Redemption
"Do you remember the last time I visited your Jade Palace?" Tigress nodded. "Roshu stole one of the Shift Stones when we were there."
"How did we not know about it?" Tigress openly questioned.
"You wouldn't expect a noble to steal, would you?" Li-Dong explained. Tigress agreed. Garfield held the green flame of light in his hands so everyone could see. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Hybrid. I've heard many stories about your-"
"I'm sorry to cut the formalities short," Garfield apologized in haste, "But we have to figure out how to get your brother off of his high horse."
"Just expose him as Roshu. It's easy," Raven replied.
"Not really," Tigress argued, "We can get rid of Roshu, but we have to explain to the entire empire how this happened." Raven looked at her teacher for a while in thought then shook her head in slight rejection.
"I still believe dealing with Roshu quickly will set things right," Raven replied.
"You've been around Queen Jinni too long," Garfield noticed. Tigress nodded in agreement. "Besides, we'll have to make sure that everyone has heard the word so they pin the blame on Roshu." Raven still wasn't understanding their thought process.
"It's for my reputation, Hybrid," Li-Dong explained. "The villagers will still be in rebellion and chaos if they believe I was the one who deceived them, even if I lift their taxes and punishments."
"That I can see," Raven finally agreed.
"Now to the plan," Tigress said fitted on the issue, "We need to get Li-Dong to a better location. Garfield, could you get Li-Dong back to the Jade Palace." Within a minute, Garfield made a portal with um... a very interesting picture on the other end. Po was whistling while scrubbing his back in the bathroom. "PO!"
"AHHH!" Po jumped, spun around and covered himself.
"Well, that's something I didn't need to see," Raven mumbled, covering her eyes.
"DUDE!" Beast Boy shouted, looking away, "Put some pants on!"
"Well! I'm in the bath!" Po shot back. "What's going on!?"
"Po," Tigress groaned, looking away to give her husband some decency, "We found the real emperor, and we need you to keep him safe at the Jade Palace."
"Shift Stone issue?" Po guessed.
"Ye... yes," Tigress stumbled, wondering how her husband figured it so quickly.
"Yeah, I kind of guessed it when the 'emperor' went bad and the Shift Stone went missing. But I knew you guys wouldn't believe me." Tigress rolled her eyes. "Just give me a minute."
"Okay, hurry," Tigress said as Garfield shut the portal. "Sorry about that."
"Don't be. That was the most entertainment I've had since my imprisonment," Li-Dong laughed.
After transferring Li-Dong to a safer location, Gar, Rae, and Tigress snuck out of the palace and climbed up to the roof of the Emperor's palace. Tigress and Raven crouched down as Beast Boy surveyed the land. "Okay, that illusion incantation should allow us some time if Roshu gets suspicious," He said.
"Now the issue is how to get Li-Dong AND Roshu in the same spot to revel to China about Roshu's scheme," Tigress said thoughtfully. "Somehow, we have to convince Roshu to go to the Jade Palace, but how?" Raven thought for a moment before coming up with an idea.
"Master Tigress, why don't you write a paper about the 'situation' in the village? Request the emperor come to the village to enforce the people to submit and then give the message to one of the officials." Garfield smiled at Raven's idea. "What?"
"You remind me so much of your mother. You really have her smarts."
"So you were attracted to my mother?" Raven said with a raised eyebrow and smirked.
"No, no, no! I just–" Raven chuckled as Tigress shook her head. "You also have your mother's mischievousness."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Raven smirked 'innocently'.
"Enough," Tigress finally recomposed herself. "We're going to have to find a messager to take the message to." Just then, the small duck servant that followed Roshu around like a shadow appeared out of the palace doors. "He'll do," said Tigress as she jumped off the top of the roof, landing smack-dab in front of the timid servant.
"BY THE UNIVERSE!" Shouted the duck.
"Please, take this message to the emperor." Tigress quickly ushered. The duck quickly pulled out a small parchment of paper. "The villagers have turned dangerous, please send the emperor himself to squash the rebellion and establish order!" The duck scribbled hastily. "Please hurry with your reply to the Jade Palace."
"O…Okay, I got it. But what about-" Before the duck could finish, Tigress jumped back up to the roof of the palace. The duck watched her disappear and found himself alone again. "Your Highness! Your Highness!"
"That was easy," Raven mentioned observantly.
"Now to go back home and prepare for the Roshu's arrival," Tigress added.
"And then what? What's the plan when he comes with a host of armies to the village?" Garfield asked. The Hybrid stood up from her crouched position and cracked her knuckles.
"Then the Animalists, Green Wizard, and Hybrid will be there to stop them in their tracks," Raven replied confidently. Beast Boy smiled at his girlfriend as he opened up a portal back to the Valley of Peace. "Come on, let's get going." The three jumped through the portal and landed right inside of the Hall of Heroes.
"You have a funny way of popping up right where I am," said a voice behind Tigress. The tiger smiled as he turned around to see her husband, kissing him on the cheek. But then she frowned a bit in thought.
"Why is that?" She asked, looking at Garfield.
"Po has the most distinct aura. It's easy for me to simply lock-on him," Garfield explained.
"Where's Li-Dong?" Raven asked.
"In the barracks. The kids love him," Po smiled, "That's the emperor I remember. So what's the plan for getting the evil twin brother out of his place?"
"We're luring him here," Tigress replied. Po blinked silently for a while before realizing what was said.
