Chapter 10: Fear the Bug!

While Po and Mr. Ping were in the Panda Village, Mantis and Crane continued their search for Kai and the jombies.

Mantis rode on top of Crane's hat as they soared over a desert stretching for miles in every direction.

"Wings of Surveillance!" Crane called out, like it was a special kung fu move.

"Why do you do that?" Mantis complained.

"Do what?" Crane asked.

"Just because you say 'Wings of . . .' before something doesn't mean that you're doing a special move. It's like me saying, 'Antenna of Power.' Or 'Thorax of Making Sandwiches.'"

Crane looked up at his friend. "Wings of Disagreement."

"Whoa! There!" Mantis cried suddenly, pointing down below.

Three kung fu masters were making their way across the desert: Master Bear, Master Croc, and Master Chicken.

Crane swooped down toward them.

"Cluck! Jade creatures attacked our villages! We've tracked them here," Master Chicken said.

"Stop!" Master Bear boomed.

The group froze. They had arrived at an old, abandoned ship in the middle of the desert. A gaping hole opened up into the hull.

"They must be in there," Master Bear said.

Crane frowned. He and Mantis were supposed to be on a scouting mission, not an attacking one. Kai was just too dangerous.

"Master Shifu strongly advises—" Crane began, but Master Bear raised his giant battle-axes and ran toward the ship with a mighty cry.

"Yaaaaaaaaargh!"

Master Croc followed him.

"Ooooh waaaaah!"

"—not to engage," Crane finished, but it was too late.

"We've got to get in there," Mantis urged him.

"Master Shifu said—" Crane repeated.

"You're seriously afraid?" Mantis asked. "Even Master Chicken is going in. And he's a chicken."

Master Chicken's feathered tail disappeared through the hole in the ship as he followed his friends. Seconds later a bright green light flashed. The screams of the three kung fu masters rang through the desert.

"That's it, I'm going in!" Mantis said, preparing to jump off Crane's hat.

Crane didn't like this one bit. "Mantis! We have orders not to—"

"They need our help," Mantis interrupted him. "Come on, I'll go high, you go low!"

Mantis leaped up and entered the ship through a small crack in the wood. Crane sighed. It was one thing to leave the other masters behind. But Mantis was his friend.

"Fear the bug!" Crane heard Mantis yell from inside the ship. "All right you little . . . uh-oh."

Crane didn't hesitate. "Hold on, buddy. I'm coming!" he cried, flying toward the ship.

He could still hear Mantis.

"Antenna of Power! Ah, it didn't work!"

A large crash came from inside the ship. Then another green light flashed.

"Mantis!" Crane yelled.

He dove inside the ship and landed, his wings ready to deliver kung fu punishment to the first Jade Zombie he saw. He slowly crept into the darkness.

"Mantis?" he called out softly. "Mantis?"

The silence inside the ship was eerie. Crane felt the feathers on the back of his neck prickle. Slowly, he turned . . .

. . . and found himself looking up at a big, green glowing yak warrior! Crane knew it must be Kai.

Crane whistled a nervous tune and lowered his hat, but when he tried to walk away casually, Kai lunged. Crane flew up over Kai's head, delivering a kung fu kick to Kai as he moved.

"Your chi is strong," Kai remarked. "Just like your friend, the bug."

With a smug grin, he put a hand on his belt to show Crane the new amulets that dangled there—Master Bear, Master Croc, Master Chicken, and Mantis.

"Mantis!" Crane cried.

Kai took advantage of Crane's moment of weakness. He jumped in the air and pushed his right hand forward, sending a wave of pure chi energy at Crane. The powerful force slammed him against a wall and left him gasping with shock.

"Don't worry, little birdie," Kai said. "I'll put your chi to good use—destroying the Jade Palace and everyone in it."

"No!" Crane yelled. He grabbed the nearest object—a wooden keg—and hurled it at Kai. Then he soared up, crashing through the deck of the boat.

Kai launched his chain blades at Crane. They wrapped around Crane's feet and wings.

"Wings of . . . Regret!" Crane said.

Kai yanked Crane back into the boat. Kai's eyes glowed green with chi—but also with greed.