Water Deer Village, Dawn


"ALRIGHT EVERYONE, LET'S MOVE IT!" Hu hollered at the village inhabitants, a vast majority of them still rubbing the sleep out of their eyes at being roused at such an ungodly hour. Hu and Wan had actually managed to reach the village just before sunrise. Upon arriving, the duo bolted right for his family home. Luckily, Hu's brother Ni was already up as he usually needed to be at his job at the village bank early.

When made aware of the situation, Ni quickly passed word along to the village leaders who, after issuing instructions to the local law enforcement officials, began to muster the villagers, much to the latter half's chagrin. By the time the sun had risen, almost everyone in the village was all set to leave, arms or wagons full of what ever processions they could carry.

"HU!" Ni called as he approached his brother, his wife Ai Chan, clad in a simple blue dress, following close by with their son holding onto her hand while toddling beside her, and their infant daughter cradled in her other arm. Closing the distance between himself and Ni, Hu looked behind the latter to see that all villagers where present and accounted for. But, being as thorough as he was, which he always attributed to his time as a medic, Hu wanted to be sure.

"Is that everyone?" he inquired of his brother, who offered a sad smile in response.

"Yes," Ni replied, leaning down to pick up his son who at this point had moved beside him, tugging on his father's hanfu to get his attention. "Everyone is hear and accounted for." Noticing the sad expression on Ni's face, Wan stepped forward, placing on gentle hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry Ni," she whispered in a kind voice, "we wouldn't be asking this of you if there was any other way. But I promise, we will have you and the other villagers home before you know it." Looking upon the female leopard that had accompanied his brother, Ni couldn't help but smile at the feline's compassion. In fact, he still couldn't believe she was one of the infamous Wu Sisters that once terrorized China. But, he could dwell on that later, for now, he had more important matters to attend to.

"Thank you Wan," Ni responded with a kind smile, one that was gladly returned as Wan removed her hand from his shoulder. Turning to his wife, Ni gestured for her to follow him, but not before giving his brother one final hug, which was rather difficult with Hu's nephew in his arms, not that the fawn minded as he it gave him the opportunity to wrap his short arms around his Uncle's neck. But while in this position, Ni took the opportunity to whisper a teasing message to his brother.

"She's a keeper." Before a very flustered Hu could respond, Ni pulled away with his son in grasp, quickly turning on his heels as he and his family left to join the others, carrying what little they could on such short notice.

"ALRIGHT EVERYONE!" Hu called to amassed villagers, "HEAD AS FAR SOUTH AS YOU CAN! THE FARTHER YOU ARE FROM ANY SETTLEMENT, THE SAFER YOU WILL BE!" With this in mind, the entire village began their march away from the only home many of them had ever known, but with the promise that they would return in a short amount of time. After about an hour, Hu and Wan could no longer see the mass congregation of villagers as they had moved from the main road deep into the nearby forest. Turning back to the now empty streets, Hu let out a sad sigh at how quiet the village was.

"You okay?" Wan inquired with concern as she saw Hu's dejected face.

"Y-yeah," Hu stuttered after a moment's more of silence, "yeah I'm okay. It's just...I-I...I've never seen these streets so empty, nor heard the air so quiet. It's almost unreal. I know where they are, and I know that they will be safe...but if I didn't, I would have assumed the worst."

Upon hearing this, Wan moved so that she was now in front of Hu. After a moment of hesitation, she cupped both of his cheeks with her hands, a gesture that greatly shocked Hu, but eventually seemed to calm him as he, after another moment, brought both of hands up to grasp Wan's, his eyes closed in content as he leaned into the gesture.

After a few more moments, Hu opened his eyes. And when he did, he was met with the caring yellow eyes of a woman who he, up until they had met, had assumed was a murderous criminal. But now, he could see that Wan was not what he had thought she should be. It actually made him realize that she and her sisters, with Han's help, had turned over a new leaf, and thus had worked to better themselves.

After moments of staring into each other's eyes, Hu and Wan soon felt something within their very being, as if a fire had been lit in their very cores. That must have been the case, for in a flash, the duo found themselves in a deep, passionate kiss, Hu with his arms around Wan's waist, and Wan's finding their way around Hu's neck. Not ten seconds into the kiss, Wan found herself moaning as she found her tongue gently dancing with Hu's, the latter moaning as well as he gently caressed the leopards back.

Unfortunately, the tender moment was interrupted by a rather bothersome hawk.

"Am I interrupting something?" Quickly pulling away from each other, Hu and Wan turned to see the amused smirk of Xinshi, the hawk herself perched on a nearby barrel. With an annoyed expression, Hu, followed by a blushing Wan, stalked angrily toward the smug avian, crossing his arms as soon as he reached her.

"What do you want, Xinshi?" Rolling her eyes playfully, the messenger bird did what she did best; deliver messages.

"I just wanted to let you know that every village has been cleared from Jinzhou to the Forbidden City. The citizens in the capital have been moved to the catacombs." Upon hearing this, Hu found he couldn't be too angry with Xinshi.

"That's...good to hear," he responded, his face softening. However, he quickly took on a look of concern as Xinshi's playful smile soon turned to one of sorrow."What is it?" With a sad sigh, Xinshi answered.

"I was just thinking, it's a good thing we went this route...not one hour after Jinzhou was evacuated, the enemy marched right through, razing anything in their path." Upon hearing this, Hu's eyes widened in shock. Soon, Hu found his gaze slowly wandering over the many buildings in the village, their fate now very apparent.

"I'm so sorry Hu," Wan said as she wrapped her arms around him. Slowly, Hu returned the gesture, a sad smile forming on his face as he responded to Wan.

"Ah," he began, "they're just a bunch of old buildings filled with furniture...nothing that can't be replaced." Wan couldn't help but giggle at the tender kiss that Hu placed on her head. Turning back to Xinshi, who merely rolled her eyes at him, Hu decided to inquire about his other colleagues progress.

"The others?" With a nod, Xinshi responded.

"They will be arriving at the capital within the hour. Once there, they will transfer Ox to a waiting squad from the Eighth, who will then take him to be held at headquarters. While that goes on, Han and the others will return Shi Long to the palace."

"Well then," Hu responded with a broad smile, pulling Wan close to his side, earning a giggle from said feline, "we best get moving if we want to catch up with them."


