Sorry I haven't updated in a while. Writers block for this story hit me like a truck...a lotta trucks. Plus real life stuff.

And like I said, things get rather chaotic here. Excuse the short length, if you will.

Let's begin.

The wind was howling outside of the Tower of Sacred Flame. Though it did nothing to unnerve any of the warriors that were currently gathered at the very top floor. Far from it. One was glaring furiously at the other, while the latter was looking confused and was just trying to figure out what's going on.

...Let's try to be more specific.

Shen has found the ultimate threat to all of his plans, the absolute bane of his existence despite the fact that they never formally met. Even with that, just the mere concept of the 'Warrior Of Black and White' being alive this whole time very much unnerved him. He couldn't always sleep well with the hidden possibility of him actually missing a couple of pandas, and one was plotting against him from the shadows. Though his 'threat' turned out to be less intelligent than he thought, and he wasn't even after him personally. Thought if his reasons for going after him weren't personal, then he didn't yet know the truth. He smirked silently, he could quite possibly use this cluelessness to his advantage. Though he also couldn't underestimate the panda. He had just busted a large hole through his wall after all.

Po was the latter warrior, scratching his belly as he looked at Shen curiously. The wind from before was making his scarf flowing gently with the wind, and his hat hung behind his head. He was currently trying to figure out why the peacock hated him so much, while also trying to figure out just what kind of connection the two of them have. He has been having multiple visions throughout his journey to Gongmen, and this peacock was a very constant image in many of those flashbacks. It wasn't difficult to figure out that none of those memories were good ones, and somehow Shen was involved in it. So he was feeling quite determined to find out just how connected the two of them really are. Though he also wanted to beat up Zhong for taunting him and mocking his lack of memory. He may have Tai Lung as an ally within the tower, but he accidentally left the rest of his friends behind. Shen wouldn't be letting him leave this tower without a struggle.

The Soothsayer watches anxiously as the two of them stared each other down. This has been a long time coming. Even if it starts in the strangest of ways. Though it was very clear that Po did not know what was going on, nor was he very knowledgeable of the situation he was being placed in. Which means the young panda was in for a very rude awakening. And if it was already here, then he's stepped into a nightmare, most likely. Though he will have to be able to endure it, if he were to ever come to terms with what happened, and become much stronger from the experience.

That is...if he survives. Many things are likely...but very few times are any of them completely certain. Only time will tell how events will transpire for this panda's future...

Po rubbed his neck as he stared at Shen awkwardly. "Sooo...ya mind telling me why you're trying to kill me? I know we"re connected. But what I don't know why you're trying to kill me! I didn't do anything to you! At least...I think I didn't...no wait, of COURSE I didn't!" He pointed towards Zhong. "He was toying with my mind! And my emotions! Who is he?!" He pointed towards Shen. "Who are you?!"

Shen lowered his eyes slyly. "You would like to know all of that, wouldn't you? You'd believe I would hand over the answers that you seek just because you ask for them? Why should I assist my worst enemy?"

Po groaned as he grabbed his face with his paws. "Dude. I am pretty damn sure I didn't do anything to you! We just met! And so far you're being a total jerk to me for no reason! A lot of nameless thugs try that a lot, but you're the first who's making a really big effort into doing so, AND making it personal! Can you tell me why?!"

Shen cocked his head to the side and laughed in a sinister manner...then he frowned. "Tempting...very tempting...however, I'll have to decline."

"Oh COME ON!" Po's complaining was cut off by Shen unsheathing more knives and throwing more of them at him with deadly precision. He gasped as he just barely managed to dodge three knives, and winced slightly when one managed to knick his cheek. He widened his eyes as he waved his paws at Shen. "Dude, stop throwing knives at me!"

"Ah. Don't desire long-ranged combat? Then allow me to get close and personal." Shen tossed a rope dart towards Po. It swiftly wrapped around Po's wrist when he tried to defend.

"What the-WOAH!" Po gasped as he was pulled forward by the dart, and he fell to the ground a couple feet in front of his adversary. The peacock them kicked at a weapons shack near him and grabbed it with a couple twirls and jabbed it down on Po's head. He rolled sideways and heard the blade stick punctured through the wooden floor. He stood up, only to bend backwards to avoid the vicious kick from Shen's metal talons. "Sheesh! What is it with you and sharp things?!"

