big ears and gray fur walking with a cane came up to Tigress. "Tigress, are you alright?" the animal asked.

"Shifu, what happened to the panda boy? He saved me from the fire," Tigress said groggy from the smoke.

"I am sorry Tigress but there is no panda boy. You must have jumped out the window and dreamt a panda saved you. Now come on I am taking you home," he said. Tigress was thrilled she was going home with Shifu but she knew she saw a panda boy didn't she? Still she had to agree with Shifu and walked away while some villagers put out the fire.

The panda was happy to see Tigress safe but sad that he was alone again. He let out a sigh and wandered down a dusty road thinking he would always be alone. Yet, in a years' time he would be proven wrong.

Author's Note: Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and please review.