Just Outside the Main Gates of the Forbidden City, Midday


To say Ox was unhappy at this point would be an understatement. Just as the group had arrived at the main gates of the city, a contingent of soldiers from the Eighth Regiment, armed with muskets, quickly bound him in accu-pressure cuffs, as well as a steel collar attached to four long chains, each held by a soldier who tugged the bovine along, earning several grunts of disapproval as a result.

As the soldiers, now accompanied by their surviving brothers from the rescue party, lead Ox toward Army headquarters which housed his specially prepared cell, the remainder of the group walked through the streets, the only occupants being soldiers patrolling the otherwise empty streets, muskets at the ready for any trouble. Overhead, overcast skies made the scene seem even more dreary.

"Looks like the boys did a hell of job getting people into the catacombs," Wing commented quietly as the group continued to walk toward the Palace. As they did so, Chang briefly paused when they passed by Li's Tavern, the door wide open as the gentle breeze blowing through the city swung the door on it's hinges. While Chang knew that his father was safe in the catacombs, the sight still gave him an uneasy feeling.

Eventually, Chang was pulled from his thoughts at the sound of footsteps rapidly approaching the group from behind. Turning in the direction of the noise, the group breathed out a collective sigh of relief as they saw Hu and Wan barreling down the streets, Xinshi gliding close behind them. Su left her place by Han's side, the latter escorting a now fully alert Shi Long, quickly enveloping her sister in tight hug, followed closely behind by Wing.

"Did you get the village evacuated?" Han called back to Hu, who nodded in response. Satisfied with the answer, Han called for the group to keep moving. After another ten minutes of walking, they arrived at the gates leading to the palace courtyard. Nodding to the guards on watch, the gates were opened, only to be quickly closed and bolted as the two guards rushed for the palace. Upon entering the courtyard, the group was surprised to see it just as empty as the streets of the city. However, their attention was soon drawn to Haoxin as she approached them.

"Follow me please," she simply ordered, although with a strong sense of urgency laced within, before leading the group toward the palace.


Xiao and Jade couldn't help but smile as they watched Huifang pace the floors of the otherwise empty throne room. Truth be told, since they received word from Crane that Shi Long been rescued, Huifang couldn't eat, she couldn't sleep...hell, the only thing keeping her from going insane with worry and excitement at the moment was fiddling with her lucky sea shell, which only added to her worry as it reminded her of her Uncle Han. However, the pacing quickly stopped when the massive doors to the throne room opened. Snapping her head to see the new arrivals, Huifang's face lit up as tears of joy streamed down her face.

"Shi Long, Uncle Han!" She called as she bolted toward the two people she was most anxious to see. Before either the older buck or komodo dragon could respond, they were enveloped in massive hug as Huifang embraced them. Behind them, the Wu Sisters, along with everybody else, couldn't help but smile at the display.

"It's good to see you too Sweet Hui," Han laughed as he pulled away from the embrace, cupping Huifang's face as he used his thumbs to wipe away her tears. After taking a moment to calm herself, Huifang turned to Sh long, only to gasp at the state she was in; gown ripped above the knees, the left sleeve completely gone, and several fresh scars, more than likely received from her time in Mu Lang's custody.

"Oh, Shi Long," Huifang said in a pained whisper. Before Shi Long could protest, Huifang started guiding her away to have her wounds tended to, leaving the remainder of the group in the throne room to address Xiao and Jade Tusk, the latter, despite her better judgement, letting go of all restraint as she jumped into Chang's arms, the captain's breath being briefly knocked out of his lungs before returning the affectionate gesture.

"Well, looks like 'Fangzilla' got herself a boyfriend," a teasing voice called out from the back of the throne room. With an annoyed expression, Jade turned to see the smug smirk of Jing, accompanied by the other members of the Four Constellations.

"Where have you guys been?" Po inquired of his students, or rather three of them, as Nu Hai found herself stunned at being in the presence of Master Shifu and the Furious Five, more specifically, her idol, Master Tigress, who upon noticing the young panda's stare, offered a kind smile.

"We were helping the Palace guards and some men from the Eighth evacuate everyone to the catacombs," Fan Tong answered, his arm being taken by Xiao as he spoke. It was at that moment that the group noticed that Xiao was not dressed in her regal gown, but rather her green training vest and black trousers.

"Well that explains why everything is so quiet," Hu added in. Jade hummed in agreement.

"My girls are the best there are," she said, one of her arms still wrapped around Chang's neck as the latter had an arm around her waist. "And speaking of the best," she continued as looked back to Chang with a smile, "it seems your mission was a success." But, upon saying this, Jade came to regret it as she saw her new boyfriend's face drop into a sorrowful expression.

"More or less," Chang sadly sighed. This succeeded in snapping Nu Hai out of her star-struck stupor, a sorrowful expression of her own forming on her face.

"We heard about Long and the others from Master Crane," she sadly said. "I am so sorry, Captain Li." Looking to Nu Hai, Chang offered a sad smile and a nod in gratitude. The bitter-sweet moment was soon interrupted by Bao.

"And what about Master Ox?" he inquired, quickly being answered by Croc.

"He is being held at Army Headquarters," he responded in a pained whisper. "I still cannot believe he would do this."

"It is hard to grasp that reality my friend," Han added in, "but right now we have more pressing matters to attend to." With a nod, Xiao agreed.

"So what is to be done about Baigujing." Upon hearing this, Han cast a weary gaze toward Crane, who seemed to shrink back in discomfort.

"You didn't tell them?"

"I thought it best that you did." Crane responded in a timid whisper. Looking back toward Xiao, then to Jade, his gaze lingering on the young doe for a few moments, Han let out a deep sigh as he relayed the awful truth.

"Baigujing is dead." Xiao, the constellations, and Jade's eyes grew wide at this news.

"Man, I heard you guys were good," Bao laughed, "but not that good."

"I'm afraid it's more serious than that," Han responded in a serious tone. "After the destruction the well spring, Baigujing's followers managed to find...The Spirit Urn." Looking to Jade and the Constellations, Han could see their eyes widen in abstract horror, their fear growing as he continued to speak. "And she sought to steal the chi of the being trapped within...She underestimate his power...and he killed her."

"No," Jade rasped out, clear panic in her voice, "No! It can't be true...it just can't be." Looking sadly toward Jade, tears of fear now running down her cheeks as Chang held her close, Han realized he had the unfortunate duty of confirming her fears.

