DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN KUNG FU PANDA OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS IN IT. ALL RIGHTS GO TO DREAMWORKS STUDIOS. THE ONLY THING I OWN IN THIS STORY IS ILLISA, MY OC.

This story takes place after the end of KFP 2.

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To Walk Without: Life

Chapter 3: Chances

Po trembled violently. He felt like he was seeing a ghost... a terrible, haunting, evil ghost. Shen was alive. The mere thought of it was enough to shake him to the core. But it wasn't just a thought. It was the very true, very dark reality. He felt his blood run frozen as he tried in vain to speak.

"H-H-How... W-What..."

"Po... please sit down. Illisa, you too." Shifu sighed. Po walked over slowly, his gaze never leaving Shen's dead, empty eyes. Illisa followed behind Po hesitantly. She wasn't sure that this was any of her business, but she was still curious. Po took a seat next to Shifu, while Illisa sat next to Tigress.

"Hello again, Dragon Warrior." Po broke eye contact with Shen and his eyes shot towards the Soothsayer.

"I suppose you want to know why we're here..." And the Soothsayer began explaining everything to Po. Illisa leaned over and quietly asked Tigress to explain what was happening.

"Who are these people, if you don't mind me asking?" she whispered.

"Well, it all began a long time ago. To be brief, that peacock in the corner, Shen... he used to be the prince, but he was exiled after committing mass genocide."

"What?! Against who?"

"You're observant. Make a wild guess." Illisa looked around the room, but her gaze stopped on Po, who was still shivering. There was terror in his eyes.

"Pandas?"

"Yes. It happened because that woman, the Soothsayer, was consulted by Shen's parents. She prophesized that Shen would be defeated by a 'warrior of black and white.' He wanted to change his fate, and took matters into his own hands."

"And was exiled because of it." Illisa said, making sure she understood. Tigress nodded.

"He returned and tried to lay siege to China using a weapon that he himself designed. We managed to stop him, but just barely. But he's still alive, so maybe he did change his fate..." Tigress sighed. Illisa had a peculiar look on her face. It was the kind of look one would receive from their mother if they were missing some kind of point.

"What?" Tigress asked.

"... Nothing." At about this time, the Soothsayer had finished explaining.

"And that's the situation thus far. Though his memories have been coming back, little by little, but I haven't seen any sign of trying to continue his past mistakes. He looked so broken when I found him... He's like a child. He still has trouble speaking. The first quarter of our journey, he had to lean on me since he couldn't walk..." Po spoke up.

"So, why did you bring him here? So I could finish what I started?"

"No... I had hoped that you would help me save him..." Po's eyes widened.

"You must be joking!"

"Po, please! This is his chance, his ONE chance to sever his ties with his past, to make a new future! You are the only person who can help him."

"Why me?"

"It's how you found inner peace. Now, Shen has a chance to make peace with his past as well." Po's brows furrowed.

"As long as he's alive, he's a threat. I'm not being spiteful, I'm stating a fact. So, I'm ending this. Right here. Right now." Po stood and cracked his knuckles. Illisa stood abruptly. She grabbed Po's shoulder, roughly turning him to face her, and slapped him across the face so hard that he fell back on to the ground. Po rubbed his cheek as everyone stared at her, completely shocked.

"Stop acting like such a child! Honestly!"

"W-What? What the hell did I do?!"

"Quiet! You'll have your chance to speak, but right now, listen to me and listen well!" Po shut right up, as if on reflex. Illisa suddenly reminded him of his father, scolding him the way she was.

"All of you have an UNHEARD OF amount of ignorance! Noble Kung Fu Warriors... please! Forgive my saying so, but are ANY of you trying to think this through?" The Soothsayer looked behind her, and noticed that Shen's eyes were now fixed on Illisa. Even I couldn't get get that much attention from him. When I'd try speaking to him, his eyes would wander...