"WHAT?! Are you crazy?!" Po cried out, "He'll bring the entire army!"
"Which will be easy to defend against since we have most of the Animalists," Raven added, but Po was still skeptical.
"We've been in worse situations," Tigress pointed out. Po slowly nodded in agreement.
"Okay, so we'll prepare the village to receive the emperor. But we have to protect him and corner him so that he doesn't get hurt by the villagers, but also so he doesn't know his brother is around," Po explained.
"Don't worry. I know it will work out," Garfield smiled with a tooth confident grin. "It always does." Po's smile shown through as well. Tigress and Raven just stared at each other for a while and laughed at their unsaid joke between each other. "What?"
"Nothing," Raven humorously smiled.
The sound of heavy foot soldiers made their presence known throughout the village. The village soon saw the approaching royal procession marching their way to the Jade Palace. The Royal Jiao came up the steps of the Jade Palace as Po, Tigress, and the rest stood patiently at the top. "Are Raven and Beast Boy in position?" Tigress asked her husband. Po looked to the roof of the Jade Palace and nodded to her as the door of the courtyard opened up. The villagers who were there in the courtyard dismally clapped in disdain. Roshu disguised as Li-Dong came out of his Jiao, nearly missing his step.
"Put the stupid thing closer to the grounds, you idiots!" He shouted.
"Yes, your Highness," the lowly duck begrudgingly listened. Roshu stepped out of his carriage, fine royal red robes decorated his body. The masters stood in a straight line as they bowed.
"So, I see this place has not improved since I last was here," Roshu critically stated.
"You mentioned that the palace was the most perfect place in all of China last time you visited, Your Highness," Po corrected. Roshu glared at the panda.
"Are you contradicting me, Dragon Warrior?" Roshu asked, walking up straight to him. Po whistled a bit, sweating a bit. Tigress rolled her eyes at Po nearly blowing their cover.
"Not at all. Just thought you forgot some stuff," Po nervously grinned. Roshu still glared, glancing for a moment at Tigress.
"A man who challenges authority doesn't care about the welfare of his family," Roshu replied. Po's eyes widened and narrowed back in a glare. He stepped forward. That step was felt through the very earth, causing everyone to flinch, and Po's unseen aura forced the ox back a bit. Tigress held her hand against Po, holding him back.
"Whoa."
"You felt that?" Raven asked Garfield.
"Yeah, I didn't think Po's energy was that... huge," Garfield replied.
"A man who attacks the Master of Chi does not fear death," Po snarled, looking daggers into the ox's very soul.
"I'm sorry," Tigress started, straining heavily to keep Po still, "about my husband's attitude. The kids have been getting to him. Why don't we get on with your speech?" Roshu hastily followed suit. She glared at Po. "Behave."
"He threatened you," Po quietly exclaimed, gesturing to the ox behind his back.
"It's okay. He will have his punishment," Tigress soothed. Po calmed down, bring his own aura down.
"Did you know that Po had that kind of power inside of him?" Garfield asked, noticing Raven's shocked face.
"No," The red/blue-haired teen replied. But she knew now. The fake Emperor stood in front of the people on the elevated platform. Po and Tigress stood on either side of him. His army stood in front of him in an orderly fashion. Roshu began to speak.
"My subjects. I have heard your discontent of my ways. You're dissatisfied with my taxes, my laws, my policies. You want the easy days back. Look at my army. Our troops are expanding the borders of our empire. Our nation is stronger than ever. What is an increase in taxes to our nation's success?! We have become the greatest nation ever!" Roshu announced loudly. Po and Tigress looked at each other, nodding. "For China's enemies and rebels. You think that my punishments are harsh, wait until you see capital punishment! I am the ruling Emperor of this country!"
"All hail Emperor Li-Dong," Po announced loudly as everyone weakly yet venomously clapped. "If you were Li-Dong."
"What?!" Shouted the ox. Tigress quickly snatched the rock away from Roshu, changing him back to his smaller form. The guards and crowd gasped at the reveal.
"This is Emperor Li-Dong's brother, Roshu. He imprisoned his own brother and has been impersonating him using the stolen Shift Stone from the Jade Palace," Po announced.
"He has been the one enforcing his tyrannical deeds on the people," Tigress explained to the crowd
"Lies!"
"We can see you," Po protested, gesturing to all of the ox's body.
"I used the rock to hide my... less than ideal form," Roshu lied, "If I am not Li-Dong, then where is my 'brother'? Is he not in the Emperor's palace?" Suddenly, a portal sprang up behind them. Beast Boy, Li-Dong in his tattered robes, and Raven came out.
"I'm right here, brother," Li-Dong announced. Roshu stumbled back right into the two guards that place their hands on him. "Take him away." The guards did so without fuss or fight. "My people," Li-Dong spoke openly to the still bewildered crowd. "I was captured and held against my will by my treacherous brother. He has been the one to impose these oppressive decrees on you. I hope to regain your trust, but I will make sure that every injury to the people of China has been removed."
"All Hail Emperor Li-Dong!" Po shouted, causing the villagers to roar in relieve and celebration. The big ox turned to Beast Boy and Raven.
"Thank you for searching out the truth. I could not have done this without you. Please, ask anything of me and I will bring it to you," Li-Dong asked. Garfield smiled.
"Just make sure your brother doesn't impersonate you," Garfield smiled, making the ox laughed.
Continued...