"I'm afraid it is...Jindiao had returned." A long period of silence followed, only to be interrupted by Bao.

"Hey," he began, great determination radiating from him, "we beat him last time, we can do it again."

"Last time you had the Spirit Urn," Su interjected, a hard expression on her face, "and when Jindiao was released, the Urn was destroyed."

"Well that complicates things," Jing butted in.

"Indeed," Han added, completely unsure on how they were to defeat Jindiao.


Shi long winced in discomfort as Huifang tended to her wounds in the confines of the latter's personal chambers. With the vast majority of the palace guards now guarding the citizens in the catacombs, the room was left unattended, save for them. Not that either of them were complaining, as it provided the perfect opportunity for them to be alone.

As Huifang, who had been somewhat distracted upon learning of Jindiao's return, once again dipped the blood stained rag into the wash basin by her side, Shi Long was able to sneak a look at the still very fresh wound on her girlfriends head. Even though it began to heal, Shi Long could still see the deep gash that ran from Huifang's left temple to under her eye. From what Shi Long could see, the scar to come would resemble a crescent moon.

As Shi Long maintained her gaze of Huifang's wound, the latter of the two couldn't help but let her gaze wander over Shi Long's body. Because of the extent of her wounds, Shi Long had to be stripped of her remaining clothes so Huifang could thoroughly clean the many scrapes and bruises along her body. And from what Huifang could see, Shi Long's body, in the does opinion, was that of a goddess. With as much subtlety as possible, Huifang took in the lithe but physically fit figure, the thin but toned legs, the gangling but muscular arms, the round but firm rear, and the two small, but noticeable breasts.

It was at that moment that Shi Long noticed Huifang's wandering eyes, a deep blush creeping up on the reptiles face as she let out a nervous giggle as she tentatively caressed her upper arm. Suddenly, Shi Long let out an involuntary moan, the cause of which being Huifang's ragged hand having found it's way to Shi Long's inner thigh, drifting dangerously close to her forbidden fruit. Upon hearing the low moan from Shi long, Huifang snapped out of her trance, her eyes widening in horror at where her hand was.

"OH MY GOD!" she cried out, promptly removing her hand from Shi long's thigh. "I AM SO SORRY SHI LONG! I DIDN'T MEAN TO...!" Before Huifang could continue on with her rambling, she was silenced by a deep kiss from Shi Long. Slowly calming down from her brief moment of panic, Huifang melted into the kiss as she gently caressed Shi Long's cheek. Not five seconds into the kiss, Huifang's eyes snapped open in surprise as she felt Shi Long's lengthy serpentine tongue snake it's way past her lips and teeth, capturing her own tongue in a raw battle for dominance.

"Mmmm," Huifang moaned as she began wrestling Shi long's tongue with her own, her eyes rolling into the back of her head in pleasure. Being so caught up in the raw passion being displayed in this one kiss, Shi Long didn't care that Huifang's hand was drifting down her toned stomach toward her moistening folds. In an instant, Shi Long let out a high pitched moan of pleasure as Huifang's fingers began to gently trace the lips of her virgin opening, her sweet nectar begin to coat Huifang's palm. Soon, Huifang built up a steady rhythm as she pleasured Shi Long.

As Shi Long relished the feeling of Huifang rubbing her slick opening, she suddenly let out a high-pitched moan as the doe suddenly inserted a finger, gently thrusting the digit in and out as she began to nibble and kiss the reptile's neck. Before long, the komodo dragon let out a louder moan as Huifang inserted her other finger before curling up her digits and thrusting them rapidly into the euphoric lizard, that is until the heavily aroused reptile grabbed the does wrist.

"It seems unfair that I am getting all the pleasure, my love," Shi Long teased as she ran her hand up Huifang's clothed leg. Catching on to what Shi Long was implying, Huifang, with a sly smirk of her own, stood from her position beside Shi Long. Withing seconds, Huifang began to slowly strip herself of her clothing. First, the silk sash that bound her hanfu at the waist fluttered to the ground. Then, in an agonizingly slow move, more than likely to tease her reptile lover, who at this point was rubbing her swollen lips to the sight of her girlfriend stripping, Huifang shed her hanfu, revealing the chest wrappings that bound her breasts. Once that was done, Huifang slowly removed her trousers, kicking the article of clothing away once it had reached her ankles, leaving her in nothing but her chest wrappings and cotton panties.

"You are gorgeous," Shi Long whispered in awe as she marveled at the does curvy, but still physically fit body. Blushing at the compliment, Huifang did her best to maintain her teasing smile as she reached behind her chest, her finger starting to deftly work to untie the knot that kept her chest wrappings in place. Noticing this, Shi Long quickly held up a hand, signalling Huifang to stop. At first confused. Huifang's smile only grew as Shi long beckoned her over with a single finger, offering a seductive wink as she did so. Doing as instructed, Huifang walked seductively toward Shi Long, making an effort to put as much movement into her hips as she did so.

"Allow me," Shi Long moaned, running a claw over Huifang's chest wrappings as soon as the doe was in front of her. As Huifang watched in anticipation, Shi Long began to use her claw to slowly cut down the center of the fabric binding her cervine lover's chest. Before long, the last bit of fabric gave way, the wrappings falling to the floor as Shi Long's eyes widened to see two round, and noticeably large breasts bounce free. Well, large by her standards. To others, they might appear quite average, but when Shi Long reached up to tenderly cup them, the action causing Huifang to release a low moan, Shi Long was surprised to find that they were still a bit of a hand full in her hands.

"Shi Long."

Upon hearing Huifang moan her name, Shi Long turned her attention from the marvelous breasts in her hands to the pleasured expression on the young does face. Seeing the effect she had on Huifang, Shi Long grew bolder. With new found determination, the komodo dragon's tongue slipped out of her mouth, the serpentine appendage flicking the sensitive nipple of Huifang's right breast, before latching her lips around the impressive mammary while Shi long's right hand began to kneed Huifang's left breast, making said doe release a deep moan of pleasure.

But, to Shi Long's surprise, after just two minutes of pleasuring Huifang, said doe pushed Shi Long back. At first believing she had done something wrong, any worry that Shi Long had quickly vanished when Huifang laid them both down on the bed with Shi Long laying on top. But, as Shi Long observed, they were laid in such away that they were face to face with each other's nether regions.

