Chapter 35: the prodigal son returns...to the Jade Palace
I ran after Po and didn't take long to catch up with him.
"Po! Where are you going?" I asked. I turned to me waving the scroll around.
"There is no secret ingredient! I figure it out!" He replied in bliss.
"Ingredient..? What are talking about?" He opened the scroll and stood next me holding it out in front of me.
"What do you see?" He stared into the scroll and only saw my reflection.
"I see me." I said not quite sure what he was getting at.
"And that's it! There didn't need to be anything on this to help you. You just have to believe there is!" He explained. I stared back at the scroll before smirking. Oogway, you sly old tortoise.
"Damn, the answer was right in front of us and we didn't know."
"I know and I have to get to the Hall of Warriors and tell Shifu before Tai Lung gets here."
"Then lets go." We then continued to head up the steps as the sky was filled with dark clouds and lightning emitted from it. We were slowed down due to Po becoming out of breath literally at the first ten steps. I had to practically pull him all the way up. As we neared the top of the steps, I saw that the last few steps were cracked and a chunk of concrete was missing. I also noticed that instead of doors leading into the Hall of Warriors, there was a massive gaping hole. Inside there was artefacts and weaponry scattered across the ground as well as pieces from the ceiling. And I at the far end of the room, in front of the reflecting pool, was a snow leopard. His fur was gray, white, brown, and black. We was wearing no top and only had purple pants and brown sash. He had one paw raised and his claws were unsheathed. In his other paw was...oh shit! He was choking Shifu! I heard heavy breaths coming from behind me. I turned to see Pp finally reach the top. He gazed into the Hall and saw Shifu and, who I'm going guess is, Tai Lung.
"Hey!" Po shouted catching Tai Lungs attention. He turned towards us. Po couldn't continue speaking as he was out of breath.
"How the hell are you out of breath? I carried you up here!" I said confused.
"Yeah...but the thought...of walking...up...is making me tired." Po huffed trying to catch his breath. I rolled my eyes.
"Who are you?" Tai Lung asked.
"Buddy... I... am the Dragon Warrior!" Po replied as he released a heavy exhale. Tai Lung laughed.
"You?! Him," he pointed at me, "I could believe. But you?" He cast Shifu aside as he faced us. "You're a panda. What are you gonna do, big guy? Sit on me?"
"Actually, I think he might, so I'd shut up if I were you." I said.
"That's right and if you don't," pulled held out the Dragon scroll, "I might just have to use this. You want it? Come and get it. As quick as a flash, Tai Lug launched himself across the room and hit Po. As Po was propelled back, Tai Lung grabbed the scroll that was lost from Po's grasp and swung for me. I quickly ducked and before I could land a hit, Po came flying back and went straight into Tai Lung, was was sent flying into a column. I turned to Po who seemed amazed. I stood by his side and we both faced Tai Lung, who was now charging towards us, or Po to
Be more exact. Po then turned to run.
"Po, pass me the scroll!" I shouted. I then quickly threw the scroll at me and I caught it. Tai Lung dug his claws into the ground and halted himself. He turned to me and growled. I gritted my teeth and got into a defensive position. "Come get some, you shithead!" He released a roar as he leapt towards me. I rolled out of the way and planted my fist into the back of his head and planted it into the ground. "Po, catch!" I then threw him scroll. As he caught it, I felt Tai Lung's paw wrapped itself around my neck. He lifted me of the ground and I began to kick his head to try and break free. But it was no use. "Po...run!" I said feeling short of breath. Tai Lung turned his gaze to Po and saw that he had the scroll. Po then turned to run as Tai Lung planted me into the ground. He got on on fours and sprites after Po. I groaned as I felt an immense pain in my back. I rolled over and shook my head. I got to my feet and rushed to the top of he steps only to see Tai Lung and Po tumbling down them, fighting for the scroll. I wasted no time in following them. I rushed down the steps at an incredible speed. I ran past the arena and into the arena. I saw Po had crashed into a noodle cart and became covered in them. Tai Lung was running after the scroll on a rooftop. Before he could reach, Po used a string of noodle and lassoed it. As he pulled it towards himself, it bounced off his head and went straight over the roof of a building he was near. As Tai Lung was about to leap into the air, I tackled to the ground and pinned him down. I began smashing his face as hard as I could, until he kicked my abdomen and sent me flying over him. I went straight into a column. I hissed I pain as I saw he leap up once more, only to have Po grab his tail and pull him down. When he did, he pulled him onto one side of an empty cart, which caused Po, who was on the other side of it, to be sea-sawed into the air. He went straight over the roof and into bamboo trees. Tai Lung then launched himself into the air, as I recovered and ran after him. I sped around the corner and saw Po stumble out of the bamboo trees and seems to be using two bamboo sticks as stilts. He seemed to have stumbled onto a building that made woks, beaches there was a few dozen outside and he knocked down a few. I saw the scroll fall out of a lantern and rolled across the ground. As I went to picked it up, I was taken by surprise as Tai Lung landed right I front of me. He drew his claws and swiped my chest in my quick move. I yelled out loud as he punch me and sent me flying. When he tried to reach for the scroll, he was struck in the face by a wok. I locked eyes with Po and saw him sent a dozen more to his direction. They were all scattered on the ground and one was covering the scroll. Tai Lung pulled the wok from his face and looked at the scene before him. Po then used his stilts to spin the woks at an incredible speed.
