Corset-rebellion-follower's Super Amazing Halloween Spectacular
By corset-rebellion-follower
Disclaimer: I don't own Kung Fu Panda. Sorry if that disappoints anyone but me.
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Chapter 4- Who's What?
There it is. The Jade Palace. Silent feet padded up the steps and into the courtyard. It was quiet and empty, and still a little wet from the heavy rain yesterday. He continued past the arena and up to the Hall of Warriors. Master Shifu was meditating before the Moon Pool as the creature made its way towards the red panda.
Everything seemed so familiar. The air still smelled a little of dust from the ancient artifacts and the thousand scrolls. It was at least five to ten degrees cooler than outside, which was very humid. The jade and lapis lazuli of the pillars had a slight glow about them. He focused all his senses on Master Shifu, trying to learn if he knew he was there. But his breathing kept steady and his ears didn't twitch.
"Shifu." The red panda turned around. His eyes immediately dilated as he scanned the figure over. "I have returned home—again," Tai Lung said sagely.
In the bunkhouse, guess who was fighting again! Yup, Tigress and corset. "Come on Tigress, what's it going to take to get you to see what's going on here? Does a floating axe have to chop off your head? And you're only making it worse by not believing in them. The forces of darkness do NOT like to be ignored!" corset yelled.
"They can't like being noticed either, because they don't exist! There are no supernatural beings that control what's going on, it's just coincidence!"
"COINCIDENCE? You think it's a COINCIDENCE that we were all nearly Swiss cheese and that Rajah almost lost an ear, all while someone was evil-laughing and chainsawing away? Right after a battle with a freak window that hit Rajah in the head, like, fifty times? THAT'S A COINCIDENCE?" corset asked.
"Maybe your boyfriend is just accident prone," Tigress countered loftily.
Corset gritted her teeth. "At least I have a boyfriend! Maybe if you would think about something other than kung fu for two seconds, a member of the opposite sex might actually be attracted to you!"
Tigress took the defensive. "I think about something other than kung fu!"
"Yeah, right! I think that's the first attempt to say something funny that I've ever heard from you!" corset laughed.
"Men are attracted to me! I'll prove it!" She stalked out of her room, corset close behind. "PO!"
The giant panda tumbled out into the hallway. "What? What's going on?" he asked.
"We need you to settle a little argument. Tell me honestly whether or not you find me attractive," Tigress explained. Po just stood there looking her over. Oh, man, how do I answer that? I mean, she's drop dead gorgeous and sexy, but what if she takes that the wrong way?
"Um, yeah, I think you're really pretty." Pretty? He wanted to handpalm himself.
"You see? Po is attracted to me, and last time I checked, he's a male," Tigress said triumphantly.
Corset scoffed. "First of all, I didn't mean that a guy thinks you're attractive. I said that they would be attracted to you. Attraction isn't just thinking that someone is pretty. I think you're pretty, but it doesn't mean I'm attracted to you. Attraction means that you have a physical desire for someone."
Tigress rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Keep being as childish as you want. But I'm still right. There are no such things as the forces of darkness." And with the last word, she slipped back into her room and closed the door.
"Ugh!" Corset marched angrily out of the bunkhouse. "How dare she! She's thinks she's so great and always right. Yeah, sure, maybe in her dreams!" Her anger melted away like an ice cream cone hitting the sun's surface.
Taking off in a run, she jumped onto Rajah's back and nearly made him crash to the ground. "Hey, boyfriend," she sang.
"Hey, corset."
She slid off his back and he turned to face her. "What's wrong? You sound so dismal," she commented, sliding her arms around his waist.
"Yes, well… there's something that I need to tell you," he said coldly.
"Okay. What's up?"
"I'm breaking up with you."
"What?" she asked shakily, taking a step back from him, but still keeping her hands at his sides.
"I don't want to be your boyfriend anymore. You're just not my type, or my species for that matter," he explained.
"You're… you're breaking up with me because I'm not a tigress?" she asked, her anger rising again.
"Well, not entirely… let's just say that I'm not very attracted to you anymore." And he walked away from her, a sardonic smile crossing his lips. All the blood drained out of corset's face.
He's breaking up with me… because I'm not a tigress. Wait, he not attracted… he's breaking up with me because he likes TIGRESS! As much as she didn't want to admit it, a wet, salty tear rolled down her cheek as she sat down on the path and hid her face in her hands.