"Oh," Shi Long whispered with a sly smile as she hooked her thumbs into the hem of Huifang's panties, "I see what your after." With one swift movement, Shi long removed the last bit of clothing that obstructed her view of Huifang in all her womanly glory. Taking only a few moments to marvel at her girlfriend's now glistening folds, Shi Long wasted no time in getting to work. Within seconds, her long tongue was licking around Huifang's wet opening, moans of pleasure escaping the young doe's mouth as she did the same, earning moans from her scaly lover in return.

"SHI LONG!" Huifang suddenly screamed as she was met with a pleasant surprise. Deciding to up the anti on her lover's pleasure, Shi Long began to snake her tongue into Huifang's opening, the surprisingly wide appendage twisting and wiggling it's way into the confines of the does forbidden fruit. All Huifang could do was moan as Shi Long's tongue seemed to find every sweet spot of pleasure in her tight cavern. But, as time went on, Huifang found that she had been neglecting her lover as Shi Long did all the work. With newfound determination, and without warning, Huifang, using her fingers to spread the glistening folds apart, thrust her tongue forward into Shi long's dripping opening.

"HUIFANG!" Shi Long yelled out, the sudden intrusion making her scream in pleasure as she briefly withdraw from Huifang's glistening slit. But, after taking a few moments to recompose herself, Shi Long resumed her work. Before long, the room was filled with moaning as the two girls worked to fill the other with pleasure. Before long, as the two lovers worked to lick and scoop the sweet nectar that was flowing from their soaking slits, the moans grew in pitch until they were practically screaming, so much raw emotion being released in this one moment. Shi Long even felt the need to add more pleasure by thrusting two fingers in and out of Huifang's slit.

Soon, they both felt a great pressure building in their core. But, one thing was for sure, this was not how Shi Long wanted their session to end. Quickly removing her head from between Huifang's legs, Shi Long quickly began to reposition herself. Having been deprived of her feast, Huifang looked to her lover in mixture of annoyance and confusion, only to find that Shi Long had straddled one of her legs after rolling her onto her side.

"Shi Long, what are you dooIIIING?!" In instant, any annoyance Huifang held toward Shi Long quickly vanished as the komodo dragon suddenly thrusts her hips forward, connecting their two openings. After taking a few seconds to recover from the sudden sensation, Shi Long, grabbing onto Huifang's other leg, draping it over her shoulder at the knee, began to steadily thrust her hips forward, her slick opening rubbing against Huifang's, the latter moaning unabashedly as she began to grind her hips into Shi Long's thrusts.

Before long, Huifang was writhing in pleasure, the sensation growing even stronger when Shi long reached forward and began to massage one of her breasts. As this happened, the two females moaned in ecstasy as the nectar of their loins made a wet slapping noise with each thrust, their sensitive clits rubbing together, which in turn sent them to new heights of pleasure. Soon, the pleasure reached it's peak as the familiar feeling of pressure returned to their cores.

"Huifang," Shi Long whined, her thrust becoming harder and faster as she neared her orgasm, "I'm...I'm close." Huifang, who had begun to massage her other breast, barely heard as she reached her other hand down toward their connected openings, vigorously rubbing both her clitoris and Shi Long's to enhance the feeling and to bring about their release faster. Soon, Shi Long began to see euphoric tears fall from Huifang's as she vigorously rubbed both of their clits.

"Gonna cum...Gonna Cum...GONNA CUUUAHHHHH!" Her whines increasing in volume, Huifang let out a loud scream of pleasure as she grabbed Shi Long's hips, holding them together as she released her sweet juice all over her lover's crotch. This proved too much for Shi Long as her own juices quickly surged forward to meet Huifang's, a loud moan of satisfaction escaping her lips, only for it to be suddenly silenced as Huifang, after pulling herself into a sitting position, captured Shi Long's lips in a deep and passionate kiss, their tongues soon fighting for dominance, their hips still grinding against each other as tears of pleasure streamed down their cheeks. After a few minutes, the two pulled away from each other, their orgasmic highs finally coming to an end as they fell on their backs, their groins still connected.

"Wow," Shi Long gasped out, her hand unconsciously reaching to grab Huifang's as they just stared at the ceiling, their eyes heavy and glossed over from post-bliss fatigue. Huifang, so spent from the overwhelming pleasure, could only moan in agreement as she weakly pulled Shi Long toward her, the latter sighing in content as she laid her head on her lover's heaving chest. But, Shi long suddenly let out a soft whimper as she felt Huifang's fingers gently rubbed her soaking slit.

"Easy, my lovely doe," the reptile giggled, "I'm still a little tender."

"Sorry," Huifang responded with a bashful smile. For the next five minutes the two lay in silence, simply enjoying each other's company, that is until Shi Long said something that would change their relationship forever.

"I love you, Huifang," She whispered, a single tear escaping her eye as she turned to look into her lover's now wide eyes. At first, Shi long feared that Huifang might reject her love, but any doubt she had disappeared when she saw the doe's face relax into a look of adoration.

"I love you too, Shi Long," Huifang responded, placing a tender kiss on the reptiles head, earning a small giggle in return. After that, the two continued to lay in silence, all the while, Shi Long couldn't help but feel saddened, knowing that this could be the only time they could truly express their love for each other. For unless they and the others could figure out a way to defeat Jindiao, then their lives together could be over before it really began. Now Shi Long truly regretted all she had done. At this point she wished she had never met...

Shi Long quickly bolted upright as a thought came to her head. But, as she did so, it worried Huifang to see her lover suddenly so excited.

"Shi Long?" Huifang asked worriedly, "What is it?"

"I think I know how we can stop Jindiao," Shi long whispered in glee, a broad smile on her face, a smile that slightly faltered after remembering her and Huifang's current state of undress. "Provided we are properly dressed for when I tell the others," she added with a sheepish smile.


In the dining hall, every chair at the great table was occupied by those who had returned, as well as Xiao and Jade. Looking around, Xiao could see everyone in a very somber mood. And it was no mystery as to why.

"There must be something we can do to stop Jindiao," Xiao said, voicing what had been on everyone's mind, only to feel slightly dejected as she heard Han sigh.

"There really is nothing we can do," Shifu added in, as looked to his students, Po doing the same with his, each one holding a sorrowful expression.

"Not unless you can turn back time and find the Spirit Urn before Baigujing," Hu quipped in a heavily sarcastic tone as Wan stood beside him. Looking to Fan Tong, Chang could see the largest of the Four Constellations open his mouth to speak, a brightness in his expression.