"Lightning! Whooo!" Po exclaimed. Tai Lung performed a swift kick which caused all the woks to disperse and revealed the scroll. He tried to grab it but Po used his stilts to fend him off. I then pulled myself from the ground and yelled slightly. The bastard got me good. I headed towards the two as Po let to of the stilts and plummeted on Tai Lung which caused the scroll to fly out and head down the street.
"Hold him, Po! I'll get the scroll." I said as I began sprinting down the street as fast as I could. I gazed over my shoulder only to see Tai Lung coming towards me and...oh shit. Behind him, Po was on a firework cart and was headed towards us. I put a finger and thumb and the rims of my mouth and whistled loudly. "Taxi!" I called out. Po went straight into Tai Lung and I leapt onto the cart. Po then grabbed the scroll and I threw my arms up. "This is better than space mountain! Whoooo!" My eyes then widened as we neared the edge of a bridge. "Although space mountain is safer!" He hit the edge of the bridge and I was sent flying through the air and I landed on a roof while Po landed beside the building. The Dragon scroll then landed in a statue's mouth, which was next to me. I raised my head and saw Tai Lung coming towards us. "Po, get up here!" He shut his eyes and seemed to be thinking hard. He then gazed up at the scroll and began to salivate. He began to climb the building I got down and held out my hand. "Grab it, Po!" And in a matter of seconds he leapt up and-
"Nooooooo!" We heard Tai Lung shout. I then saw him coming at the building with his foot out. He struck it and the while building began to crumble. I pulled Po up after he kicked tiles into Tai Lungs face, but the building started to collapse. And at the last second, I placed my hands under Po and flung him into the air as I went down wiring he building.
"Ben!" I heard Po say while I fought for dear life as the building crumbled around me. I was then hit in the head by concrete and was left in a daze. My vision blurred but I could make out dust and concrete all around me. I coughed and started to free myself. I groaned as I held my chest and pulled myself out the rumble. I hit the ground and stared up at the sky. I groggily rolled over from my back and slowly raised my gaze to see a massive crater in the ground with Po and Tai Lung in it. I pushed against the ground and began to shuffle towards them slowly. Po was planted in the ground and Tai Lung had finally got his hands on the scroll. I tried to get to him as fast as I could, but I was just in so much pain. I saw him pry the scroll open and I started to hear what he was saying.
"...is...MINE!" Tai Lung said triumphantly while he opened the scroll and stared at it. His smile then began to fade as he turned it and pulled at it. "It's nothing!" He said confused as I reached Po's side. I wrapped his arm over my shoulder and helped him to his feet.
"It's okay. I didn't get it the first time either." Po said.
"What?" Tai Lung questioned in disbelief.
"There is no secret ingredient." Po explained. Angered, Tai Lung threw the scroll to the ground. Po and I then stared down at it and smiled at our reflections. "It's just you." He said as I put my arm around my friend and patted him playfully.
"So please, just stop this. There's no reason to keep fighting." I said trying to reason with him. I then looked at him with pleading eyes. "Please, Tai Lung." He raised his gaze from the scroll and met mine. It seemed at anger had faded and was replaced with calmness as he dwelled into thought. I felt hope built up inside him as it seems he was backing down. But all hope was lost as he snarled and backhanded me. I spun in the air and landed on the ground hard. I groaned as I raised my head and saw him strike Po's nerve point and sent him to the ground. Strangely enough, Po started to giggle. Tai Lung looked at his paw in confusion before trying again and again, only to get the same result.
"Stop! Stop it! I'm gonna pee! Don't! Don't!" Po begged. Frustrated, Tai lung punched Po's belly using two fists. The impact seemed to have sent ripples through Po's entire body and his arms came back and struck Tai Lung, sending him crashing back into he's dads noodle shop. I watched in awe at Po's new founded strength. Tai Lung came sprinting out of the crumbled wall and headed straight for Po. He then threw various attacks, to which Po blocked with ease, before stomping his toe. They then began to come out of the crater fighting. Tai Lung threw a kick and Po caught it, and slammed him onto the ground. He performed a front flip and landed on Tai Lungs back before grabbing his tail. He flung him into the air and tugged on his tail which brought him back. Po head-butted him and slammed him into the ground. Tai Lung tried to attack him but failed as Po moved his tail in directions which caused him to miss. Tai Lung then tried using his teeth and Po held up his tail and Oh Jesus! That's gotta hurt! He yelled in pain as Po pulled his tail and sent him flying down the street using his back. I watched as the snow leopard tumbled and rolled straight into another building.
