Hello ! Yes, this fic has been published for a while, but many of you may have never known about it due to its "M" rating. The default search settings for the list of KFP fics doesnot include "M"-rated fics, something that prevents stories like this from getting many views. Therefore, I declare this fic's new rating to be "T", but readers be warned: this is "M"-rated content (no sex tho k thnx).

This is meant as a rewrite of the bridge fight scene between Tai Lung and the Furious Five, but rather than alter the battle itself, I have taken the liberty of altering the ending to the battle, after Tai Lung paralyzes the Five. Rather than let them live, Tai Lung takes a less "kind" approach....

From the perspective of Crane....

No Mercy: A Rewrite

"Shifu taught you well-"

Faster than he ever thought possible, Crane witnessed the snow leopard's paw cut through the air, connecting with Monkey's chest. In an instant the primate fell, a look of surprise locked into his features. A smile lit with hatred grew upon the leopard's face.

"-But he didn't teach you everything."

One by one the paw attacked, each time leaving another writhing mess of what was once the great Kung-Fu masters of China.

Monkey, Mantis, Viper, Tigress, Crane.

All had fallen at the hands of the mighty Tai Lung, former apprentice of the great Master Shifu and arguably the deadliest master of Kung-Fu the Valley of Peace had ever known.

A force to be reckoned with.

Satisfied with his victory, Tai Lung knelt down to meet the fallen warriors.

"What to do, what to do," he pondered playfully.

"What to do, what to do.... Shifu would never have sent me such unprepared warriors, oh-no, he's much wiser than that...."

Tai Lung looked into viper's eyes, which drilled him with such hatred Crane would have doubled back- had he been able to move, of course.

"Perhaps this can be used as an advantage, perhaps a chance to scare the fight out of this- this 'Po'."

He held his paw to his chin, obviously in deep thought but still trying to put on a show. He turned his attention to Crane.

"Perhaps.... Noo-no-no-no-no, not that, Shifu would have thought I've gone soft. I think letting you all live-"

He removed his paw and lowered his face just inches from the avian's beak.

"-Is most certainly out of the question."

He turned away and stood up quickly.

"Tell me, Crane, have you ever lost anything- no, wait- have you ever had to watch everything you ever cared about get taken away, watch it slip through your grasp, helpless to do anything but be a witness to the inevitable?"

He picked up Tigress by the collar and ran his nose along her body, breathing in deeply, enjoying the scent.

The scent of fear.

Crane heard a shearing sound, watched Tigress twitch in what seemed like agony, and in horror witnessed Tai Lung drop the lifeless corpse at his feet, yellow eyes open, mouth agape-

Throat cut.

No! Crane begged from the confines of his mind, unable to speak yet seeming louder than ever before.

No, oh god, no....

"Hurts, doesn't it, Crane."

Next he moved for Mantis.

"Perhaps this may help you all to understand-"

He slammed his foot down on what Crane presumed to be the insect, a sickening crunch following the impact.

"-That there is no greater pain-"

He moved for Monkey.

"-Not physical-"

He picked up the primate by the throat.

"-Nor emotional-"

Crane heard a snap as Tai Lung twitched his fingers, breaking the monkey's neck with the ease of one snapping one's fingers.

"-Than that of watching all one has ever given a fuck about-"

He averted his gaze to meet Crane's.

"-Destroyed in an instant. Have you truly felt my pain-"

His voice rose to a roar.

"-Have you truly felt my pain!?!"

Crane's eyes looked wildly into Viper's, trying to understand how this could happen so quickly.

Viper returned his gaze, tears welling in her eyes.

Tai Lung noticed.

"Ah, Crane, trying to say our last goodbyes, are we now?"

He approached the snake and slammed his foot on the top of her throat, holding it there with unbreakable precision.

"You know, I always suspected something between you two-"

The snake's face began turning red.

"-That's why I saved you two for last."

