Okay...2 weeks without an update is way too long. I'm sorry, but there really wasn't too muck I could do about it. But, I do want to thank everyone for their incredible patience in waiting for me to post an update. I also wanted to thank those who recently took the time to fav and follow the story! You guys are awesome. Without further ado, Enjoy the Read.
Chapter 28
My name is Li Ping
The old Raven stood cackling over the Warriors, as all eyes quickly turned over to stare at the White Tiger accusingly. Li was looking up at the older Drizen, trying to figure out just how exactly this was even possible. His Grandfather had told him about the day his mother had supposedly perished before, or at least…Li thought it was his Grandfather who told him. To be honest, Li couldn't be completely certain at that particular moment, but regardless, Li had known Drizen had had a Partner here in the past, but was never told who they were because nobody in his family ever saw their face before.
While Li was sorting through his thoughts, it was Mantis who hopped forward and asked, "Drizen? Uh, look here pal, I know you kind of just got here and all, but Drizen is the Younger crazy raven without the nasty scar. This guy is way too old!" It was then that Nightshade stepped forward and asked, "But come to think of it, how do you even know about Drizen to begin with?"
At this point, Li was glancing around at each of the Masters nervously. His Grandfather however seemed to be preoccupied with keeping an eye on the older Raven while his Mother was watching him extremely closely, studying his every action as if there was something familiar about him. Then there was his Father. As Li look up at the Panda Po was glaring down at him worse than any of the others, the Panda's eyes continuing to dart towards Li's Bracer and Li knew he recognized it as his own.
Po then took a step towards the White Tiger, yet Li continued to stand his ground as he looked his father dead in the eye while the Panda demanded as he pointed at Li's wrist, "Where did you get that!?" Li stared up at his Father and for a moment, neither one said a word. Tigress then stepped forward to stand beside her husband as she asked, "Po, what is it? Do you recognize that bracer?" Now it was everyone's turn to look at Po, who never took his eyes of the White Tiger before him. Li was about to open his mouth when they heard the old Raven up above them, "Oh yes, do tell them Dragon Warrior. It should make for an amazing tale."
Po then whirled around and shouted up at the Raven, "Stay out of this!" But the older Drizen just chuckled as he muttered, "Oh you ignorant Panda…you see, I was not talking to you, but him." At this, Drizen indicated the White Tiger who flinched involuntarily. Only Tigress was the one who noticed though. Po looked up at the Raven like he was crazy…or crazier anyway, and just asked, "What are you talking about? I'm the Dragon Warrior!"
The Raven just laughed lightly as if amused. But Drizen quickly realized that he needed to buy his younger self more time to complete the ritual and the one day would be Dragon Warrior has given him the perfect opportunity to do just that. Drizen then called out, "Indeed you are Panda, but ask yourself this. Do you truly believe that you are the only one worthy of carrying such a title? Or that perhaps, one day another might not be worthy of receiving it?"
Po just stared up at the Raven clearly confused. But Drizen then looked over at Li as he asked the White Tiger, "I shall leave the choice to you…should you be the one to tell them…or shall I?" Li glared up at the Raven menacingly as he bared his fangs at the Raven. Po then turned around to look at the Tiger as he then asked, "Tell us, do you know that lunatic? Actually no, who are you and where did you come from!?"
By now all eyes were once again on Li, as the White Tiger lowered his head in thought as he debated over what it was exactly that he should do. At this point Nightshade had taken a step forward and warned, his eyes now starting to glow again as he unsheathed his claws, "The Dragon Warrior asked you a question."
Li just looked up and upon the faces of Mr. Nightshade, his aunt, uncles, Grandfather and finally, his parents. But as soon as Li made eye contact with Tigress, he immediately tore his gaze away from her, which did not go unnoticed by his mother. Li then took a shaky breath as he cautiously walked forward and picked up his green cloak. All eyes were now upon the white Tiger as Po took a step towards the White Tiger placing himself in front of Tigress while his eyes were once again focused on the Golden Bracer.
