Volume Two: Eyes of Hate
Chapter XX
Jade Palace Event
The Nine's Master escorted her students toward the left side of the Arena, where the green insect and albino peacock were standing with the panda students Lei Lei and Bao. Chen Xing searched for his aunt's presence but not appeared in his sight. Viper slithered toward the Nine, owing answers to her colleagues.
"Master Crane. Master Monkey. Good morning," the tiger greeted while walking with two masters. Xing asked the avian. "Any idea what happened?"
"Um. It isn't easy to tell. This morning had a difficult time."
"Is it the one with pictures of missing masters?" the tiger beckoned his main thumb behind him. "We've just passed by there near Mr. Ping's restaurant a few moments early."
The reptile approached Chen Xing. "The Valley received a recent one three days ago, sweetie. We've heard of Righteous Seven missing Lady Kasi. Before her, Xing, the buffalo, and the swan have been going on for almost a week. But there's another that we—" Viper wanted to explain, but her golden snub friend interfered.
"Tai Lung remembered his dream. I ate cookies, and then all of China shook the Earth."
"Monkey!" Viper squinted her soft glare at him.
Monkey's half of his fingers massaged under his chin. "Tai Lung has a mental breakdown."
The tiger met Crane and Monkey's eyes just as the Nine began searching for their paths to take a seat with young pandas. "Is everything cool with my aunt's student?"
"Let's give ourselves some training before we start the event," Crane advised the whole group, except meeting the giant's awkward glance.
Lotus knelt ahead of the lime reptile, pawing her a pink lily flower. "Oh! Is that for me?" Viper held her tail against her lips.
"I made it for you, Master Viper. I like the other one to give Master Tigress a fabulous present," the Nine's Dancer said vividly.
Viper crawled her whole body on she-wolf's legs to her head. "You're so charming, sweetie," she kissed Lotus's cheek.
"This offering is from my cobra best friend. He's very shy," Lotus tittered.
Next to the wolf, the cobra Fanshe hued his red cheeks, gesturing his tail at Viper. "Thank you, Fanshe," Viper grinned.
"Where's Po?" the tiger asked one of the two masters of the Furious Five.
"Po is with Tigress and Tai Lung at the Sacred Peach Tree," Monkey pointed his whole paw over the misty clouds. "We'll have to wait for them until we begin."
The peacock straightened his long neck next to young pandas bridging their arms, one guarding and the other attacking. One of the Nine ambled with all four hands as their feet registered long and giant steps. Shen buzzed his throat while glancing at the giant gorilla who cooed his deep hums. The face of a mighty ape impacted his familiar scene.
A little to the left.
Dow! But it's so heavy, Master.
There's no mistake that Shen had some soldiers with bulky muscles for lifting heavy objects, even cannons of his, but not only to aim with his weapons. The Nine's Heaver tapped his main hands ahead of both panda students.
The panda Bao in a green vest and a red bandana turned and gaped at the ape. "Whoa! That gorilla is big! He's a huge fella from the Nine," he cleared his throat, masking his shivers. "What's your name, friend?"
The Nine's Heaver patted his own chest twice. "Bao."
"Bao?" the panda widened his eyes.
"Bao."
No way! Two Baos! The panda began introducing his new companion. "Cool! I'm Bao too!" he led his fist ahead.
The gorilla nudged his gripped hand. "Bao, Bao!"
Xing chuckled at his gorilla student meeting with new panda friends. Crane cleared his throat while tapping his conical hat. "Hey. Would you like to help us decorate the event and move most of the models? We are almost done."
"Sure. The Nine will help," the tiger supported. Xing patted his sister's back before he followed both Crane and Monkey. "Lotus, take point with Kai."
The Mighty took pleasure in having the Nine's Dancer and Commander, in which one experienced battles while the other fabulously aided him. Servants of Jade Palace readied for the small confetti devices to create people's delights, and experts were escorting plenty of weaponry machines that could entertain every soul. For a moment, Kai peeped on small swarms of petals, which swam throughout the tiles. The next thing the Mighty stared to his left side was the peacock, whose eyes read the expression in wondrous and menacing.