Po sauntered happily around the kitchen, stirring up vegetables and noodles. After his little confrontation with Tigress and corset, he needed a pick-me-up to shake away the nerves.
"Po?" he turned around to see Tigress leaning against the doorframe.
"Oh, h-hey Tigress. What's up?" he asked, turning back to his soup so that she wouldn't see the very visible blush on his face.
"I want to thank you for helping me with that argument. I swear, corset can be such a handful sometimes," she said, entering the room.
"You and her used to be really close. I'm not sure what happened," he said.
"Still, it was very nice of you to say that I'm pretty. Do you really think that?" she asked.
"Well… yeah. You're probably the most beautiful girl I've ever seen," Po answered reluctantly.
"That's really sweet, Po," Tigress purred, resting her head on his shoulder. He straightened up a little at the close contact. Despite the fact that Tigress had come to respect him and be his friend, she had never touched any part of him unless she was kicking his butt.
"T-tigress?" Po took a step back from her, but she just followed and closed the gap again.
"Yes?" she asked.
"Are… are you feeling alright? No fever? No delirium?" he asked nervously.
"I feel fine. In fact, I feel very, very good," she said, tracing his cheek and down his arm.
"You sure?" he asked. His voice was squeaky and cracked.
"Oh, I'm sure." She pulled him down and smashed their lips together. Po's eyes popped out of their sockets before they lulled closed. But before anything else could happen, Tigress broke off, smirking slightly. "See you later."
And she left. Po fell to the floor, landing on his back. "Awesome…"
Crane and Monkey opened the door to the Hall of Warriors. "I think Master Shifu said he was going to be in here," Crane said, looking around. "Master!" Monkey was running towards the Moon Pool. Crane spotted what Monkey was freaking out over and flew as fast as he could. Master Shifu was sprawled at the foot of the Moon Pool.
"Master, what happened?" Monkey asked.
"T-t-tai Lung," Shifu coughed weakly.
"Tai Lung? But he's dead, Master," Crane said soothingly.
"He… he has… r-returned… again. Find him. Please," Shifu whispered, closing his eyes.
"I'll stay with him, you go and get help," Crane said. Monkey nodded and bolted out of there. He saw Viper, who was fighting Tai Lung with all her strength. Monkey almost didn't believe his eyes. He… he really is back.
"Monkey, get help!" Viper ordered, having spotted him. He ran through the bunkhouse.
"Help! It's Tai Lung! He's returned!" Tigress came out of her room.
"Where is he?" she demanded.
"Outside the Hall of Warriors. Viper's holding him off," Monkey answered. She stormed down the hall. Corset poked her head out next.
"Tai Lung? He's dead, isn't he? Isn't that what you told me?" she asked, her voice weak and cracked. Monkey made a mental note to ask about that later.
"I thought he was, but he's out there fighting Viper! I think you should stay in here, he's very dangerous," he warned.
"Does Master Shifu know?" she asked.
"He's hurt and can barely move. I think Tai Lung attacked him first." Corset went across the hall and into Viper's room.
"Go and get Po and Mantis and help Viper. I'll go take care of Master Shifu." She emerged with medical supplies. They went their separate ways. When corset came upon the fight, Tigress had joined Viper in holding him off.
"I've been waiting since the Thread of Hope for this!" Tigress growled, getting a punch to Tai Lung's face. Part of corset wanted to defend Tai Lung and get her revenge on Tigress, but she shook her head and started towards the Hall of Warriors, glancing back again for a few moments at the snow leopard. Crane was fanning Master Shifu when she entered.
"Crane!"
She slid down the polished floors and knelt down next to the red panda. His chest was still rising and falling, but it was weak. A dribble of blood was coming out of the corner of his mouth.
"He doesn't look too good," Crane fretted. Corset ignored the remark and dipped a washcloth in the Moon Pool, wiping away the blood and sponging Shifu's face.
"Do you think he'll be alright?" she finally asked.
"He's… he's very old… but I'm sure he'll make it. He's had training injuries before…" Crane trailed off.
"Well, this is no training injury. Go out and help the others. I'll fix him up," she ordered. Crane nodded and took off. She continued to sponge his face and neck, wetting the washcloth every so often. Then she squeezed a little bit of the water into his mouth. Maybe it was the sacredness of the pool, or the peach petals that were always floating on the surface, but whatever it was caused the small master to cough and open his eyes.