After a brief moment of rummaging through one of the pockets inside the cloak, the White Tiger then revealed a small red object for all to see. Shifu then instantly recognized the artifact and whispered, "A shift stone? You stole from the Jade Palace!?" at this everyone tensed while Li held up his paws cautiously as he answered, "I never stole it, I swear. I just…borrowed it... sort of." His answer did nothing to convince the warriors that he was telling the truth and so he quickly added while looking over at his Father, "You asked me…you asked me where it was that I came from."
Po nodded his head as he continued to glare at the white Tiger, while Shifu now was standing just on the right side of the Panda to get a better look at the strange warrior. Li paused for a few seconds before he finally said, "But truthfully…it is not a question of WHERE I am from…but rather…WHEN."
Nobody said a word at this. In fact nobody could say anything. But eventually it was Nightshade who finally spoke up again asking, "What is that supposed to mean?" But Po was slowly beginning to develop a certain theory as he ceased his glaring at the white tiger and slowly turned his attention from him and back up at the older Raven. Drizen sneered down at the Panda as he clarified, "Indeed…you see you ignorant fools, much like myself, that there Warrior is not from this particular Era. Though, where he is from exactly, even I cannot say." Po's eyes as well as everyone else around him widened in shock as Tigress finally took a step forward and was once again standing beside Po as she demanded at the White Tiger, "Who are you?" But the response she received from the New warrior was not what she was expecting as he whispered. "You wouldn't believe me…unless I showed you."
In that instant, Li's grip around the Shift stone tightened as he closed his eyes and concentrated. In seconds, the red egg shaped rock began to shine and the Tiger's entire body began to shine a bright golden light, forcing everyone to shield their eyes except for Po and Tigress who merely squinted theirs. After a few seconds had passed, the Tiger seemed to stop glowing all together and everyon uncovered their eyes and gasped in wonder. But none were even half as surprised as Po and Tigress as Po whispered, "No way…Is he a…" But Po never even finished his sentence, as he gazed upon the altered appearance of the, what used to be a pure bred white Tiger.
There standing before them as he dropped the shift stone and his cloak to the ground, stood a full grown black and white Panger. His black stripes that once covered his arms and paws completely had now receded up just past his wrists, leaving his paws completely white, while two Panda patches now appeared around his eyes. Monkey was the first to exclaim in disbelief, "He…He's a Panger!? But I thought Po and Tigress's son was the only one!" Viper nodded as she added, "I think we all did."
When Li opened his eyes he saw all the shocked faces that were staring back at him and he knew the next few moments were crucial. So after taking a deep breath, Li looked over at his Father and said, "You asked me where it was I got this." At this Li raised his right arm up to reveal the Golden Dragon Bracer as he said, "The truth is…this was my inheritance…from my Father."
Upon hearing this, Po tensed violently and Tigress wanted to know why. "Po, what is it about that Bracer that is bothering you?" now everyone was looking at Po as his eyes slowly drifted up from the bracer and into the Panger's eyes as he eventually whispered, "Because…It's…It's mine." Now everyone was beyond confused. Po was claiming that the Bracer that this Panger was wearing was his, but the Panger was claiming to have received it from his father. Tigress was trying to process all of this when Shifu stepped forward and looked up at Po saying, "Po…please explain."
Po took a deep breath before he looked down at Shifu and said, "A few weeks ago…I bought that bracer down in the valley, just as a kind of…precaution." Shifu raised his eyebrow as he asked, "A precaution." Po nodded as he explained, "Yeah. I bought it so that I could start storing a little bit of the Heroes Chi inside it. I got the idea from Tigress's Necklace. Gladir said it could be possible if we did it just a little bit at a time before bed, and he would restore however much of the Heroes Chi I used up while I slept."
Shifu was shaking his head a bit at this whole Idea and couldn't help but ask, "But I don't understand, why did you feel the need to do something like this at all?" Po was a bit hesitant in his response but after turning to look at Tigress he finally said, "I just…I just wanted to make sure if anything happened to us…That Li would be okay." At this, Shifu's ears fell slightly but it was Tigress that Po only had eyes for, as she looked her husband in the eye and asked, "Why didn't you tell me about this?" Po's face just fell as he said desperately, "I swear I was going to Tigress, but then this mission came up and everything got so crazy…I guess it just slipped my mind."