"It's amusing to watch my enemies bleed." Shen replied simply.

Po blinked and pointed at the peacock accusingly. "That...is messed up. You're seriously messed up, dude!" Shen was genuinely surprised by the outburst, while Tai Lung stifled a hearty laugh. Zhong tilted his head at the snow leopard.

"You're not gonna help your buddy?"

"He doesn't need my help. Not right now, at the very least." Tai Lung shrugged. "I suppose you're going to try me, Pup? You look like you're much tougher than your rather lax subordinates."

Zhong shook his head. "No way. I know when I'm out of my league...too bad the Gorillas don't."

Tai Lung takes the warning casually as he bends sideways to avoid a harsh blow from behind. "Yeah, I did notice that they're the more pathetic one because their brain power is laughable. Come to think of it...so is their regular power." He sensed another swing coming towards him, and he caught the fist in his paw. "See what I mean? Laughable. Buzz off, chimps. I'm having a coversation." Tai Lung grabbed hold of the arm and swung down hard, flipping the gorilla over his shoulder and slamming him through the floor.

Po kept stepping backwards as Shen attacked him with multiple talon slashes and knife throwing from multiple directions. He rushed forward to strike him, though Shen flashed his train in front of his face, causing him to freeze up from the shock. The red eyes...the signature red eyes that haunted most of his visions, daymares, and nightmares. They never ceased to appear to hurt him, to horrify him, to taunt him with his lack of knowledge. And now it was happening again. Po didn't recover fast enough for him to see Shen kick him in the cheek once again, sending him across the room. He groaned when he hit his head on one of the pillars, rubbing it slightly.

"Grrr...hey guy! You can't just flash me like that!"

He has no idea how wrong that sounds, does he? Tai Lung and Zhong sweatdropped.

"You're not making this a fair fight! With you constantly throwing and lashing sharp things at me!"

"Now who said I was going to fight fair?" Shen smirked as he tossed more knives Po's way, while the panda deflected all with semi-precise paw strikes.

Po narrowed his eyes as he tightened his scarf and placed his hat on his head. "So that's how it's gonna be, huh? Fine." Shen threw his rope dart at Po again. He dodged to the side and grabbed the rope before the dart could finish it's journey. "If you're not gonna fight clean, I don't see why I should!"

He grabbed onto the rope with his other paw, and then tugged hard. Shen's eyes widened as he was lifted off the ground against his will and was sent flying. Po began swinging the peacock around via rope, earning a loud panicked caw from from him. He swung downwards and watched as the peacock was slammed into the ground which caused a pained cry. He then swung to the side, and the peacock was slammed into a pillar, earning yet another pained cry. Po grinned.

"Let's see you try to throw that thing at me now, huh?!" He swung upwards, and Shen crashed right into the ceiling. He then pulled the rope hard and sending him back towards Po. He took a deep breath as he sucked in his belly for a moment. When Shen was in the right position, Po thrusted his belly right into Shen and sent him flying across the room, and crashing into the cannon in the room. The sound echoed throughout the entire room, and he gasped at the sudden pain in his ribcage. "Ooooh...okay I might have overdid it a bit."

Tai Lung rolled his eyes. "You didn't go too far, Po. This peacock is just too fragile to take a lot of heavy hits. The guy is far weaker than he likes to set himself up as."

"Really? Are you sure?'

"Pretty positive."

"Weak...? You call me weak?!" Shen snarled dangerously, spitting blood out of his beak and wiping some of it from his chin. "Do you think of me of such a minor threat that you would call me weak?! Blasted feline!" He stood up, ignoring the severe pain in his ribs in order to stay focused. "You shall not mock me, Tai Lung. Nor shall this overweight buffoon!"

Po blinked. "All I asked is why you were trying to kill me so badly! Do you seriously hate pamdss so much?! What could they have done to you that would warrant this much hatred?!"

Shen coughed a bit more as he wiped more blood from his beak, glaring at the panda before him. "That is really none of your concern. I don't care how, and it doesn't matter why. The only thing I shall make certain is that you shall die today. I do not care who else survives my onslaught. But know this, I will make your death an absolute certainty."