"No, Fan Tong," Chang interrupted with a sad laugh, "we can't travel through time." And just as quickly as he had opened it, Fan tong snapped his mouth shut.

"Sorry," he replied sheepishly, "I just thought this was going to be one of those shocking reveal moments." Despite the tension in the room, this statement actually succeeded in getting a round of laughter around the table. Even Croc found the strength to laugh despite everything he had gone through.

"What about sending him back to the Spirit Realm?" Mantis suggested hopefully while perched on Monkey's shoulder, only to be shot down by Po.

"Yeah, I'm not going through that again buddy," he quipped with a sarcastic smile, "besides he'd only find another way out." Once again, Han let out another deep sigh.

"Well then it looks like we're out of options." Chang could not believe what he was hearing. Was Han really suggesting...?

"So we just surrender?" he inquired incredulously to Han after a long moment of silence. "Admit defeat, is that it?" Looking to Chang, Han felt his heart break at the look of utter disappointment in his Captain's eyes, eyes that were now brimming with tears, one even falling down his cheek. As Han opened his mouth to respond to Chang's rather one-sided question, a new voice spoke up.

"No." Looking to the source of the voice, everyone's eyes widened to see Shi Long, dressed in a teal qipao with golden trim and black trousers, as well as translucent teal sleeves, enter the room, backed by a determined Huifang, dressed in the same garb, only her sleeveless qipao was blue with white trim.

"Well I don't see any other option, Shi Long," Chang replied, his somber expression still present on his face. Upon reaching the other head of the table, Shi Long continued to speak.

"I have an idea." Upon seeing the doubtful looks being sent her way, Shi Long, after some silent encouragement from Huifang, tried to ease some of the doubt. "Don't worry, it's a good one...I think." the room was silent for a few seconds, until Han finally spoke up.

"If Shi Long has an idea that could give us an advantage," he began, standing from his seat as he cast his gaze around the table before landing on said reptile, "I'd like to hear it."

"So would I." Shi Long's eyes widened in surprise as Xiao quickly stood to her defense. Looking into the young lynx's eyes, Shi Long felt her heart melt as Xiao sent her an encouraging smile and nod, a clear indication that she was willing to listen. After taking a moment to recover from the shock, Shi Long cleared her throat before speaking.

"As you know, I was the one who summoned Baigujing," she began hesitantly, receiving some glares from those in the room. Feeling Huifang place her hand on her shoulder, Shi Long soldiered on. "But, don't think for a moment I didn't have a plan to send her back." As she said this, Shi Long produced a metal orb, it's surface covered with strange red markings.

"What is that supposed to be?" Wing inquired indifferently.

"A Chi Orb," Shi Long quickly answered. "It is what we used to obtain the chi needed to help power the Iron Goddess." At that moment, everyone began to understand what Shi long was getting at.

"So you're saying," Su interjected, "that if we plan it right, we can...?"

"Use the orb to absorb Jindiao's chi," Shi Long cut in, a bright smile on her face. "And without his power, Jindiao will be unable to control Baigujing's army." Soon everyone was overcome with newfound enthusiasm.

"It's a long shot," Chang said, still being a bit skeptical, only for that that skepticism to vanish when a smiling Han placed his hand on his captain's shoulder.

"But it's the best chance we have," the older buck reasoned, his encouraging smile returned by Chang. Unfortunately, the hopeful atmosphere quickly changed to concern as a sound that could only be described as a muffled explosion was heard outside of the palace. A few minutes passed, the sound repeated, only much louder.

Bolting from the dining hall, the group made their way to the front of the palace. And once the main doors flew open, the group was met with a horrifying site; great pillars of smoke rising in the distance, the sound of musket fire joining in with the thunderous explosions that approached the walls of the city. Staring hard at the smoke, Han voiced a very astute observation.

"They're here."


On the Outskirts of the Forbidden City


"Mu Lang," Jindiao called in an eerily calm voice as he observed his new army advance on the capital. At last he would have the ultimate revenge. But first, their was one more loose end that needed to be tied up.

"Yes Master," the she-wolf responded with a bow. Turning to his canine subordinate, the power-mad dragon smiled wickedly as his warriors began to attack the city.

"Information is a valuable resource," he began ominously, producing a musket for Mu Lang, said wolf taking it and studying it with much reverence before looking back to her new master. "See to it that Master Ox does not become an asset to our enemies." Picking up on what her master was asking, Mu Lang smiled deviously as she bounded toward the city, leaving Jindiao alone to enjoy his eminent victory.


The Catacombs beneath the Forbidden City


Through the rock ceilings over their heads, the sound of battle could be heard by the citizens of the Forbidden City who where huddled together as the thundering explosions of canons and repeated volley of musket fire sounded overhead. Several children whimpered in fear as their parents held them close. One elderly pig couple held each other close as a noticeably louder explosion shook loose some pebbles and dirt from the ceiling, the small fragments falling on the people bellow. A few times, infants awakened by the noise would begin to cry.

While the citizens remained seated, the vast majority of the Palace Guard, accompanied by a small chunk of the Eighth Regiment, a good fifty soldiers, walked among the frightened citizens placed under their care, finding it rather difficult as the usually spacious catacombs now only offered about ten feet of space to walk through. Among the Place Guard was Fa Jun. In the time since the city was evacuated, Jun, along with Haoxin and several other guards helped to tend to some of the more high maintenance citizens, namely the young, sick and elderly.

"JUN!" Turning to the voice that called her name, Jun smiled warmly at Nan Hai, the young buck's arms loaded down with multiple burlap sacks, followed closely by an equally burdened Ludian Li. Upon reaching the young doe, Nan and Lu placed the sacks down in a relatively open area, Lu walking off to join the rest of the citizens after. After taking a few moments to stretch his back, a few noticeable pops coming from his spine as he arched it, Nan quickly reached for one of the sacks. Upon opening the bag, Nan saw Jun's eyes widen in glee when he revealed the contents; bags of rice, fruit, and fresh greens.

"Oh Nan, your wonderful," Jun said excitedly, wrapping her arms around the buck in a happy embrace. But, as Nan observed, her enthusiasm seemed a bit more tired than usual. But, as he figured, it was no mystery why. Gently returning the hug for a brief moment, Nan pulled away so he could look into Jun's violet eyes, our rather eye, as the does signature lock of fur once again obstructed by the long bangs of fur on her head. With a quiet chuckle, Nan gently brushed Jun's bang's out of her face, giving him the opportunity to look at the two breathtaking violet orbs.