Tigress just nodded in understanding which sort of surprised Po, as she turned her head back to the Panger and said, "That still doesn't explain how he came in possession of it then." While Po continued, "Or how it even has that much Power in it. I swear I only put a small amount of the Heroes Chi inside so far." It was then that Gladir spoke up and Po nearly forgot he was back with him, as the Dragon had been observing the Panger this entire time. "Or how he is able to use the Heroes Chi at all…Po…I'm not sure yet, but I think I might just be starting to understand…"
Both Po and Tigress then looked at the Panger and finally Po chose the one question he wanted answered above all else, "Just tell us who you are, buddy." Li looked down and avoided his parents gaze for a long moment, before he finally whispered, "I…I never imagined it would be this hard. I knew there was a chance I would have to reveal myself to you all but…I never thought it would be this hard to."
When Li looked back up, instead of being met with glares of mistrust, he was surprised to see something else. Both his parents were now looking at each other with looks of worry, but it was Tigress who in the end decided to take the first step towards him. As she neared the Panger, Li's heartbeat began to increase drastically. It had been so many years since he had stood before his mother, and her intense gaze was doing nothing to calm his nerves. It was funny, for in that moment, Li was reminded of all the times when he was a cub how his Mother could all but paralyze him with just a single look.
As Tigress stood before the Panger, she was eyeing the warrior up cautiously. Even before he revealed his true appearance to them all, the minute she laid eyes on him when he saved her and Po from Drizen's Chakrahm, she knew there was something familiar about him. It wasn't just his face or his paws that reminded her of her own child…but the way he carried himself. He was tall and strong one moment, but the moment his eyes made contact with hers he would look away, as if he knew she would discover something…and then it hit her.
As she stood before the Panger who stood just about equal to her height, she caught it. It was only slightly thanks to the bubbling magma from below but she was just able to catch his scent… the same scent that she caught a whiff of before entering the volcano that reminded her so much of her Son.
Tigress was now standing so close to the Panger that it was already uncomfortable as she was studying his features. Right then there was only one thing running through her mind right then. Something the Panger had said moments before. "But truthfully…it is not a question of WHERE I am from…but rather…WHEN." Once Tigress finished recalling the Panger's words she then thought to herself, "Is…is it possible…could he be…?" But it was then that Tigress decided there was only one way she would be able to be certain, as she demanded gently of the Panger, "Look at me."
Li quickly blinked his eyes and made eye contact with his mother for a few seconds before his eyes darted off to the right once more. But Tigress wasn't having any of it as she nearly shouted, "I said, LOOK AT ME!" Everyone around was suddenly shaken by the Tiger's tone except for Po, who was watching his wife like a hawk as she stood in front of the Panger.
Slowly Li forced himself to lock eyes with his mother and Tigress was finally able to see what she was looking for. There staring back at her was a pair of Bright Jade green eyes. Eyes that held so much strength, yet at the same time also held fear, anxiousness, hurt…and…familiarity. As Tigress continued to stare into those eyes, she began to realize how much they looked like her husbands…and … how much they looked like her son's.
It was in that moment that Tigress was taken back 5 years to the day her child was born, and how she had first looked into her child's eyes that day, with Po holding them both in his arms as she was leaning up against him. When Li had opened his eyes that day and Tigress had seen the color of his eyes, she fell in love with the cub in that exact moment. She couldn't explain it as anything else but perhaps a mother's love for her child.
But it was on that day that she knew she had forged a new bond unlike any other and that it was special. Now, standing here before this Adult Panger, something familiar was tugging at Tigress's heart. It was a feeling. The same exact feeling that she had the day she had seen her child's eyes for the first time. And then…everything clicked into place.