"Kai," the bull left his good staring contest on Shen and heard Lotus down to him. "Would you like to sit down with me?" a she-wolf grinned her teeth.
"If the General wishes to accept to, but yes."
Lotus's father, Wolf Boss, came up to the peacock after the Mighty perched next to the wolf, embarking on expressing his wife's necklace that had been pulsing with rose lights ever since in the morning.
"Shen," Wolf Boss introduced with his paw meeting on his chest.
"Zhong," Shen nodded to his old friend.
The next hour passed as the day now reached for the celestial horizon, touching its warmth glare on every speck of green moss and trees, and a light cold wind blew. The Nine positioned on the other side of the Arena square as they perceived this hour to start the event, once a small group of citizens of the Valley of Peace arrived in time, standing in galleries. Expecting to see if Xing's grandmother mentioned Tai Lung once, the tiger found two warriors Po and Tigress, strolling down the stairs from Jade Palace.
Xing approached the platform with Shifu and Ming. "It's time to start the event without my pupil, Master," Tigress clarified. "I've sent Zeng to stay with Tai Lung there, for now." Both red panda and elder feline glanced at themselves in worry and turned to them both. "He's already calm and decides not to join the event for the time being."
The Dragon Warrior stepped further. "Tai's gonna be alright, guys. He'll join us whenever Tai Lung wishes."
Ming peeped at Shifu's thoughtful view, softly closing her lips, and bobbed her head to him. The red panda then nodded to one of the geese servants beside him. "Let the event begin!"
A pig servant banged the gong as the citizens cheered. Po and his soon-to-be-successor Chen Xing walked down the stairs; Tigress went for the Furious Five after she beamed to her nephew with a beckon. "I'm sorry to keep you all waiting, Xing," the panda apologized.
"We're good, Dragon Warrior. Patience is a virtue," Xing said.
"Oh, yes," Po agreed. He glanced at the Nine, waving at them. "How are you, guys?"
The Nine commemorated the panda's presence with great joy. Wolf Boss bowed to him. "Good to see you again, Dragon Warrior."
"Likewise, buddy," the panda smirked and patted the wolf's shoulder. "Are y'all ready to kick some butts?"
The Nine crushed their fingers, but Kai was the only one who crossed his limbs. "READY."
Pathetic children.
The Nine's Leader chuckled as he ignored the Mighty's ill reflection. "I can rematch against you, Dragon Warrior. Wushi Fingerhold doesn't count as my loss," Xing dared, reminiscing the panda of the precious tournament at Kong Bai Stadium where the Dragon Warrior and both Xing and his best friend (a peacock brother) Lao challenged the panda.
"Ha! You're on! I'll see you on the Arena!" Po dashed across the square, announcing the Kung Fu team's preparation. The tiger flicked his ears; his student's chuckle was rough and clear.
"Did that flabby bear send you to my world, Little Kitten?" Kai squinted his right eye toward his feline teacher.
"Not likely. I was defeated but felt like I was too close to the sun from his chi, burning alive — never banished to your realm. Would you like to experience that 'little trick' again from Po?"
"Please, don't."
"Ha-ha! My thoughts exactly," Xing clasped his paws ahead of him and beckoned his team's flag, waving for the other team's answer.
I. Bao (Panda) and Lei Lei / Demonstration
Both panda students participated in these dangerous tactics to defeating crocodile dummies, geese archers releasing bolts, and partnering together to knock down the giant ox machine. Bao commenced sprinting in the hordes of spinning crocodiles; Lei Lei sprang her agile somersault from the bolts, made geese fire two arrows at a time. Once known to be part of the Four Constellations, wielding black turtle's potential shield, Bao advanced his fury blows and deflections, part of blocking and attacking simultaneously as these models hit back. Booting one and the other, he hammered its head and bent his body forward, pivoting one dummy into the hordes.
While performing acrobatic rolls and sidesteps, Lei Lei dodged one bolt that whizzed its sharp feather fletchings, and its flaming shafts zipped. She maneuvered another before bowling forward and blocked rapid spins from the punching bag model shaped with an oversized belly and snout (a boar bandit). Once one of the arrows flew down, Lei Lei caught its whole shaft, elbowing the other toward the boar's muzzle, tumbling it to the ground.
