News Flash, chapter 25 is HERE! Hope y'all enjoy and have a pleasant evening/morning/day/night/unidentified other.
MentalDoughnut-Of course I remember you! You were one of my most loyal readers, dear Sir Doughnut. (I think I may be slightly insane at this point from sleep deprivation, so don't question that last line there) And yes, that was my evil plan all along. TO MAKE MY READERS HUNGRY!
Actually, I love doing that. Making people annoyed is kinda fun.
~Inside the Mountain Stronghold~
"Students, are you ready?" Shifu asked, standing before his assembled students, as well as Xue and Tao.
Shifu had assumed leadership over the mission. Xue may have known more than him, but she was much more comfortable simply providing intelligence when it was needed. Leading was not her strong suit. People weren't her strong suit. She would gladly submit to Shifu's command.
At various confirmations of their readiness, Shifu said, "Then we shall leave immediately,"
Xue lead them through the forests, towards the Imperial City. The walk took less than an hour, and the group of warriors arrived at the same clearing where they'd camped upon first arriving.
"What now?" Monkey asked. He knew the plan as well as the rest of them, but everyone was beginning to be affected by nerves.
"Now we split up," Tigress answered.
They would be entering the city from four different sides. Tigress and Po would remain in the clearing. Xue and Tai-lung, able to travel the fastest, would enter from the southern side opposite. Shifu and Tao would walk to the east side before entering the city, leaving Monkey and Mantis to enter from the West. Viper and Crane would stay with Po and Tigress, infiltrating the city from the air.
"We'll reach the south gates in an hour," Tai-lung said.
"In one hour, everybody is to enter the city," Shifu said. "You all know what to do,"
After only a few minutes, it became evident that Tigress was not dealing well with the wait. Like always, she wanted to be in battle. Tigress lived for the fight, it was what she was good at. She was not good at patience. Sitting with her back against a tree, tail twitching anxiously, it was obvious that she was eager for the hour to be up.
"Tigress?" Viper asked, slithering up to her friend.
"What?" Tigress snapped. Seeing Viper look concerned and slightly scared, she continued, "Sorry, I don't like waiting,"
"So I've noticed," Viper said, smiling. "I'd rather be fighting too," she admitted.
"Soon," Tigress said simply, crossing her legs in a meditative pose. It helped to calm her, even if only a little.
Viper knew she could distract Tigress better than she could distract herself. Smiling mischievously, Viper sat opposite Tigress. She'd noticed something between Po and Tigress, it had been as clear as day. Well, perhaps not to the male members of their group, but certainly to her. For her sake as much as Tigress', Viper wanted to find out what.
"So, you and Po," Viper said. Tigress' eyes, which had fallen shut, snapped open.
"Viper, don't," Tigress warned. But Viper wasn't deterred.
"Something happened between you, didn't it," Viper asked.
"We have to focus on the mission," Tigress said. "This isn't the time,"
"Something did happen!" Viper exclaimed, smiling excitedly.
"Viper," Tigress said, but she knew she was losing the battle. Viper was determined.
"Tigress?" Viper asked expectantly.
With a heavy sigh, Tigress accepted defeat. "We kissed,"
Viper let out a girlish scream, quickly covering her mouth with her tail. She definitely wanted to know what Tigress had to say, but she wouldn't dare let the boys hear it.
"When?" Viper narrowed her eyes.
"Before we left for the mission," Tigress admitted, rubbing a paw over her face. "Viper, you're getting distracted,"
"Of course I'm distracted, Tigress, you had your first kiss!" Viper said, practically bouncing with delight.
Tigress groaned. "This is why I didn't want to tell you,"
"Oh come on Tigress," Viper said. "I'm just happy for you,"
"Viper!" Crane's voice cut the conversation short, for which Tigress could only thank the Gods.
The avian walked over to the two. "It's almost time for us to start flying," he said.