Silence was all that fell between the two felines as Tigress slowly reached up with her paw and touched the Panger's face. The Panger never made any move to stop her, but the instant her paw made contact with his face, his eyes twitched and his breath hitched slightly. It was then that he heard his Mother whisper to him a question that was filled with both certainty, yet also uncertainty. "Li?"
Li's eyes slowly began to rim with tears as he continued to look his mother in the eye. It had been so long since he had last heard her say his name that Li wasn't prepared for the toll hearing her voice again would take on him. But slowly Li nodded his head as he whispered back, "Hello…Mother." Tigress quickly took a step back and her eyes were just wide open with shock. Li was expecting this reaction of course, but what he was expecting was what she did next in fact, nobody was, especially Po. Tigress then stepped forward, and she hugged Li.
The instant his mother's arms wrapped around him, Li became stiff as a board as his entire body became rigid to the spot. At this point Po had taken a step forward and called out, "T-Tigress!?" but Tigress wasn't listening, as Li heard his mother whisper, "You're alive." Li slowly came back to his senses as he listened to Tigress explain, "I was worried…that if we failed this mission, that you wouldn't be safe…but…You're here…and you're you…so that means…"
It was then Li's mind was swimming with so many thoughts, "She was worried that I wouldn't be okay? But…Mother…It wasn't me should have been worried about." But instead of saying these thoughts, Li slowly reached up and wrapped his arms around his mother as he whispered, "I…I don't know what to say…" For so long he had dreamed of just one day being able to see his mother one more time. But to actually be receiving a hug from her? It was almost more than what the Panger could bear.
It was then that Po spoke up saying, "How about you start by releasing my wife." Instantly Li's eyes snapped open and he released his mother and stepped away, but Tigress grabbed the Panger's paw and looked over at her husband saying, "Po…come here." Po was looking at his wife cautiously, but slowly he began to walk over to the Panger, his eyes never leaving the younger male's.
Once he was standing next to her, Tigress brought Li's paw forward and grabbed her husbands. Po was looking at her questioningly but Tigress merely gripped his paw tightly while saying, "Trust me." After staring at Tigress for a brief moment Po slowly nodded his head as he allowed Tigress to place his Paw on top of the Panger's, while she held the two paws together and said to her husband, "Just concentrate…Look at his eyes Po."
Po just looked at his wife like she was nuts and was about to ask what this was about, when Tigress prompted Po, "Please…just trust me. You'll know I'm right." Po slowly turned his gaze from Tigress and then back at the Panger and released a heavy sigh as he looked the Panger in the eye and noticed for the first time that they were a Jade Green color.
Slowly but surely Po began to finally see several similarities between his own child and this Panger as he began saying, "Wait…you…he can't be….Tigress!?" as Po looked over at his wife who was simply nodding her head in acceptance. Po then turned his head back to face Li, his face now covered in confusion more so than anger or mistrust. But everything else was suddenly blocked out when Li said, "Hello, Father."
Po's eyes were wide with shock as were the other warriors behind him as Po began stuttering, "N-n-no way…there is no way that…you can't be-" But it was here where Li gripped his Father's paw tightly as he begged, "Father…I-I know it's a lot to accept, but I beg you to listen. My name is Li Ping. You named me yourself!" Po was still having a hard time accepting this but Li wasn't going to give up.
"When I was a child…The day before you left on this mission, we were training in the courtyard in front of the training hall back at the Jade Palace." At this, Po's eyes widened as he recalled that day in particular. It was the last time he and his son had spent any sort of time training. Tigress, the Five and Shifu were also there that day. Li then continued as he watched his father's face as the Panda was recalling the day, "While you were training me on one of the balance posts…I had jumped too far to the left by accident and started to fall…but you didn't catch me. Instead, you let me fall, so that I could pick myself up again. I ended up scraping my ankle that day."
Po bean to shake his head as he said, "That…that doesn't prove anything!" Li nodded as he agreed, "You're right…it doesn't…What happened next though does." At this, everybody else was looking at Po in question, but Po only had eyes for the Panger as he asked, "What do you mean?" Li bowed his head as he slowly revealed, "At the time…I was so young that I never really understood what was going on, I was trying so hard just not to look weak in front of you that I barely noticed what you were doing."