What on Earth is this monstrous?
Kai thought of the Iron Ox machine swinging its four arms. Both spike balls from two hooves under, and one ax hammer from its left hand. Its right hand was bare enough to either grasp or maul, and its long tail was manufactured with deadly spikes. The machine thundered its flaming nostrils. There's only one thing that not only the Mighty pondered of the conqueror who scarred the rest of the people.
So hesitant to look away from the entertainment when Lei Lei and Bao intercepted counter-attacks against the machine's swift attacks, Xing listened to the people's cheers, which was not exactly in his head that the word "fire" blended with torments. One withdrew from the ox's right arm and clutched forward. Its grasp made the tiger reminisce of his scar in Gongmen City, seared with a deep flesh of sizzling gore. He was the only one who screeched in agony, but his worthy opponent laughed his charcoal growl.
Somehow, on the other side of the square, Shen observed the tiger as he determined his panda teacher mentioning Xing's recovery. The scar that almost ripped his good eye, nearly close enough to Wolf Boss's eye that was mauled from Li Shan's plowing hammer. The Mighty regarded his feline teacher in front, knowing the fire that sang its dancing mauls.
That monster feared Little Kitten. . . the monster who burned his sister alive — my Wugu.
Both Bao and Lei Lei made their leaps on the machine's arms. They kicked directly on its chest mark, tumbling the Iron Ox toward the floor. Once crashed, applause from the people upraised. Not knowing how long the introduction was going, but the wolf's sky-blue paw motioned the tiger's left cheek to his right. Her gold-ring eyes glittered. "It's over, Xing. You won't see that Iron Ox anymore," Lotus promised.
The Nine's Leader simpered at the Nine's Dancer.
II. Viper vs. Hong
A reptile master advanced her lengthy body toward the Nine's Doctor Hong, whose small paws clenched and bounded her feet in the air. Viper's tail slashed forward first, but Hong's foot struck in defense. The bunny once launched in each kick against the reptile's tail that clobbered straight repeatedly. After leading for Hong's fourth hit, Viper spun forward, twirling the bunny off guard. Hong skidded her feet near the outer square but balanced her wobble from falling backward. Flexing her joint ahead with a half-grin, the Nine's Doctor raced toward her opponent.
Viper squinted, slithering fast ahead of her bunny opponent. Hong leaped with her main foot after a fluidity spin; the reptile hissed and propelled her whole body. Both hits clashed.
III. Mantis vs. Fanshe
He's good, just like Viper. Mantis endlessly hopped elsewhere when Fanshe swam his lengthy body across the arena, chasing him. The Nine's Venom flung his tail back and nearly seized the insect. Mantis was ready for his opportunity. After he landed from the cobra's grip of death, the insect's wings chirped, which made him launch in the air. In his perspective, that time was slower than any individual (but insects); Mantis snared his forelegs on Fanshe's tail and whirled him with a body slam. Thud!
The cobra shook his dizziness as the insect's wings tweeted in the air. Fanshe slithered away from Mantis's batter kick, nearly shook the Arena; petals on gallery tiles squirmed. Villagers gasped on another wicked scene, in which the cobra darted his tail in each leaping strike. Mantis thrashed on his opponent as his antennae glittered with yellow chi. He jumped back, and Fanshe spread his neck ribs in defense, snarling with his teeth.
The green bug dove, trailing his chi behind his wings, and Fanshe somersaulted his body forward, whipped his opponent.
IV. Monkey vs. Bao (Gorilla)
The golden snub backflipped with his main hands, towering his long tail on the ground. Monkey stroked his jaw, which softened with a single pop. Their student is special. Time to play banana tricks!
As Monkey trotted, Bao fisted his chest. "Bao, Monkey!" the gorilla roared, propelling his two feet at his opponent. Monkey maneuvered from Bao's strong leap attack as he mounted on the ape's bulky shoulder and jumped away.
Bao's opponent landed, thrusting his Kung Fu style with palm hits and high kicks. The Nine's Heaver trotted on Monkey once more, striking with long limbs forward. Angling one and the other, Bao shoved his elbow. Monkey spun above the ape's right forearm, clobbering his cheek. The gorilla blocked with his left hand.
