Chapter Nine- Battle of the Dragons
It was a long trip back to the palace.
For one thing, everyone was mad that Bā hén had used Lin to get to Shifu, plus the fact that it worked. Zhan shi was hopelessly thinking that he'd never see his brother again.
For another thing, Lin was going a bit ballistic over Shifu being taken from her.
The little dragon had always been so close to the red panda master, and now that he's been taken away (and probably forever), Lin was desperately trying to get to him. Po had to hold Lin by her scruff so she would stop scratching him. Little Lin was scratching, pulling, biting, and screeching. Po was always yelping every three seconds from Lin's teeth and claws. It wasn't until Yī fù talked to Lin before the dragon calmed down. But she only stayed that way for about two seconds before she burst into silent tears. Tigress carried the dragon the rest of the way home.
Once at the palace, everyone went straight to the Sacred Hall of Warriors to talk. Chen and Lin walked off a little ways to play, but Lin just curled into a ball and cried, so Chen kept her company. Everyone else gathered around the Moon Pool.
"What does Bā hén think he's going to get out of Shifu?" Mantis asked.
"I guess it's because he has the Werewolf Spirit." Po said.
"There is something my grandfather told me about." Yī fù said. "Something about a strong werewolf soul and a dragon."
"Bā hén took something out of Lin." The little dragon spoke up softly. She walked over and showed the medicine woman a cut on her arm. Yī fù stared at the cut.
"Of course!" she exclaimed. Lin bounded back over the Chen and brought him over to listen. "If someone combines the blood of a werewolf and a dragon, the werewolf turns into a dragon that the person controls!"
"Excuse me?" Viper asked.
"Let's say I gave you, Viper, a cut. Then I took some dragon blood, say Lin's, for example, and put it into the cut and cover the cut with a bandage. After a few seconds, the dragon blood in your system will transform you into a dragon, and you will obey my every order."
"You said the werewolf had to have a strong soul." Monkey said.
"If the werewolf's soul is not strong enough, the werewolf will die." Yī fù said.
"But Shifu is the Werewolf Spirit." Tigress said.
"So he'll be unstoppable if Bā hén puts Lin's blood into him." Chen said.
"We have to stop him." Crane said.
"If we hurry, we might be able to save Shifu." Zhan shi said. Immediately, everyone took off to find Shifu and stop Bā hén.
*****
When Shifu, Bā hén, the hyenas, and the anacondas got to the gorge hideout, the anacondas slithered back to the shark tank to guard it. Shifu was taken to a small room where Bā hén roughly and tightly tied him to a chair.
"You three go outside and guard the place." Bā hén ordered the hyenas.
"You don't think the Dragon Warrior will come, do you?" Jiǎo asked.
"I won't take the risk until after I get my power." Bā hén said. The hyenas nodded and walked off. Bā hén moved forward and grabbed Shifu's free arm. When Bā hén had tied Shifu to the chair, he had left one arm out. Bā hén strapped Shifu's arm to the table next to him, palm down.
"Might I ask what you are doing?" Shifu asked.
"Getting what I deserve." Bā hén said simply. He walked to a cabinet and pulled out a small vile. Shifu noticed right away it was blood.
"Where did you get that?" Shifu demanded.
"A dragon." Bā hén said casually.
"You hurt Lin?!" Shifu said angrily.
"Oh relax Shifu." Bā hén said. "Besides, if you had been watching Lin, it wouldn't happen anyway."
Shifu clenched his fists. "That was a bad mistake."
Bā hén wasn't worried…..until he heard cracking behind him. He had his back to Shifu and whipped around to look at what was happening. What he saw was Shifu in his full werewolf form, snarling. The chair, ropes, and table were all broken.
"Uh oh." Bā hén said as he carefully put the vile of blood on a chord and put it around his neck. Then he ran. Shifu followed, snarling menacingly. Bā hén passed by the hyenas, yelling, "Stop that beast!" The hyenas turned and attacked. But Shifu was so mad he hit all the hyenas away. But not before Lǐng xiù bit him hard on the leg. Shifu hit her away and lunged for Bā hén. He tackled the lion and snarled in his face. Bā hén noticed the bite mark on Shifu leg and smiled. He opened the vile of blood, poured some on his hand, and grabbed Shifu's wound. Shifu gave a dog-like yelp before transforming to normal. Bā hén kept his strong grip on Shifu's arm until the master started to transform.
But it wasn't to a werewolf.
Instead, Shifu's fur disappeared and turned to dull green scales. His short nails grew to claws. His tail grew longer. Spines grew along his back and tail.
When Shifu's transformation was done, he was a dull green Chinese dragon, twice the size of an elephant. The only thing that wasn't different was Shifu's eyes, which were still blood red and blue. Bā hén stood and smiled triumphantly.
"Finally!" he said. "Lǐng xiù, Jiǎo, Bèn zhuō, come with me! We need to get to the palace." The hyenas hopped onto Shifu's back cautiously. But Shifu stood still. Bā hén leaped on after them. At first, Shifu refused, snarling. "Down, my pet!" In Shifu's mind, he was resisting.
In your dreams. He thought. But against his own will, Shifu bent down and allowed Bā hén to climb on. Then, they were off. But they were only flying for a little while before Bā hén noticed Po, the Five, Zhan shi, Chen, Yī fù, and Lin running in the direction of the shark tank.
"Shifu, land down by the tank!" Bā hén ordered.