At this Po's eyes widened as Li lifted his head and looked the Dragon Warrior in the eye as he said, "After I fell, both you and Mother came over to me. You told me I did well with my forms but that I needed to slow down if I didn't want to lose my focus. Then, while Mother was distracting me, you placed your paw over my ankle…and you healed my scrape."
At this Po was now staring at Li with wonder. He had never told his son about being able to use his Chi to heal injuries the way only he could. Sure he had always planned on one day maybe teaching Li if he was able to learn, but that was a long ways off yet. As Po continued to stare at the Panger, he saw that the Panger was looking at him with so much hope in his eyes. His Jade green eyes that Po himself had come to love the first time he had seen his son open his eyes…His son…
"Could…could it really be possible? Can this…can this really be…Li?" Po asked himself when Gladir spoke up saying, "Po…I have been observing this Panger ever since he saved you and Tigress, and the entire time, I've noticed a familiar energy about him…and not just the Heroes Chi he somehow wields…but his own energy. I'm shocked to say that it does indeed feel…just like your child's." Po then asked surprisingly hopefully, "You mean…it's possible? This can really be Li…but from the future?"
But Gladir shook his head inwardly at Po as he admitted, "My friend…I may have been alive for a long…long time…But Even I have no experience with Time travel. I'm afraid I can neither confirm nor deny the possibility." Po nodded as he slowly stepped forward, his stare never once leaving the Panger as Li watched his father with hope in his eyes. After yet another long moment of silence, Po finally asked the Panger hopefully just like his wife had, "Li?"
At this Li finally released a breath he didn't realize he was holding as he whispered back with so much relief, "Yes…Father, it's me." and as soon as Li said that, Po pulled the Panger close and embraced the feline in a hug, shocking not only the Panger, but all of the Masters behind him. As Li stood there in his Father's arms, he was absolutely stunned. The Last time his Father had hugged him…was the day he sacrificed himself to save Li…to save Xue.
A single tear threatened to escape Li as the memory engulfed him but he did his best to keep it back as he whispered, "Father…"But Po just laughed as he pulled away and just looked at Li as if for the first time and said. "I don't believe it!" but as soon as he said it, he looked over at Tigress who was smiling up at her husband and then he turned around and addressed his Master and friends saying, "It's him…it's really him!"
The remaining members of the Five and Nightshade still seemed skeptical, but Master Shifu was the only one to step forward as his intense stare bore into the Panger. Li immediately bowed to the grandmaster, who immediately held up his paw saying, "Whether or not you are who you say you are, I do believe you are here for a purpose. You saved my daughter and my son in law from a certain doom. For that… I am grateful. So tell me, Li, if you are who you say you are…tell us why you are HERE."
It was then that all eyes were upon Li once more as Po and Tigress now stood close to the Panger while Li answered truthfully, "Grandfather, I promise you, I am who I say I am and I have come back to this time for just one purpose. To stop Drizen and his partner from raising the Titan and bringing about the end of China that I have come to known."
At this Po was the first to speak up asking, "Wait, a Titan? I thought they were just trying to awaken some sort of ancient power." Shifu nodded as he added, "That is what the prophecy has said, but there can be many interpretations to it Po. But Li…you said you came back to stop Drizen and …his partner…from raising it. Does that mean we fail this mission in the future?" Again all eyes were now on Li, as he slowly lowered his head in silence.
Eventually Li lifted his head up and said cautiously, "No…no you didn't fail…exactly. But you didn't succeed either…apparently, Father managed to only delay the Titan's rising…but not without a terrible…cost." At this, Li's words drifted off as he cast a quick glance over towards his mother which did not go unnoticed. Tigress immediately stepped forward and demanded, "What do you mean? What cost?" but Li refused to answer as he closed his eyes and looked away. But Po was beginning to understand…as was Shifu.