Bao clenched Monkey's foot and shoved him. Then, while a think-fast scenario was sometimes a top priority to Monkey while bowling on the concrete floor, he snatched his bamboo pole from the weapon stand. Either any students (but Shen only had to use his wooden pole) could use, only if they mastered those unsafe blades and hammers. Bao, pole. Bao, easy. Each sway from Monkey after spiraling his bamboo pole while somersaulting sideways, Bao parried with lofty limbs; Monkey's staff snapped with slams.
Monkey pushed on forward as he continued to sway his favorite pole, pounding Bao's nerve points; the gorilla kept his pressure from his opponent's advantageous tactic to disorient the giant. Bao swirled his palm on the bamboo, almost hammered his feet, booting his good foot toward golden snub's belly. Monkey struck the ape's knee, withdrawing his whole leg back, and thumped his upper chest. Finally, Monkey unleashed his holler, thwacking Bao's muzzle.
V. Tigress vs. Lotus
The Nine's Dancer wobbled farther back of the Arena and maintained her chi sao guard in front of her challenging combatant. Tigress streamed her tiger style of Tai Chi and Kung Fu, made her arms flow, locking her stone stance. A striped feline nodded. Ready.
Lotus gripped her paws and swooshed her feet ahead.
Lotus circled her straight punches at Tigress's striped arms. The feline parried her quick limbs as she swiveled Lotus's straight blow and the other palming under the wolf's chest. A she-wolf hammered her paw from getting shoved away and armed over Tigress's limbs, which nearly pummeled Lotus's throat. The Nine's Dancer elbowed and clobbered her main paw, propelling Tigress backward.
Somersaulting to a regular stance safely from tumbling back, Tigress bent her knee stances, giving her a respectful glance at Lotus, whose lips curled into a good taste, winking her gold eye. The Nine's Dancer is growing stronger. The feline swooped her striped tail essentially, spreading her pupils before launching herself amidst the Arena. She flipped front, pounding her right foot down.
Lotus sidestepped once as if the floor rumbled by her opponent's fierce blow. While crouching on the floor, Tigress swept her feet, one and the other, targeting Lotus's stability of her horse stance. Sidestepped once more, but the she-wolf immediately caught Tigress's left foot pounding higher, swaying her other ankle away. The feline spiraled her whole feet, uplifting half of her body to her opponent's height accurately.
Lotus moved ahead, moreover thrusting her front and side kick combo. She elbowed left and right — Tigress palmed her limbs from striking her muzzle. The feline brawled with straight blows toward the wolf's chest, and her opponent grasped one and the next, trapping her strength. Their energies in their limbs were forced while both Tigress and Lotus remained strong, either one delivering a move.
Their paws, embarking on thrusting, Tigress and Lotus launched backward, sliding their feet against the Arena with one line of specks of dry clay. One roared and the last hailed with their chi; both galleries exclaimed their cries and whistles at two female warriors. "Draw!" a goose servant wavered his red flags.
Lotus fought well.
I almost beat Tigress. We're evenly matched, alright!
Both were in panting as they fought one round at a time. Tigress won her first round, and Lotus achieved the second. The result was clear to discern one going forth, as the other was onto her opponent. Yet, both warriors accepted their draw on this third round; the wolf and stripped feline approached forward, bowing with admiration.
"Well done, Master Lotus. You have endurance," Tigress said.
"I like your style, Master Tigress," Lotus smirked. She stroked her upper shoulders. "I think I almost went off-balance back there when I pivoted you off course."
"Yes. Your skills are still in progress to reach mastery level. Besides, you are gaining on improvements," the feline discovered. "Come by to Jade Palace at some other time, Lotus, if you wish to train more with Viper. She elucidates with significant knowledge of my ways, which you can adapt your course well."
"Sign me up!"
Tigress chuckled more than five times, nodding. "I'll attend Viper to regard training."
VI. Shen vs. Wolf Boss
The Dragon Warrior picked his peacock student on the run to participate in the event, having the former Lord Shen fight one of the Nine members. Quite essential for him to experience this before. The albino encountered his seventh contestant before ever since he was on a top position as Master Thundering Rhino's student. His seventh opponent was a lizard combatant, and either of them was aggressive, which their agilities were equally matched — paired with such consistency.