You can't make me do anything! Shifu thought. He wanted to scream it at the bloody lion. But he couldn't control anything, and he unwillingly turned and landed smoothly next to the shark tank. Bā hén and the hyenas jumped off and prepared themselves. Po and the others burst out of the bushes, ready to fight.
"I knew you'd return, Dragon Warrior." Bā hén said. "If you have any brains in your thick little head, you'll go home."
"If you have any brains you'll give us Shifu." Zhan shi growled.
"You can't tell us what to do anymore." Bā hén said. "I have enough power to crush all of you." Po looked up into Bā hén's dragon's eyes and noticed the two colors.
"Who's your friend?" he asked, even though he knew fully well who that dragon must be.
"Say hello to your master, punk." Lǐng xiù chuckled. She lunged, Jiǎo and Bèn zhuō following. Chen, Zhan shi, and Yī fù attacked, holding the hyenas off. The Five, Po, and Lin advanced to Bā hén, ready to fight.
"Change Shifu back!" Tigress demanded.
"Don't you see?" Bā hén asked. "I've won. I don't need to fight you. My dragon can crush you all to dust, and the hyenas can kill those werewolves with ease. I will take over the Valley of Peace and none of you will stop me!" Tigress snarled and lunged, attacking Bā hén. The lion blocked and kicked the tiger away. He turned to Shifu. "It's time to show you pathetic losers my power." He told the Five, Po, and Lin.
If you touch them, I'll kill you. Shifu thought.
"Kill them." Bā hén told Shifu.
What?! Shifu thought. No!
But Shifu was in absolutely no control. He attacked, growling. Tigress hid Lin in the bushes so she'd be safe and ran in to help her friends fight. But Shifu was much stronger as a dragon. He grabbed Monkey by his tail and threw him into Crane as the avian tried to dive-bomb the dragon. Viper tried to whip her tail at Shifu so he'd go back (and maybe obey her), but she was launched backwards and almost fell into the shark tank. Mantis was almost crushed under Shifu's giant paw. Then there was only Tigress and Po left to fight. Po came careening in and punched Shifu's leg.
But it was like punching a wall, and Shifu unwillingly growled in Po's face.
"Aw come on!" Po complained, jumping back as Shifu snapped at him. Tigress rushed in, swiping her claws. Shifu swiped his paw at her, slamming the tiger master into a tree.
Sorry. Shifu thought.
Po rushed in with a stick, hitting Shifu's leg with it. Shifu snarled and grabbed Po, throwing him aside. Shifu let Tigress go and lunged, slamming his paw on Po's body and pinning the Dragon Warrior to the ground.
"Finish him off." Bā hén commanded. "Now!"
I can't. Shifu thought. I won't!
"Do it!"
NO!!!
Shifu lunged down, about to lay down his final blow.
But he stopped abruptly and turned around to his tail, growling…….where Lin was biting on it hard.
"Leave Dragon Warrior alone!" Lin cried. Shifu got off of Po and snarled at the little dragon.
Lin, run for it! Shifu thought. You'll be killed if I fight.
But Lin stood her ground, snarling. She lunged, and then she and Shifu engaged in a furious battle. Lin was small enough to slip thru Shifu's legs and snap at his legs. But then Shifu swiped at Lin, sending the little dragon flying thru the air and landing hard on the wooden plank above the shark tank.
Lin!
Shifu rushed to her, but he knew that he was just unwillingly running over to kill her. As Shifu slowly advanced forward, he didn't realize that if he walked out onto the plank, he and Lin would fall in. So when he stepped up to the little dragon, the plank broke in half, and the two dragons fell. Shifu swam around for a minute before surfacing he scanned the water's surface for Lin.
Lin, where are you? Shifu feared the worst: that the sharks had eaten her. But the little dragon burst out of the water, madly swimming away from the great white after her. Shifu lunged. I can't hurt her. I have to take control. Shifu used all the strength and will power he had and grabbed Lin. The little dragon was scared, but she calmed down when Shifu's strength pulled thru, and Shifu hit the great white shark away. Shifu climbed out of the tank and set Lin down on the ground.
Bā hén was furious.
"Kill that little rat!" he ordered. "Do it now!" Shifu tried to gather his strength again, but failed. He attacked Lin again. The little dragon madly tried to dodge his strikes, but she was still a bit weak from the last blow she took. After fighting furiously, Lin went down after Shifu swiped at her with his claws. Lin whimpered from the immense pain in her body that came from the scratch on her back. Bā hén came forward, his sword drawn.
"Shifu, sit." He ordered.
Do I look like a dog to you? Shifu thought as he obeyed. Bā hén came forward, raising his sword to kill Lin with it. Shifu turned away, not wanting to watch. Bā hén turned to him and sneered.
"Shifu, don't you turn your head away from this." He said. Shifu's eyes went to Bā hén and Lin. "You need to watch this so you'll get used to seeing the blood of my enemies when we kill them." Shifu was horrified as he watched Bā hén raise his sword once more.
I'm sorry Lin. Shifu thought. I failed big time.
Shifu growled deep in his throat.
He was madder than he was when the stampede happened.
The stampede almost took Lin away from him.
Bā hén will not kill her now.
"Don't you touch her." Shifu snarled as Bā hén swung his sword.
Bā hén froze in mid-swing. He turned and glared at Shifu.
"Impossible." He whispered.
Shifu was back to his werewolf self.
A/N: Final chapter coming up! After this, I will check my poll status to see which stories I will start next. Make sure you all vote on my profile poll, review here, or PM me. Your options are on my profile. Read and Review!