"Spare!" I shouted. Po look at me confused. I folded my arms. "Fine, it was a strike." We turned our attention back to Tai Lung as he was sprinting down the street yelling. Po readied himself. Tai Lung lunched forward and Po threw out his belly torpedoed him into the air. Po and I stared up at the sky and waited for Tai Lung to come down. After a while, his screaming came into earshot and he fell from the sky and landed in front on Po, causing the ground the expel dust. I pulled myself from the ground and gazed into the crater. Inside, there was a comically outline of Tai Lung in the ground.
"You...can't defeat me.." Tai Lung said pulling himself from the ground panting. "You...you're just a big...fat...panda!" He swung weakly and Po caught his one of his fingers.
"I'm not a big fat panda..." Po began before pausing. "I'm THEE big fat panda!" Okay, that was pretty badass. Just give Po sunglasses and play the CSI theme in the background and the moment would be perfect. Po then raised his pinkie finger which seemed to frighten Tai Lung.
"The Wuxi Finger Hold!" The snow leopard said fearfully. The what hold? What...I think I've heard of that hold before...
"Oh, you know this hold?" Po asked.
"You're bluffing... you're bluffing! Shifu didn't teach you that!"
"Nope." Tai Lung then seemed hopeful. "I figured it out." Scratch that. Oh wait! I remember what the hold does...oh shit. Po flexed his pinkie. "Skadoosh!" I covered my eyes as I bright day of golden light emitted from the two. A massive ray of golden light rippled beyond the two and sent it all over the Valley. I covered my eyes and stumbled as the energy emitted started to blow me back. Finally I took my hand away from my face only to have dust cloud my vision.
"Po! Where are you, buddy?" I pushed through the dust and finally found him. And for some reason we had a wok on his head and on apron on him. "What are— never mind. You did it, buddy! You beat him!" I congratulated. He then stared at his paws before laughing.
"I...I did! Ah ha!" I then wrapped his arms around me and laughed. I yelled out in pain.
"Po, kinda still recovering from an ass beating." I reminded. He quickly dropped me.
"Oh sorry, sorry!" I patted his shoulder.
"It's alright. Come on, lets get out of the dusty weather." I looked around and couldn't see two feet in front of me.
"Okay, lets try this way." Po suggested. I nodded and limped alongside him while I held my bleeding chest. We pushed through the dust until we seems to come into a clearing. When we reached it, we found the whole Valley standing in front of us. We stood there silent as they stared at us...then they cheered. As they continued to cheer, I saw Po's dad emerge from the crowd.
"That's my boy! That big, lovely kung fu warrior is my son!" He said. The two then rushed to one another and hugged. I smiled.
"Thanks, Dad." Po whispered loudly. The wok that was on as on Po's head, fell off and rolled across the ground. He continued to roll until it was stopped by...Mantis. I then saw the rest of the guys. They all faced Po. "Hey, guys." Po greeted. Tigress then stepped forward. She brought a fist to her empty paw.
"Master." She said as she bowed along with the rest of the guys. She raised her head and smiled. Soon enough, the village bowed too.
"Master." The village chanted.
"Master?" Po said modestly before his eyes widened. "Master Shifu!" Po then left and faced towards the Jade Palace. The guys then turned and finally realised I was standing beside Po the whole time. They all gasped.
"Ben!" Tigress exclaimed as she rushed towards me and the others followed. "Are you alright?" She asked.
"I'm fine...I just need to-" I hissed as I lost my balance. Tigress wrapped her arm around me and stopped me from hitting the ground.
"Fine, my ass." Mantis said.
"Come on, were getting you back to the Palace. We'll patch you up." Viper said.
"Alright...lets go." I said as I began to limp towards the palace. Before I could continue, I felt something grab my arm. I turned to see Tigress place my arm around her shoulder. "Thanks..." She smiled.
"No problem."
"So...what happened to Tai Lung?" Monkey asked. He soon got his answer as we neared the crater. We leaned over it and peeked in. Inside, Tai Lung was lying on his back with his eyes closed. His body was motionless and it didn't look like he was breathing. I sighed.
"Poor bastard..." I uttered.
"He had it coming." Tigress said.
"Maybe...I just can't help but feel sorry for him." We stared at him for sometime before I decided something needed to be said. "We should bury him. It at least deserves that much."
"I guess. We'll get on that. You get back to the Jade Palace and rest." Crane said. I nodded as Tigress began to help me walk to the Jade Palace as the rest of the guys sorted out burying Tai Lung.
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