Their part of the plan involved flying over the city before everyone entered, making sure there wouldn't be any surprises. They trusted Tao, but Fang could easily have changed the layout of the guards to confuse them or make him useless.
"Goodbye Tigress," Viper said, slithering onto Crane's back.
The two set off quickly, knowing how vital their part of the mission was. If the guards had indeed been positioned differently to how they thought, Crane and Viper would have to fly around to each of the groups and tell them not to go in. Speed was crucial.
When they were gone, Po came over to sit by Tigress. He knew she wanted time to think, to prepare mentally for the battle. Equally, she knew that right now, he wouldn't disturb her. Even though sometimes he could be childish and even annoying, Po knew how to act before a mission. And for that, Tigress was grateful.
~Inside the Mountain Stronghold~
"Jade?" Chou's voice rang out through the corridors, calling to her half-sister.
No reply came. None was expected. Jade was weaker than Chou knew was possible. Not trying to be mean, but Chou honestly expected the younger tiger to be dead by now. When Chou had woken that evening, Jade's fur had been almost completely turned to black. Now only a few streaks of white remained Now Chou returned to say goodbye to her sister, not that she expected Jade to understand. But Chou needed to tell Jade she was going, just in case she could hear her.
"Jade, I'm going to leave now," Chou yelled from the corridors.
Entering Jade's room, Chou was greeted with the sight of an empty bed. The covers had not been thrown back, simply fallen with the disappearance of a young tiger girl. Jade had vanished.
Or, more accurately, Jade had been summoned by Fang. Chou knew what her mother was capable of, she could only assume Fang could do the same. She knew that the collar Fang had placed on Jade put the young girl under her control, slowly infecting her body with darkness until she was nothing but a mindless zombie.
The disappearance of the tiger Chou thought of as her sister made Chou's blood boil. And it only made her more determined. Chou would fight in the final battle, and she would make sure Fang died. Chou knew enough to know it was the only way to save her sister.
~Imperial City Palace War Room~
"Tell me Jade, where will they enter the city?" Fang's voice was laced with fake sweetness.
"I heard nothing," Jade said. Her mind was quickly succumbing to the poisonous evil growing inside her, but Jade was not one to stop fighting.
She'd been born fighting, she would die fighting.
"Xue might be blocking me from entering her mind, but I know she grows near. That heartless coward wouldn't think to block out her own sister," Fang said. "Enter her mind, tell me the plan,"
Against her will, Jade dove into the mind of her eldest sister. As a plan began to form in her head, the perfect plan for infiltrating the city, Jade's mind grew weaker. She panicked. Something had to be done, anything, to stop Fang from killing the only one powerful enough to stop her. Jade preferred to think only of herself, but even she wouldn't sacrifice China.
"They will enter the city from these gates," Jade said, her claw piercing four 'X' marks into the map.
It appeared that Jade had lost the battle against her mind. Fang now held the information necessary to destroy Xue. And with the snow tiger out of the way, it was only a matter of time before the world fell to Fang's knees.
"Good, you have served me well child," Fang said, smiling cruelly.
"Shall I take her off your hands?" The darkness materialised behind Fang, taking its wolf form and tracing a claw along her shoulder.
Fang shuddered unconsciously, before swatting the hand away.
"Now is not the time," she warned. "And no, I want to see her suffer," Jade looked sadistically at Jade.
With one thought, she released the girl. The strength that had been keeping Jade up, all of it Fang's, was gone. The weak child fell to the floor, quickly beginning to convulse.
"You are so evil," The darkness said, smiling.
"I know. Now, we have a defence to plan,"
"As you wish," The Darkness said. "As you wish."
MWAH HA HA HA! SO MANY PLOT TWISTS. Reads are amazing, reviews are even better. Ciao for now my lovely readers, I believe we only have two more chapters left now. Maybe an epilogue before I start the rewrite, or maybe I'll make you wait for that until I've finished the rewritten version. Aren't I evil? :)