"Wow," he breathed out.

"Wow what?" Jun inquired with a giggle.

"You're eyes," Nan responded, his own teal eyes wide in amazement, "they're beautiful." Upon hearing this, Jun turned her head away, a deep blush forming on her face as she giggled, only for Nan to gently use his hand to pull her face back. And for the two teenagers at that moment, time seemed to slow down as their lips met in their first kiss. However, the tender moment was interrupted by another male voice.

"Alright lover boy, that'll be enough of that." Looking to the source of the new voice, Nan rolled his eyes at the grey furred buck that had been a thorn in his side since he was made acting leader of the Eighth Regiment.

"Buzz off, Xiongdi," Nan snapped back, only succeeded in agitating the much taller buck, his brown eyes staring menacingly at Nan.

"How about a little more respect, BOY," Xiongdi spat back.

"I reserve my respect for people like the General or the Captain, people who deserve it."

"Well they're not hear now, are they?" Xiongdi responded after looking around in an exaggerated fashion. Nearby, Haoxin took notice of the hostility between the two bucks. And if their was one thing she knew about bucks, is when they butted heads, it did not end well. Excusing herself from helping a mother pig feed her child, Haoxin, along with a few other guards and soldiers, stepped forward to intervene before a full on brawl could begin.

"That's enough you two," she said in a low, threatening voice, a voice that pretty much conveyed that she was not in the mood for what was going on between the two bucks. Reaching down to the sacks on the ground, Haoxin began to distribute them to the surrounding guards and soldiers. "We need to start handing out this food." Upon hearing this, Nan, upon realizing what he had almost started, numbly nodded in response. But, Xiongdi was far from done.

"What makes you think I'm gonna take orders from some dumb doe." At that moment, Nan, as well as a handful of soldiers and citizens immediately held their breath while Jun and the guards, at first disgusted by the buck's remark, began to smirk when they saw the determined expression on Haoxin's face.

"What's your name soldier?" Haoxin asked in a deceptively calm manor.

"Xiongdi, Missy," the bunk jeered, which failed to faze Haoxin.

"Could you place your right foot forward?" Upon hearing this, Xiongdi soon sported a smug grin as he did so.

"What, are we gonna dance?" he mockingly inquired, taking into account for the first time Haoxin's lithe and curvy figure. "Cause I got some moves I think you'd like." Before the brash buck could even react, he was on the ground with a bloody nose from a savage right hook from Haoxin. Upon witnessing the impressive move from the doe, a few of the men, as well as some guards and citizens began to hoot and holler, only for the revelry to vanish quickly as an even louder explosion sounded over head. Upon remembering the situation they were in, Haoxin turned back to Jun and Nan, the latter staring at Xiongdi's limp form in shock before turning back to Haoxin, who merely shrugged with a smile.

"Looks like you still got it Xin," a female voice sounded from behind said doe. Looking in the direction the voice came from, Haoxin's eyes widened when she took in the form of a dark furred doe dressed in a simple green long sleeved tunic and white trousers, her yellow eyes twinkling in amusement, eyes that briefly flicked toward Nan, who gulped nervously at one of the does that had flirted with him upon his arrival in the city, the doe winking and blowing a kiss with a sly smile. Haoxin on the other hand was completely dumbfounded as she stared at the doe she and a few of the other Palace Guards saved from death.

"I never lost it, Tou Lu," Haoxin responded with a wide smile before pulling the former Poison Clan member into a tight hug, which said doe gladly returned.

"It's been so long, big sister" Tou Lu said after pulling away, smiling from ear to ear. At this point, Nan and Jun had left to help the others, leaving the two does alone.

"It certainly has, little sister" Haoxin responded with a sad smile. Soon, the two found themselves in another hug. Unfortunately, their little family reunion was cut short as another explosion literally shook the ground they stood on. Before long, Hu, accompanied by Huifang bounded into the catacombs.

"THEY'VE BREACHED THE MAIN GATE! NAN!" Hu hollered to the young buck who stood at attention, "YOU AND A HANDFUL OF MEN WILL STAY HERE! THE REST OF YOU, WITH ME!" Before long, about four-fifths of the soldiers in the catacombs, a slightly disoriented Xiongdi among them, bolted after Hu, leaving Huifang alone, the young doe quickly running to Haoxin.

"Jade needs as many, oh high Tou Lu," Huifang began, but quickly greeted the long absent doe, "Jade needs as many of us as possible to protect Xiao."

"Mind if I tag along?" Tou Lu inquired in a playful tone.

"The more the merrier," Haoxin respond, clapping Tou Lu on the back.

"Yeah," Huifang responded, "it'll be just like old times." And with that, the trio of does and the Palace Guards, save for Jun and a few others, bolted out of the catacombs to join the fighting force on the surface.


"GO! GO! GO!" Chang was screaming at the top of his lungs as he and a majority of the Eighth, now clad in helmets and chest armor, charged at the advancing terra cotta warriors. It had only been ten minutes since the enemy had breached the city's main gate, but try as they might, the ranks of experienced soldiers could not push them back. The musket and canon fire were proving to have little effect on the demonic soldiers, who just seemed to keep coming in droves, no matter how many were shattered.

"FOR THE EMPRESS!" Chang turned just in time to see a charging buck take a direct hit to the head from a blast from a terra cotta warrior.

"FOR CHINA!" Looking to another soldier, Chang witnessed the wolf take a direct hit through the chest, the sickening sight of bone being bushed out the back with the soldier being thrown back a few feet shocking him. Looking around frantically, Chang watched in horror as several of his comrades in arms were mowed down as if they were nothing. Slowly, the peel of muskets began to be replaced by said weapons clattering to the ground as the enemy quickly advanced, taking down as many soldiers as possible. At this point, Chang knew there was no chance.

"FALL BACK!" he called, firing his pistol into the head of a dangerously close terra cotta warrior a second later. "FALL BACK!"

"HOLD YOUR POSITIONS!" A gruff feminine voice hollered. Chang was then met with the sight Po, Tigress, Nu Hai and Fan Tong jumping right into the fray, the three pandas using their chi to decimate the advancing warriors, all while Tigress used her exemplary Kung Fu skills.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M FIGHTING SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH THE MASTER TIGRESS!" Nu Hai squealed as she blasted five warriors with her chi. Upon hearing this, Tigress couldn't help but chuckle at the young panda's enthusiasm. Po, on the other hand, was a little annoyed at this.

