Po, the Love Master
Pt 29: Springing the Trap
by Neoraichu
Shining Eagle stomped out of the student barracks as she called back over a wing, "With friends like you, who need enemies?!"
Fenghuang was following close behind as she shouted, "Funny, I was thinking the same about you!"
"Po attacks me dishonorably and you defend him?!"
"Because we're married and I have to take him at his word that you ambushed him in the kitchen!"
"How could I have attacked him in the kitchen when you were outside with me?!"
"You obviously must have slipped away when I was distracted!"
"Then you better stop following me, or I'll beat you bad wings or no!"
"Fine!" she sniffed, "Come back when you're ready to admit you're wrong!"
The owl watched from just outside the doorway as the eagle made her way across the compound before turning and going back inside.
She looked at Tigress and the others as she said, "I hope I was convincing."
"The thing about cons is that it's often just as easy to con them," replied Tigress.
"Has Mantis slipped out the back to keep an eye on Shining Eagle?"
The tiger nodded sagely. But then she noticed something off about Song's expression, so she asked, "Something wrong, Song?"
"Probably not," she replied, "but if you two acted a little too much, that might make the shape-shifter suspicious."
"I'm sure Mantis will strike as soon as the Huli-Jing tries something," she replied, "or at least warn us if the shape-shifter tries to impersonate Shining Eagle and come back to the barracks."
"I guess that's the best we can hope for," she replied, "but what happens when we capture her? How do we make her talk about what her true goals and plans might be?"
"Oh, I can be quite... persuasive... when I put my mind to something."
"Besides," said Scorpion, "I think I have a poison that will shut down her shape-shifting powers."
"Will it kill her?" asked Viper.
"It shouldn't," she replied, "but then I've never actually used it this way. It's just something I saw in one of my herbal and poison scrolls... several years back."
"Then perhaps just the threat of using the poison will be enough to make her talk."
"Hopefully she doesn't know more about herbalism and poisons than I do," mused Scorpion, "She is a lot older than any of us."
"Hopefully she doesn't," replied the owl, "because the alternatives will hurt her much more."
"Grand Master Oogway is trusting us to do the right thing," replied Viper, "Let's not let her down."
"The right thing is not always the most honorable thing."
"I prefer to think it is," countered Tigress.
"How long should we wait for Shining Eagle and Master Mantis?"
"If neither reports within the hour," she replied, "then we must assume the worst, and go out looking for them. If either of them acts oddly in the slightest way, we can't take the chance - we'll have to take them down."
The others nodded seriously.
"Stay near the windows. We need to hear if there's a fight or call for help even if it's not loud."
"Good idea," agreed Tigress, "but don't get too far apart. We must be sure she can't slip in here and impersonate one of us. She can easily attack if we're too isolated from each other."
The others nodded. Minutes passed until Tigress said, "I hear something outside. It must be a fight."
"Let's go!"
"Only one or two use the door," said Song, "The rest use the windows in case she's set a trap."
"Good idea," agreed Tigress, "I'll use a window."
"I don't care if there's a trap or not," hooted Fenghuang, "It shouldn't be anything I can't avoid."
So Tigress dove out the window without further ado. She came to her feet and sprinted off in the direction of the sounds. Weaving between buildings, she came upon a sight she wasn't expecting. Shining Eagle was down, and so was Mantis, but then there was another Mantis.
"I can't believe she attacked Shining Eagle as me!" grumbled Mantis, "But she used nerve strikes to take down Shining Eagle when I did the same to her!"
A small vial landed on them and broke spreading a purple mist about.
"HEY!" he called, "Watch that crap!"
"It will only affect the shape-changer!" retorted Scorpion.
"Thanks for taking those chances with us!" he said, "I already had her down!"
"Sorry," she replied quickly, "I panicked when I saw you both and just threw it before I could stop myself."
'Funny,' thought Tigress, 'I'm not sure I've ever seen Scorpion panic.'
"I better not get sick from this!" replied Mantis.
"Just get them all inside fast," said Tigress, "We need to tie up the Huli-Jing and make sure she can't escape even without her powers."
They nodded as the other Mantis and Shining Eagle were carried back to the barracks. To be safe, they stuffed the fake bug into a small, but heavy cage. Without her shape-changing powers, there would be no way for her to get out.