"Use your brains! If you are one of many who LACK them, then at LEAST use your eyes! All of you, look at him right now and tell me what you see! Does he really still look like a villain hell bent on ruling China? Does he look like someone who could put up ANY kind of fight?" Everyone's eyes scanned over Shen. Bloody bandages, blank expression, his worn out clothes, obviously bought for cheap en route to the Jade Palace... This was no evil lord, this was a damaged being. Broken with only a small chance of repair... They felt sorry for him. But no one really wanted to admit it.

"Well?" No one replied. Even so, Illisa did her thing; She read them like a book.

"It doesn't matter if you say anything or not. Your ears are drooping, your hands are fidgeting, and you won't look up. I'm sure the Soothsayer AND Shen appreciate the apology." She shot a glance at the, two smiling warmly.

"And if it's really so intolerable for you to swallow your pride and have pity on him, I'LL take care for him. That being said, I accept full responsibility for his behavior." She then fell to the ground and bowed deeply.

"Master Shifu, please accept my sincerest apologies for my momentary outburst. I overstepped my boundaries as a student." There was a momentary pause as Shifu glanced over at Illisa.

"... Stand up. You don't need to apologize. You're right. However, seeing as how Po's actions are what caused your anger-"

"How is this MY fault?!"

"-Tigress and I didn't take too kindly to being scolded like children. In the future, speak to us like adults if you have an issue with something. I won't let you off with just a warning should you try to scold me again... Are we clear?"

"Yes, master. In any case, Shen may stay with me, in my quarters."

"Very well. Then I suppose this meeting is adjourned."

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Po showed the Soothsayer out, even offering to help her down the stairs. She happily accepted his offer. As Po carried the Soothsayer down the long staircase, Illisa led Shen to her room.

"This is where you'll be staying. Alright?" To this, Shen nodded. Illisa noticed that his eyes had brightened up a bit, filled with a little less fear and emptiness.

"Oh, but I suppose you'll need a bed of some sort..." She thought aloud. She rummaged through her travelling pack and dug out her sleeping bag. She unrolled it on the other side of the small room, leaving only about a foot of room between their beds.

"It's no royal comfort, but it's a place to sleep." Shen walked over to it, and sat down, feeling it with his wing. It was comfortably soft, and felt rather silky. He spoke very quietly.

"... Thank you."

"You're welcome." She sat across from him and smiled gently.

"My name is Illisa. It's very nice to meet you."

"... Shen. The feeling is... mutual, I suppose." He fidgeted while he spoke, still a little shy. He liked being spoken to so kindly... something that he was sure had never happened to him before.

"I heard that you're starting to remember things. If you don't mind me asking, how much do you remember exactly?" Shen's crest fell when she asked this.

"Enough..." Shen said, continuing to keep his gaze off of her. Illisa didn't need to analyze him to register the heavy weight of regret that hung over him. She knew all too well the desire to not talk about certain things, so she let the matter lie. She figured the best way to keep him on the path to reformation was to try and develop some fraction of a friendship.

"Well, I can't say I know exactly how you feel, but I as well have had some less-than-favorable experiences in my past." she said. Shen replied simply.

"Oh..." Shen shifted his seated position and winced in pain. Illisa truly felt sorry for him. A mass murderer he may have been, but with all his power-lust and evil intent stripped from him, his glum, lonely personality was laid bare. She always found it interesting how the outlook of someone can change entirely once you remove the one characteristic thing about them. A whole new person is born. This wasn't the mighty, evil Lord she'd heard so much about. This was Shen, in his purest, most untainted form - Shen as he used to be before thoughts of revenge or destiny ever entered his mind. Illisa grabbed his wing and unwrapped the bandages carefully, and examined it. Shen glared down at Illisa indifferently as she examined it. A woman touching him willingly... another thing that he was sure had never happened to him, save for his mother. When she finished, Illisa looked up at Shen and spoke softly, but seriously.

"Open your robe." Shen's crest stood on end and his eyes widened.

"W-What?"

"You're injured on your torso as well, right?"

"W-Well, yes, but-"

"Then let me see." Shen sighed, resigning himself to her command.

"Fine." Shen reached to untie the knot in the belt that held the robe closed... only to find that he couldn't. It wasn't a terribly complicated knot, but it was tightly wrapped, and his motor skills still hadn't fully recovered.