"NU HAI, FIGHT NOW, FREAK LATER! CHANG!" Po yelled to his friend, "DO AS TIGRESS SAYS AND HOLD YOUR POSITION!"

"YOU HEARD HIM MEN!" Chang called back, "PUSH FORWARD!" Before long, the men under Chang's command began to make a noticeable dent in the enemies ranks, thanks to the aid provided by their Kung Fu friends.

"How are we doing on the other fronts, Po?!" Chang inquired as he came up alongside his friend. Dispatching another warrior, Po turned to Chang.

"Shifu, the rest of the Five, Bao and Jing are holding at the city square," Po began, the duo dispatching more warriors as they spoke, "and Croc, Han and the Wu's are trying to hold them back at Army Headquarters!"

"Army Headquarters?!" Chang asked, very confused, until a sudden realization came to mind. Ox.

"PO!" Looking up, the duo saw Crane and Xinshi flying toward them.

"Crane!" Po called back as the two birds worked hard to dodge incoming fire, finally succeeding in landing in front of Po and Chang. "What is it?"

"Master Croc, Han and the Wu Sister's are being overwhelmed at Army Headquarters!" Crane breathlessly explained. Seeing her fellow avian still recovering, the much more alert Xinshi chimed in, looking to Chang.

"Han want's you to meet him and the Wu's at the palace!" Upon seeing Chang's concerned expression, Xinshi answered the captain's obvious question before he could ask it. "Master Shifu is sending Mantis and Monkey to aid Master Croc! Now go!" Looking to Po, Chang received a nod of encouragement from his friend. After patting the panda on the shoulder, Chang bolted for the palace.


The Imperial Palace


Within minutes, Chang found himself bounding up the steps of the Imperial Palace, the noise of battle surprisingly quieter from this point. Upon reaching the doors to the throne room, Chang quickly removed his helmet as two guards allowed him to enter. Upon entering the throne room, Chang could see that Han and the Wu Sisters had already arrived, the latter with his own helmet tucked under his arm. The quartet, upon noticing Chang's arrival, stopped their conversation with Xiao and Jade, who was flanked by Huifang, Shi Long, and Haoxin, as well as a dark furred doe that he vaguely recognized as one of the does who flirted with him and Nan upon their arrival.

"HAN!" Chang called as he bounded toward the group, "I came as soon as Xinshi told me. How bad is it?" Upon seeing Han's somber expression, Chang feared the worst.

"Jindiao's forces are close to taking Army Headquarters." Han said with a sad sigh. "If they do that, then there will be nothing to stop them from advancing toward the palace."

"What about Ox?" Chang inquired.

"A small contingent has been sent to guard him," Su added, arms crossed in front of her chest as she spoke. Xiao was next to speak.

"Why do you ask Chang?" she inquired. It was at this point that Chang could not believe that his allies could not see the obvious problem they faced. Once more, he had to be the voice of reason.

"Ox is a member of the Master's Council," Chang began to explain, "which means he has had access to sensitive Imperial and military records." Slowly, the other's began catch on to what Chang was implying.

"You're saying," Jade began, stepping toward her lover as she spoke, "that if the enemy finds out where we are holding Ox in Army headquarters, then they can help him escape in order to get that information?"

"Exactly," Chang said, "and I have a sneaking suspicion he knows a lot."

"How do you mean?" Shi long inquired.

"At first I thought it was just a coincidence," Chang began, "but during our recent engagement with the Dzungar Army, the enemy was very sloppy at first. But slowly, they became more swift and precise."

"Are you saying Ox had helped them?" Xiao asked, her concern growing by the second.

"Possibly," Chang continued, "but then again we couldn't have known of his treachery at the time. But when we returned with him in our custody, A soldier had told me that Ox had made an 'off the books' inspection at Army Headquarters during our fight with the Dzungars. Said he was poking around the archives, as well as Han's and my quarters." This further fueled the unease of everyone else in the room.

"Was anything missing?" Wan inquired.

"No," Chang answered, but he still held a suspicious expression on his face, "but I did find one of strategy books out of place in my quarters. Now I know it is no coincidence."

"What coincidence, Chang?" Han inquired, annoyance laced with fear evident in his voice.

"The terra cotta warrior's attacks are so efficient, it's my strategy they know. Just like the Dzungars." Huifang gasped in surprise.

"Are you saying...?"

"Yes," Chang quickly interrupted, an enraged expression now on his face, "Ox has been against us from the start." At they moment, the tension became even more strained. After a few moments, Jade spoke up.

"Something has to be done," she proposed. "We can't run the risk that Ox might escape."

"As long as Ox is alive, he is a danger to every one of us," Chang said with a firm nod. Upon hearing this, Han let out a long sigh.

"I...agree," he said in a defeated tone. "But not before WE can get some information out of him." With that said, Han and Chang, accompanied by the Wu's and Jade began their trek to Army Headquarters.


The Brig, Army Headquarter


The small group, led by Han and Chang, were escorted down one of the many halls of Army Headquarters, the muffled sound of battle echoing everywhere. Before long, they were lead into a large, four story rotunda, bared gates lining every wall on every floor. Moving to a set of stairs, the group ascended to the next level. Before long, they were standing in front of a rather large cell, the sole occupant pacing like a wild animal. Upon noticing the group, Ox offered a small, teasing smile.

"So glad you could find the time to visit," he said in mock friendship. This did little to amuse the group. Chang stepped forward, wanting to get right to the point.

"You are going to be executed, Ox," he sneered, "but we need to ask you some questions first." Upon hearing this, Ox, rather than appear fearful, actually appeared pleased. Taking a seat on his bunk at the far end of the cell, which was only about ten feet from the gate, Ox leaned forward with keen interest.

"Fire away," he said with a shrug. Although greatly annoyed by Ox's casual demeanor, Han decided that know was the most opportune time to control his ever flaring temper. After taking a deep breath, Han began.

"Why aid the Dzungars?" The answer was surprisingly quick.

"Baigujing wanted to lull you into a false sense of security." The group was dumbfounded.

"I don't understand," Jade said. Ox, with a soft chuckle, responded.