No! NoNoNoNoNO! Kill Me! KILL ME! Not HER! SPARE HER! KILL ME YOU SON OF A BITCH! KILL ME!

Crane couldn't control his thoughts anymore. He figured he was going hysterical, but he didn't care.

These thoughts only fueled him.

KILL ME! KILL ME! KILL ME!

Viper's face started turning a rich violet, the lotus buds on her head seeming to slowly droop.

Tai Lung squinted as he stared into Crane's hateful gaze.

"This angers you, doesn't it?"

He applied more pressure on the snake.

"Now do you see?!? Now do you see the reason I attacked the village all those years ago?!? When one loses everything, he does not bury himself in sorrow or self pity- oh-no- he turns to anger, turns to rage, embraces them- and he enjoys it!"

Viper's eyes started to roll upward, her face turning a deep blue.

"I can tell that you see, that you finally understand."

He lifted his foot from viper's esoughagus, air rushing into the snake's lungs, color coming back to her cheeks, a visage of desperate relief appearing on her face.

He- he's right. I am no better than he is, but why did so many have to die-

Before Crane could finish his thought, Tai Lung smashed his heel onto the snake's spinal cord, shattering all life left in the poor reptile. Her blank gaze met with Crane's.

Crane gave up.

Just- just kill me, please, let it be done with.

"Perhaps I don't need to kill you, perhaps you could be of use. Perhaps you could live on and tell of this legendary day-"

The snow leopard seemed overjoyed.

"-And to tell my side of the story, to have it live on, the pain and torture I endured to never be forgotten-"

His voice lowered to just above a whisper.

"-Never forgotten by you or by me. You will never forget, oh-no, never forget this day. You will relive this day every day, never able to shut your eyes at night out of fear for the terrible dreams that will plague you to the day you die...."

Crane didn't think anymore, couldn't think anymore, nothing except for two words:

Kill me, kill me, kill me....

"What do you think, eh? Too dark? I think so. Letting you live would only be letting you suffer, so- after all- killing you would only be the merciful thing to do, right?"

Tai Lung leaped upon Crane, grasping the avian's skull in his paw and smashed his face onto a rock.

Tai Lung had no true regard for mercy, but rather just enjoyed seeing the blood of his enemies.

It splashed upon his face with each blow, hot, wet-

Beautiful.

The shocks sent vibrations coursing through his bones and shivers down the poor bird's spine.

Tai Lung stopped to admire his handiwork as the young crane's body remained motionless, all but his leg, which twitched in both pain and helplessness, his mind slowly drifting into unconsciousness....

But Tai Lung would not stop.

He continued smashing the bird's face onto the rock until the surrounding stone was blood-red.

After the 11th blow the young bird was dead, but it took until the 18th for Tai Lung to control himself.

* * *

"What to do, what to do," Tai Lung pondered playfully.

"What to do, what to do...."

Satisfied with his victory, Tai Lung, former apprentice of the great Master Shifu, had decided upon a plan. He would deliver the once-great masters of Kung-Fu directly to their master.

Personally.

The snow leopard, face and arms soaked in blood, grabbed his victims, Monkey and Tigress' tails in his right, Viper's tail and Crane's leg in his left. He figured there was little need to carry the smallest member of the Five, as Mantis' innards were firmly glued to the bottom of his foot.

He dragged the limp, lifeless corpses, thick trails of blood following in their wake.

They were the helpless.

The fallen.

The broken.

Tai Lung stopped to look at Tigress.

Still warm, he thought, In fact, perhaps still warm enough to-

No, no, no, the mighty Tai Lung would not be reduced to such desperate standards-

I've been in prison for twenty years, I think Shifu can wait another five minutes....

-fin

"What do you think, eh? Too dark?"

I'm oh-so sorry fans of, well, any of the Five (particularly Tigress, though). This was meant as something, oh, I don't know, different! If you enjoyed it at all, please tell me your thoughts in the reviews. If possible, I will try and get back to you.

Read and Review!