The Nine's Leader chose Lotus's father, Zhong, knowingly as Wolf Boss, former Lord Shen's Commander, and the alpha of his pack when they followed their master. A type of wolf, which bore more intensity than Shen's agility, Zhong learned every way of Cai Li Fo and Kung Fu from his partner and the two masters Ox and Croc. He and his old companion were iconic in that they sparred under the three Masters of Gongmen, who spectated the young.
Shen went for the center of the Arena square, gyrating his wooden pole. The Nine's Commander embarked nudging his daughter's cheek, and his feline teacher, Chen Xing, palmed Wolf Boss's back, smiling. "Good luck, Baba."
Great, now he calls me Dad! That's too soon to be his!
Instead, Zhong offered one wink to his teacher and proceeded toward the Arena square, where his albino opponent stood by, training his eyes on his old companion. The Nine's Commander fiddled his fingers near the weapon stand, which handled wooden sticks, halberds, and swords to allow him one, despite the fact that Shen wielded his own. The iron maul was one thing to take but too heavy to lift in a single swing, and the next, as he had been managing with the hammer for annuals. Shen pinned his staff beside him, waiting for his competitor. For a moment, the crowds in both galleries raised their gasps, and he sought a weapon that reminded him of Zhong, finally defeated Shen after many efforts to win.
In a demonstration, Wolf Boss strolled in the middle and extended three-section staff, spinning one side and the other. After his final gyrate above the wolf thrice, Zhong reached out forward with his weapon, and villagers applauded. The peacock stood his ground, masking his surprised expression.
Fancy weapon of choice.
A goose referee motioned his red flags upward, readying Shen's pole and Wolf Boss's three-section stick forward. The flag swayed down.
The peacock darted four times, performed his first encounter. Wolf Boss parried on top, bottom, and two sides; Zhong spun his three sticks behind his back, pivoting Shen's pole swing above the wolf.
Wolf Boss whizzed his linked poles, hammering the left, right, and above. Shen deflected most of the sticks, bowling on the ground around his opponent. The peacock heaved to one side, and the wolf countered above, and the other whipping the third stick under Shen's talons, tumbling him over.
Shen hurtled his roll and made his Cai Li Fo stance, arming his pole in front while spiraling his weapon. Not how I expected. His old companion studied every move, which they trained well to make acrobatic motility precise than being slow. Likely, there's no such thing as having speed, growing tiresome if you force your strength hard enough. One step further around in circles, the peacock and wolf expected their moves to launch first.
Wolf Boss spun his weapon forward, and Shen delivered accurate parries between the center, under, and above his head. The next was the wolf embarking on whirling in a criss-cross, advancing his stance forward; Shen sidestepped back before plunging the pole tip toward his opponent's upper chest. Stunned away, Wolf Boss raised his three-staff above his head, deflecting the peacock's weapon and his talon. The third kick launched the wolf, skidding his feet.
Not for long to render his opponent in aggressive strategies, the albino sprinted, bounding in the air. Widening with haste, Wolf Boss bowled forward from Shen hammering his pole where Zhong's head was; the peacock spun his body close to him, spreading his voluminous red and black train under Zhong's right foot. The lupine rotated after bounding and struck Shen's shoulder, collapsing him on the fighting square.
Wolf Boss growled and jabbed near his old companion's throat. The flag gestured the first round, claiming the wolf's victory.
I — said — fire at them. FIRE!
Zhong quivered his head from the peacock reverberating a shout, which flooded him in, to despise Shen more, even when more than one feather blade tore his ribcage, almost killed Wolf Boss. No mind. Keep moving forward.
Zhong withdrew his weapon and let his paw reach for the peacock, nodding at him. "Ready for round two, Shen?"
"Of course," he grinned, standing beside his old companion. "Unless you are compelling your finest performance to defeat me."
"Hmm. Let's dance."