Shifu was looking over at Tigress and then at Li as he recalled how Li saved Po from serious harm, "If you hadn't saved them…then-" But it was Po who finished for his Master, "-Then Tigress would be dead." Everyone turned to look at Po with shock, especially Tigress. Tigress saw so many things flash across her husband's face; shock, fear, sadness, anger…and it nearly tore her apart. She then heard Li whisper, "Yes… If I hadn't intervened…my mother would have fallen into the Magma…and I couldn't let that happen."
Everybody was now looking over at Tigress like they had failed her, but it was Viper who had slithered forward and whispered, "Tigress…" but the Feline shot her sister a warning look silencing her instantly. When Tigress turned her head back to face Po, she saw tears falling from his eyes as he whispered, "I…I would have lost you." Tigress immediately walked forward and grabbed her husband's paws as she said, "Po…it's not your fault." But Po just shook his head as he said, "Tigress, you heard him, I almost lost you just now! I…I almost…How could I go on living with myself if I lost you!?"
At this point Li stepped forward saying, "You did. You kept on living because you knew you had to. There wasn't a day that went by that you never mourned my mother, but you still kept moving…for me. You trained every day so you could protect me and our home. You worked harder than anyone else just so you could be there for me. And for 10 years following this day, you spent every day preparing this for me!" at this Li raised his right arm to reveal the bracer as Po heard Gladir mutter in the back of his mind, "10 years?"
But Po didn't want to hear any of this as he began to shake his head saying, "N-No…I…I can't listen to this." But before Po could say another word, Li marched right up to him and grabbed his father by the arms, causing everyone behind him to tense, as Nightshade was about to rush the Panger when Tigress stopped the wolf by raising her paw as she listened to the Panger shout into the Dragon Warrior's face, "You have to listen to me! For 10 years it was always just you and me. Mother died…and then you died. It happened. But the longer I stay here in this time, the more my memories begin to fade or change and the fact that I can still recall what happened today means that there is still a chance that it could all still come to pass, unless we put a stop to those Raven's plan RIGHT NOW!"
Po was blinking furiously into the Panger's eyes as Li was now breathing heavily. Never in his entire life did he ever have the guts to yell to his Father's face and as a result, the Panger was a little bit rattled. Slowly Li released the Panda as he began to step back and whispered, "F-Father…forgive me…I-" But Li wasn't able to finish as he felt a strong Paw, grab him by the shoulder, forcing Li to look up into the now serious face of his Father as the Panda said, "Thank you, Li."
Li blinked several times before a small smile spread across his face as he nodded and replied, "You're welcome." Po then released the Panger and looked out at the rest of his friends and said, "Well what are we all standing around here for? Let's go and stop Drizen and…well…Drizen!" at this everyone nodded in agreement, but just as they were about to start running for the path leading up to the Altar, the older Raven's voice echoed throughout the entire volcano, "I'm afraid my friends…that won't be possible." Immediately everyone turned to look up at the ledge where the Older Drizen was still standing as Li growled at the Raven, "Drizen…"
The older Raven just laughed as he shouted down at the warriors, "While you were all busy having your little…reunion, you failed to realize just how much time you were all wasting. The worlds are now in perfect alignment…and now…the time has come!" Immediately Shifu looked up and saw that the moon was now completely in front of the son as he shouted, "He's right! We have to hurry before-"
But before Shifu could finish his sentence, Drizen shouted out, "It's too late! The time has come and the power of the Titan SHALL. BE. MINE! AH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!" and with that sinister laugh, the entire Volcano suddenly began to shake as the Warriors began to stumble around, losing their balance. Po, Tigress and Li all looked up just in time to see 3 beams of light shoot up from the altar where the 3 keys had been placed. One beam was red, another green, and the final was blue. And as the Beams soared through the sky towards the moon, Li was the only one who managed to whisper,
"It's begun."
The Titan is rising. Li has revealed to his parents who he is and why he is here, but even with their son's help, can the Warriors stop a rising Titan and 2 sorcerers? Thanks for reading and remember...
REVIEW!