Po rubbed his neck. "Okay...I think this is bordering on obsession, dude. I think you'd better sort out your bloodlust issues-GAH!" Po was batted aside by the fist of a gorilla sneaking up on him. He hits a nearby pillar and collasped nearby it. He slowly pushed himself up, rubbing his head. "Okay...blindsided by that gorilla guy..."

"You've made a very poor mistake at that moment, big guy."

The gorilla tilted his hesd as he turned around...as he was met by Tai Lung's fist. The blow sent him straight through the wall and sent him plummenting into the Earth, resounding through the area with a loud crash and a crater resides in the ground. Shen took advantage of the distraction and jumped out of the window, flying away from the tower with haste. He was done there, no longer needing it. Boss Wolf narrowed his eyes, and escaped through the window himself, making well timed jumps across buildings in order to descend. He didn't want to get caught up in what would happen next.

Tai Lung rushed to help Po up. Po groaned as he tried to stand on his feet on his own. "Something is wrong...why would they just take off like that?"

Tai Lung shook his head. "Whatever reasons he has, it's definitely not good for us."

(Outside Tower Of Sacred Flame)

"Sooo...can we seriously not talk about this fairly?" Monkey said with his paws in the air, smiling nervously. Ox responds by running towards him horns first. Monkey backflips to dodge the charge, watching him crash into a nearby cart. He lands perfectly on his tail, sighing. "I figured it wouldn't be that easy. Nothing like this is ever that easy."

"Can't test ourselves if everything was easy, now could we?" Peng clenched his fists as Rhino slammed his hammer down on the ground, laughing heartily.

"I like this little one!" He said with a smirk, yet his eyes were still narrowed as he twirled the hammer quickly and swung it towards Peng. The smaller snow leopard jumped over the swung weapon and kicked at Rhino's head. This was blocked with one of his paws and he pushed the kick away as well as forcing Peng to land on the ground on all fours, his claws scraping against the ground. "Such raw power in such a small body. And it's so tamed. You're a very talented young man!"

Peng blinked. "Master Rhino of the Kung Fu Council is praising me...Lian and Bian Zao are going to get a kick out of this." He jumped up as Rhino swung is Hammer into the earth, cracking it heavily. He then performed a strong axe kick, Rhino blocked with his hammer, causing a shockwave from the two forces resisting one another. "Even though I'm the one doing the kicking!"

"Haha!" Rhino chuckled jovially as he pushed Peng away again.

"I do not see much amusement in this crisis, Rhino! Even if it is just for show!" Croc rolled his eyes as his tail slammed against Fung's. "By the ferocity of your tail strikes, I'm under the impression that you were looking forward to this, Fung."

"I might be. We can't really confirm that can we?" Fung said nonchantly as he through a punch at Croc, which he countered by dodging and wrapping his tail around his wrist. He then twirled him around and slams him into the wall next to the tower. Fung stands back up and shook his head.

"You've still much to learn, my student."

"Of course I know that." Fung mumbled as he first did a leg sweep which Croc easily dodged, though he was blindsided by Fung doing another tail swing that slapped him into the ground. "Though there is a couple of things that you could learn too, geezer."

"Hey! I'm not that old!"

"Ahahaha...yeah you are."

"Ugh...so disrespectful. I missed that about you. You're much more challenging than the other students combined. Speaking of which-"

"They're fine. They're being treated as we speak and fight." Fung nodded as he dodged another tail lash from Croc, then attacked with his own tail, which Croc blocked with his arm.

"Ah. Thank goodness. Glad to know they'll be making a recovery of sorts. I really wish I could have done better for them, like you would have." Croc nodded as he and Fung broke away. "Again...I am sorry that I couldn't have done better for them."

"...You know what, forget about it. I heard that holding grudges is pretty bad for your skin, anyway." Fung lightly quipped. Croc smiled at this.

Monkey continuously dodges the strikes of Master Ox. "Woah Woah Woah! No need to attack so furiously! We said that we were on your side! And I know we're kinda faking this, but-" He stopped as he dodged another strike that was far too close to his head. "I can tell you're now a very cheery guy!"

"Idiotic primate. We're in the middle of a city-wide crisis, and you find the time and brain power to joke?" Ox huffed as hee swung his mace down. Monkey backflips and kicked it out of his hands.