"Here, let me..." Shen blushed as she undid the knot. At this angle, the cleavage of her rather large bust was in full view. Bashful though he was, Shen was still a full-grown man. He looked down her robe, taking in the pleasant sights. Without looking up, and without a word, Illisa grabbed hold of his beak roughly and pointed his head upward.

"Eyes up, please." she huffed, a hint of irritation in her voice. Illisa fidgeted with the knot for a while longer, until it finally came undone. She opened it slowly, revealing Shen's chest. She stopped removing the robe for a moment.

"Shen, please remove your arms from the sleeves." Shen was again surprised. She wanted the robe off completely. He did as she asked. Illisa slowly stripped away the bandages, finding herself in shock over the myriad of gashes and bruises that consumed his upper body.

"Oh, my... these are awful." Illisa cooed, her motherly side showing. She ran her hands softly across his body, bringing an even brighter blush to his cheeks. When her paws began to reach the lower parts of his body, Shen covered the lowest areas with the robe. Illisa tried to move it, but Shen held it steadfast against himself. Illisa sighed and looked back up at Shen.

"I need to fully asses your injuries."

"There is little of my body you haven't seen, and I plan on keeping THAT part hidden, thank you very much. You may continue examine wherever else you like, but that area is entirely off-limits." Shen huffed, scowling. Illisa analyzed Shen's body language. From what she could tell, shame wasn't a factor in his actions. On the contrary, she felt an air of personal pride about him. Perhaps this pride was from his royal lineage, therefore his privacy was of the utmost importance to him. She also caught a stubborn glint in his eyes, suggesting that he would not be moved on this.

"Fine, have it your way then..." Illisa spun Shen so that his back was facing her. She sighed in relief, happy that the injuries here were at least marginally less severe. She brushed his long tail feathers to the side, but stopped for a moment. She admired the softness of them, and the blood red color was entrancing. Even though Shen was no longer a prince, he still had this regal aura that radiated from his tail feathers. Such a powerful, commanding color... she found herself unable to look away. They must look beautiful fully opened... Her mind wandered for a bit longer, lost in the elegance of the feathers, until she eventually shook herself from her trance. Just peacock feathers doing what they're supposed to do: mesmerize. After a little while longer, she had finished examining his back.

"All right. Now then..." The glowing symbol once again appeared on Illisa's forehead. She waved her paw slowly across Shen's back. He could only see the faint gentle green glow coming from behind him.

"What on earth are you-" Illisa suddenly spun Shen back forward to face her. He took immediate notice of the symbol on her head and the greenish glow around her paws as vine-like ribbons of green light danced around them. She was very close to him now, making him blush even harder, as she slowly dragged her paws down his left wing. Shen watched closely as green light poured into and out of his cuts, sealing them shut. He was without words as the cuts became light, faded scars and the bruises vanished from existence. The gentle green glow reflected off of her fur and eyes in such a way that enhanced her already potent natural beauty. She then treated his right wing and chest, to the same effect. Little trace of injury was left anywhere on him. But that wasn't all. He also felt more... awake. Energetic. He felt lighter than air. Shen stumbled to find words that could adequately describe his astonishment.

"This... this is..."

"I was born this way. I can also do this..." She pressed her paw against the floor, and grass surrounded it, poking out from beneath. She lifted her paw, and an asiatic lily gave chase after it, blooming as it did so. When it was in full bloom, the lily stopped growing. Her symbol faded and the green light died down. She picked it and held it out to Shen. Hesitantly, he took it. It was perfect in every way, from the grassy green of the stem to the pure pinkish-white of the bloom. She stood back up.

"That's a little gift from me to you. I think you should go wash off what little blood is left on your feathers. If you'd like, we could go find the bath house together, since I want to know where to find it as well." She held his hand out to him and smiled.

"Would you like that?"

He shyly turned his eyes to the ground and nodded as he grabbed her paw. She pulled him to his feet, and the lily fell from his wing. They left the room, and the lily was left sitting perfectly on Shen's pillow.

Rewrote the end of this chapter to something that was actually entertaining. Stay tuned for more updates!

-ritez4fun