The second round began with another red flag wave from the goose referee, proposing the two warriors do a clean spar. Only Wolf Boss used his paws without the superior weapon he had not been using ever since, possibly out of combat when he served Shen on his side before taking over Gongmen City (prior before the Second Gongmen Battle). And Zhong's challenge was to pivot, parry, and disarm Shen's wooden pole.
Standing still, including strolling back and forth while remaining close to his two teachers with the Nine, the Mightiest Warrior put on observation at the Arena Square, which within combatants engaging each round, made resolutions to comprehend the worth fighting, the meaning of Kung Fu. Except for the fact that by contemplating cleavers and billowing banners, the killing was his instinct.
Each flash from Kai, reminiscing the fighters battling, his peacock general, and a Lord of Gongmen in several lines of the peafowl legacy before former Lord Shen and Lord Dongji, was his true comrade, the one with a sense to consider twice before leading into battle with Oogway, and Lieutenant Zhanshi. Lord Li Han fought by their side as part of the Mightiest Warriors. Into the bloodshed, halberds clanged, splattering gores across the mud; the peacock lord plunged, sliced, parried, bounded above banners and next to the red sun, and poured small knives below him, silencing every enemy's scream.
A rough whiz woke Kai from daydreaming his old peafowl companion, and former Lord Shen, pivoting his final spin in the air, nearly plunged his wooden staff near Wolf Boss's head. "Shen wins the third round!"
Why is that birdie remind me of my old ally? How long was I been thinking of Li Han?
Both galleries faintly applauded. The albino had rare mentions to hear villagers praise him but never the last one after he fought his seventh challenger. The last ones before the Valley of Peace citizens were Masters of Gongmen, who gave such spirits, and Master Thundering Rhino giving a genuine smile with Lord Feng, Lady Muqin, and Soothsayer Mali, prior before Shen leading toward pandas in Thriving Village.
These people are praising the peacock, who was the conqueror. How thoughtful. . . Shen wheezed his long breaths, glancing at Wolf Boss. "Well fought, Zhong."
"That makes two of us, Shen," Zhong said, as the albino submitted his staff and helped Wolf Boss stand up to his feet. The one-eyed wolf drove his breaths in and out. "Damn, you made us sweat harder."
"I believe we all did accordingly."
For a moment, in serene, soothing his harsh breaths, Shen eyed on Wolf Boss. "My parents would have cherished to see this event, to experience what I would have learned what the panda did offer me."
Wolf Boss regarded his peafowl family with virtue. "I'm sure they know well above us, Shen. We made them and Mali proud."
I am certain they all are.
"You can do this, Crane. I believe in you," the insect supported the avian.
Crane had only postulated only one warrior remaining to choose. Possibly almost timid before, but used to rare occasions by facing many skillful, average, and good ones. He regarded the tiger, whose limbs bent on his lower waist. Chen Xing had the height to combat him, despite the avian fighting Tigress in every training level, dodging fast and hard punches and kicks included. What of his perception to teach the Nine's Leader about balance? By that, Crane could offer Tigress's nephew guidance with confidence.
On the stairway platform with Po and Chen Ming, the red panda master uttered his avian student. "Which opponent will you choose, Master Crane?"
Ironically, the avian was meant to be the next one after Tigress stepped in to participate in engaging the Nine's Dancer. Still, the previous section was to let the Dragon Warrior's peacock student take on the Nine's Commander. And this course, however, depended on which opponents Crane was willing to challenge. Not a picky person to choose either worse or challenging or so timid throughout his character to step away from this event, which technically unwise that the avian could never step away.
He inspected one as the student-master who shared encouragements. I'm going to regret this. The avian had other plans to take on what he wished, patting the tip of his conical hat down.
Crane announced the Arena to challenge one of two rivalries, who almost obliterated Grandmaster Oogway's creation.
Author's Note:
— The event indicates Kung Fu and Wing Chun's demonstration and designates how warriors interpret each other's gifts to regard after fighting, to process enhancements. The only one I like to share a warrior's strategy is my OC, who steals my heart the most. Lotus has this symbolic meaning compared to Tigress but has insanity on being a happy wolf to a reckless fighter. And she's lovely.
— If you please, Pandoms, let me know all y'all like this so far! What are your thoughts on this chapter!