"Joking during a worrying crisis is how I cope! That way I won't be able to show how scared I am!" Monkey laughed nervously as he jumped up and avoided another charge, though this time Ox grabbed Monkey by the ankle and smashed him into the ground and stomped on his chest hard. Monkey grunted and laid limp for a few moments. "Ugh! Unfun..."

Ox was about to stomp again, though he was forcefully kicked back by Tigress, skidding him across the ground. Her claws were sheathed while she clenched her fists, and lightly cracked her neck, her tail swishing in anticipation. "Master Ox. Would you like to try me again?" He answered by charging towards her horns first. She planted her feet and held her psws out. The forceful charge pushed her back a couple feet, leaving lines in the dirt, until she completely stopped him in his tracks.

"Hmph! Your skills are worthy of high praise, Tigress! It is like we said before, you've surely grown!" Ox grunted as he kept taking more steps in an attempt to keep forcing her back. Though she refused to be moved any more than she already has been. "If only we could have met again in under much more comfortable circumstances!"

"Likewise. It's a shame that are duties contrast so strongly despite being similar!" Tigress growled as she lifted Ox up from the ground and slammed him back down. She then lifts im up again and punched him in his chest, which only sent him skidding back a couple feet. "Monkey!"

"Power Toss!" Monkey called out as he leapt on Tigress's prepared paw with Ox's mace in his paws. She then arched back and threw him with impressive force. He managed his grip on the mace while airborne and swung at Ox while his velocity was still high. The force behind the blow was enough to knock Ox away a couple more feet, this time sending him cashing into the walls of the tower once again. "A direct hit!"

"Not good enough!"

Monkey turned at the voice and yelped as a Komodo Dragon leapt at him with his teeth bared. He flipped over him and stomped his hesd into the ground, breaking his teeth. "What the heck?! I didn't see you there at all! Blindsiding is not cool when it's being done to you."

Peng narrowed his eyes as he jumped right over Rhino's charging horn, then straightened himself and punched a nearby wolf into the ground. "You're interrupting our battle! We're all trying ro be decent warriors here and you're making it far too difficult!" Peng jumped again as Rhino's hammer swung at him again, hitting a gorilla that was about to pounce on the young snow leopard from behing and sending him flying through the air. Peng blinked. "Woah!"

"Oops. I seemed to have accidentally hit one of my own." Rhino said in a very convincing mock voice that made Peng snicker a little bit."

Master Croc blocked another tail swipe from Fung as they both began looking around. Shen's forces were slowly gathering around them and they looked like they were going to strike. "It would seem that they are beginning to lose their patience with us."

"Like I care about their patience!" Fung snarled as he swung his tail and it sent a couple of the wolves flying across the ground. "I'm still pissed at them for bullying my men! They're not gonna get much sympathy from me!"

"Our sympathy doesn't matter to them. Nor will it ever." Tigress replied bluntly as she caught the fist of ome of the gorillas and allowed Ox to charge right into him and send him flying through an abandoned building. Viper managed to evacuate a majority of the civilians away from the fighting, so the danger was not totally gone, but it drastically decreased. "I do think that they're growing tired of seeing us still breathing, though."

"Well we're kicking their butts despite they're being so few of us. Of course they're gonna get pissed about our constant resisting!" Monkey exclaimed as his tail wrapped around a wolf's arm, taking the opportunity to flip him over using his own momentum, and the canine smacked into the ground. "We could really use something to clear them away from us!"

"WINGS OF JUSTICE!"

A loud and courageous caw echoed from the skies, follows by a large gust of wind. Most of the soldiers have been swept away into the Tower by the burst of wind, while the warriors managed to gain the strength to plant their feet and stay standing. The wind flow stopped after a moment, and everyone found it safe to open their eyes. Crane was shown with his wings raised as he stood atop a roof where he executed his attack from. He was breathing heavily, as Mantis stood atop his hat and Mei Ling stood by him, checking for any other attackers.

"I think...I got them...ya know, besides our own guys..."

Mei Ling smiled as she patted his shoulder. Mantis lightly hopped on his hat. "Good job, bro! Ya totally swept them off their feet!"

"Oh how very original..." Crane rolled his eyes before turning to Tigress. "Um, I think we're short a panda. Where is he?"

"He's up on the Tower of Sacred Flame. You need to go get him and Tai Lung so we can retreat for the time being. We're going to exhaust ourselves otherwise." Tigress said.