"It's very simple," he said. "You see, the Dzungars were always meant to lose, puppets controlled by Baigujing. With China's enemy defeated once again, the people's valiant soldiers, the Eight Royal Regiment, the ones who had been at the forefront of the conflict since the beginning, would be called back to the capital to celebrate. The people, the soldiers, even the empress would be unsuspecting of any further hostility."

"And yet you help to bring that hostility," Su growled menacingly, only to be silenced as Han held up his hand, a signal to control herself.

"As I said back at the Fortress," Ox said with a shrug, "or rather, allow me to indulge you a little further. I have seen the evil yet to come, petty assassins to individuals, those who seek to disrupt the course of peace. Baigujing was to help me stop the current flow of history, which I will admit was very clouded." At that moment, Ox bowed his head, a sad sigh escaping his lips. "But with her death, everything I had hoped for has vanished. The course of history has not changed, and has become even more clear."

"So now you can live the last minutes of your life," Wing stated with a sneer, "knowing that the hundreds of lives you have 'sacrificed,' have amounted to nothing." After a few moments of silence, Chang and Han began to draw their pistols. Motioning to a nearby soldier, said soldier proceeded to unlock Ox's cell. But as the cell door opened, Ox said something that made them stop in their tracks.

"What are hundreds of lives compared to millions? But as of know, I see you are right."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Han growled as he leveled his pistol at Ox's head. Ox merely chuckled.

"As I had said before," he said through his chortle, "combined, these future evil-doers will have the blood of millions on their hands."

"So this makes killing hundreds upon thousands 'justifiable?' Is that it?" Jade fumed, reaching for her dagger that she kept on her hip. Ox merely shrugged.

"While it may sound hypocritical, one of these futures tyrants would say 'one is a tragedy, while a hundred is statistic."

"I've heard enough," Chang growled as he cocked his pistol, taking aim at Ox's head alongside Han.

"You're not going to kill me," Ox said in a deadpan manner.

"Oh yeah," Chang growled through gritted teeth. Looking at Chang, Ox merely smirked.

"I have seen the future. What happens next, places everything in motion." At this point, Han's hand holding his pistol was shaking. While he wanted to just end Ox right then and there, curiosity got the best of him.

"What is being put into motion?" To everyone's surprise, Ox actually offered a warm smile to Han.

"The defeat of Jindiao."

BANG!

In that instant, Ox fell back with a yelp a pain, a fresh bleeding wound in the middle of his chest courtesy of a musket ball. Turning to the source of the shot, the groups eyes widened to see Mu Lang leap from the platform just above theirs to the ground floor before bolting down the hall, throwing daggers at any soldier who stood in her way.

"JADE!" Chang called, "ON ME!"

"RIGHT!" Jade responded before leaping over the railing of the landing, followed closely by Chang who opted to use the stairs. Before long they were chasing after Mu Lang. Meanwhile, Han and Su knelt by the barely breathing Ox, his breath rasping as the life left his body.

"How do we stop Jindiao?" Han whispered urgently. Weakly turning his head, Ox offered a sad smile as he spoke in raspy whisper.

"If I tell you what is going to happen," he began, "it won't." As soon as he said this, Ox began to violently cough, small amounts of blood leaking from his mouth. "T-tell Croc and the others..." another cough, "I-I'm sorry. I was so blinded by the future, that I failed to live in the present. And also..." at that moment Ox beckoned both Han and Su forward, whispering into their ears so that Wing and Wan couldn't hear. After a few seconds, Han and Su pulled away from Ox in shock.

"You mean...?" Su began to inquire in a shaky voice, only for Ox to silence her by taking her hand in his, offering a sad smile as he nodded.

"Go and bring a little bit more peace into the world, as I should have done." With that, Ox closed his eyes as his body went limp, the legendary master passing away, at peace with those around him, as well as himself. After a few moments of silence, Han and Su stood. After a few more moments of silence, Wan finally spoke.

"What did he say?" She inquired, only for Han and Su to smile tenderly at each other before answering.

"Nothing you need worry yourself over," Su said, gently cupping her little sisters cheek before she and Han motioned for the two confused sisters to follow them. Before long, the quartet where running in the direction they had seen their friends go. After a few minutes they caught up to the duo, who looked very frustrated.

"Mu Lang?" Han inquired.

"Gone," Chang growled as he threw his helmet as he took a few steps away. Once again, the group was enveloped in silence, the sound of battle the only thing being perceived at that moment. That is until, a booming voice all but deafened them, leaving them no choice but to cover their ears to lessen the sound. Jade even huddled close to Chang as tears of fear fell from her eyes as she was once again forced to hear the voice of the being that had betrayed her.

"CITIZENS OF THE FORBIDDEN CITY! I AM DRAGON MASTER JINDIAO! YOUR SOLDIERS HAVE FOUGHT VALIANTLY, BUT IN THE END IT WILL AMOUNT TO NOTHING WHEN I TAKE CONTROL OF THIS CITY! BUT, I AM NOTHING IF NOT MERCIFUL! YOU CAN CHOOSE TO LIVE ON YOUR KNEES, OR DIE ON YOUR FEET! I WILL WITHDRAW MY FORCES AND GIVE YOU ONE HOUR TO DECIDE! TAKE THIS TIME TO DISPOSE OF YOUR DEAD WITH DIGNITY!"

And in an instant, the booming voice had fallen silent, as well as the sounds of battle outside. Cautiously, the group slowly crept outside. Upon entering the courtyard, all were unnerved at the silence that had fallen over the city. But as the group looked around, their attention was suddenly brought to the direction of the Palace, were a large plume of smoke seemed to be originating. Jade's eyes widened in fear. Before the other's knew what they were doing, they found themselves bounding toward the Palace gates.

Upon entering the Palace courtyard, the group could see large portions of the ground had been blown apart. Upon looking at the palace itself, they all stared wide eyed as a large portion of the facade had been blow away with smoldering timbers causing the smoke. As they walked toward the palace, the group was confused to see no bodies in the courtyard. Even more so when they found none in the palace, the many hallways instead strewn with rubble.

"It's quiet," Chang astutely observed. A few minutes of silence passed as the group stood in confusion.

"Where is everyone," Jade asked. After another few minutes, they got their answer in the form a physically and emotionally exhausted Hu, his surgeons apron and his exposed forearms, courtesy of have his sleeves rolled up, covered in blood..

"We're in the catacombs...It's bad."