"Tai Lung. Tai Lung has returned," he babbled, trying to sit up. Corset helped him lean against the single step of the pool's outline.
"I know. The Five and Po are fighting him as we speak," she reported.
"What?" Shifu asked, his eyes opening a little more.
Corset nodded. "We need to get down there and help. I know what to do. Do you need me to carry you?" she asked.
"I may be old and slightly beaten, but I'm not that crippled yet," Shifu said, trying to chuckle.
Corset smiled. She dipped the washcloth into the pool one more time before standing up.
"Then let's go." The battle was going full scale when they arrived. Tai Lung delivered a hard roundhouse kick to Monkey, who expertly dodged it. Corset ran right into the full battle and grabbed Tai Lung's paws, locking their fingers together and pushing back.
"What are you doing?" Tigress yelled. Before she could protest any more, corset whipped out the washcloth and swiped it across Tai Lung's face.
Tai Lung cried out and staggered back, hitting the ground and covering his eyes with his hands.
"What's going on?" Viper asked fearfully. Tai Lung removed his hands. Around them was completely pure white, not even fur, and they had changed from their yellow to a bright ruby red. Corset scoffed.
"Shape shifter."
"A what?" Crane asked. Tai Lung lunged at corset, claws bared and ready to slash. But before they could make contact, there was a loud roar. Rajah pounced into the circle, swiping at Tai Lung's chest, making long cuts. No blood poured out of the wounds. Only a milky white substance leaked out. Rajah stepped back as Tai Lung was turned into a white liquid.
"What… what happened to him?" Mantis asked.
"It wasn't Tai Lung. It was a shape shifter. It can change into whatever it wants and play tricks on people. Not very nice," corset explained.
"Are you alright?" Rajah asked her, hugging her tightly. She nodded and hugged him back, before pushing him to the ground.
"What's the matter with you? You could have been killed!" she screamed.
"I… I wasn't really thinking," he was cut off. "Well no duh! I've never seen anything that stupid in my life!"
"Are you alright, Tigress? I was really worried about you," Po asked, taking her hands.
"Uh… yes… I'm perfectly fine," she stammered, taking back her hands. Po was a little confused at her reluctance. Wasn't she the one who kissed me? Or was I dreaming?
"Well thank goodness. You were really impressive," he complemented. And he made the biggest mistake of his life. He hugged her and kissed her cheek. The group collectively gasped, and Tigress slapped Po.
"How did you know it was a shape shifter?" Shifu asked, seeing Tigress' oncoming rage and trying to quickly change the subject.
"When Tigress punched him in the face. If that had been the real Tai Lung that you told me about, she wouldn't have gotten that punch in a million years," corset explained.
"Hey!" Tigress objected. Corset once again ignored her.
"And if I'm not mistaken, the shape shifter has been messing with us all day. It tricked Po into thinking Tigress was in love with him, that Tai Lung had returned, and that Rajah was breaking up with me for Tigress. You just get all the guys, don't you, Tigress?"
"He made Po think what?" she demanded, a fire lighting in her eyes.
"So… you don't like me?" Po asked sheepishly. Tigress turned to him and smiled supportively.
"Well, I like you as a friend. But if you ever kiss me without my permission again, you'll get worse than a slap," she warned playfully, whacking his ear lightly.
"You know I'm not attracted to Master Tigress in any way other than friendship, right?" Rajah asked, pulling corset aside.
"For your sake, you'd better not be," she snapped.
"Well it's true. I only have eyes for you," he whispered, hugging her close and pressing a kiss to her neck. She smiled and snuggled into his embrace.
"I like where this is going. Keep talking."
Back with the rest of the group, they were contemplating on what to do about the recent events. "I'm a little bit worried, Master. What's going on here? This can't all just be happening for no reason," Viper said.
Shifu stared off into space. "I… I don't know. But I assure you I intend to find out."
Tigress bit her lip. Maybe… maybe corset is right about the forces of darkness. Maybe they do exist. She looked back at the pool of white that was the imposter before feeling a chill in the air and rubbing her arms to try and make it go away.
A/N: I'm behind schedule, I know, but I had a really busy weekend and fell asleep when I was supposed to be writing. But if it is the last thing I do, I will get back on track! BTW, here's another link.
www. scifi. com /scifiwire/ print .php? id60010
Just take out the spaces and insert an equals sign after id and before 60010. Important Kung Fu Panda news! Holla!