"Make haste. I have a bad feeling about this. Shen must have found the panda by now. Yet it's too quiet inside..." Ox noted, turning towards the Tower.

Crane nodded as he flapped his wings and soared into the skies towards the top of the Tower. "Huh. This place actuslly looks kinda pretty when viewed from an aerial distance. It's too bad it belongs to a crazy tyrant..." He flapped his wings and continued to gain altitude, circling around the Tower a couple of times in order to reach the top floor. Unknown to him, Shen has landed close to his factory, on a vantage point where his tower was within firing range, top to bottom. One of the gorillas placed the Soothsayer safely by his side. She knew full well what he was thinking to do next, and she genuinely got upset about it. "Will you stop and think about what you're doing?! Must you be so blinded by your ambitions that you're willing to destroy where you and your family once lived?! Losing a majority of your posessions is worth trying to kill someone who's innocent?!"

"...On my mark." Shen said coolly, completely ignoring her words. She huffed and turned away, using her cane to harshly smack away a wolf's paw that tried to grab her. She refuses to be an audience to this foolish and barbaric act.

After a while, Crane reached the top platform of the tower, and see Tai Lung and Po standing outside. "Po! Tai Lung! Thank goodness you two are alright...YOU CAN'T JUST STORM ENEMY TERRITORY LIKE THAT ALL BY YOURSELF!" He was mostly shouting at Po, but a bit of it was directed towards Tai Lung as well.

Neither of them paid any heed to the shouting part.

"Oh, hey Crane."

"Yo, Long-Legs."

"You too?!"

Tai Lung snickered a bit. But then his eyes narrowed into slits as he gently pushed those two aside. "Wait...what is that?"

Po and Crane turned and looked out to the distance. They tried to clear their vision a bit in order for a longer range. Crane suddenly gulped. "That...is definitely not good."

Po blinked. "What isn't?"

"FIRE!" Shen said as all of the cannons fired simultaneously and they all launched towards the tower.

...Mother. Crane whimpered fearfully.

A multitude of explosions rocked the tower, greatly damaging it's supports and making it tilt sideways a bit. Tai Lung planted his feet as he looked at Po and Crane. "Time to go! I'm not a fan of Shen's renovation methods!"

"Po! Grab onto me!" Crane shouted as he flapped his wings. Po nodded as he ran towards Crane and jumped off the edge of the platform, and reached out for Crane's legs, grabbing them just in time. "Okay! We're getting out of here!"

Just the moment I needed...Shen grinned sadistically as another call was made, launching another storm of cannonballs towards the tower.

Tai Lung's eyes widened as he realized two of the cannonballs were getting far too high and were heading towards Po and Crane. He groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. This is gonna hurt like hell. But if Po gets killed, Tigress will never forgive me, and I'd rather not lose the progress I gained with her. Not to mention Mr. Ping and Fenghuang...*shiver*...

Po's eyes widened as he also saw the cannonballs heading thier way. "Uh, Crane?! INCOMING!"

"I see them, I SEE THEM!"

With a furious growl, Tai Lung frontflipped over the airborne duo and crossed his arms in an X formation, bracing himself as the cannonballs both exploded in front of him at the same time.

BOOM!

The three of them were shot right out of the sky with highly destructive power. Tai Lung crashed right back into the tower and through the other side, landing through the roof of one of the abandoned houses. Crane spiralled out of control as a trail of smoke followed him, until he tumbled across the ground and slammed right into a wall, his smoking hat landing on his wing. His scarf was miraculously undamaged...unlike the rest of him. A smoke trail also followed Po as he bounced off multiple roofs until he splashed right into the river. His hat separated from him a bit and his scarf was miraculously unharmed, but he was heavily burned and was losing consciousness fast. Ringing filled his ears and his vision began to darken just as quickly.

Consciousness fading...water filling in lungs...seriously burned...yep. You're officially having a bad day, Po... He thought internally as he began blinking extra slowly, unable to keep himself awake for much longer. Dammit...I can't die here...I still need to know what happened...what is my connection to Shen...gotta stop him...gotta...

There was a shadow of a wolf with one eye swimming towards him with haste and trying hard to help him back to the surface.

Then...Po's world became dark.