Disclaimer: I only own what is mine. My OCs and Ideas.

A/N: So I was hoping to upload this earlier but FanFiction decided to give me a "503 Service Unavailable" and then "Error Type 1" when I tried to get into my account so we shall see how long it takes me to post this chapter. Hopefully not too long, I've been on a roll the past few weeks. Anyway, I cut out Danny explaining how he got to K'un-Lun in the last chapter. But I kinda made up for it in this one. I'm going with Peter already knows Danny doesn't have living relatives and focusing more on... you know what... you'll see it when you get to it.

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Death Fury - Thank you and Enjoy!

Chapter 18: Danny

Going up the mountain, even on the paved path, easily took us an hour.

Mistress Kavi walked beside me in case I was to need her help, but she did not hold my arm.

I could notice the progression in my vision returning, there were still blind spots and still blurriness but I could see the path before us without much trouble.

It was also very quiet as we went up. No one spoke the entire time.

I was thankful for that.

"It has been finished." Master Zhang looks back at me as he stops on the path. "The winner has been decided."

I look up at him, his details take a moment to focus, but he does not give me any indication.

I nod my head in acknowledgment.

"No, Iron Fist deserves that throne." Spider-Man's shouts echo over the mountain.

"The contest is over, my friend." I can see him further up the path with Scorpion sitting on the throne.

I try not to let the sight bother me; him sitting there means nothing. The contest is not a race.

"But Danny…" Spider-Man doesn't quite have the words to argue.

Master Zhang walks over and takes 's Spider-Man's wrist holding it up in the air. "The Return of Shou-Lao goes to the warrior Iron Fist, by proxy of his honorable champion, the Spider."

Cold relief runs through my veins like adrenaline.

"No!" Scorpion shouts. "I crossed the finish line. I claimed the throne. I am king!"

"This was not a battle of physical nor combative skills. Shou-Loa reveals the true heart of a man with honor comes victory."

Master Zhang turns to Spider-Man. "We misjudged you Spider; it appears you could teach us a thing or two about humility and honor."

He bows to Spider-Man and I can't help being surprised. That is very high praise.

I take a deep breath and approach Master Zhang as he looks at me.

"You choose wisely," he walks up to me and places a hand on my shoulder, "like a King must."

"This is not right!"

I look over at Scorpion, Spider-Man was tensed ready to fight but he's done his part.

It's my turn to deal with this.

Master Zhang takes his hand back and allows me to step forward.

"Brother, calm yourself."

"You are worse than this outsider scum. You left paradise. You left us. You left me!" He shouts as he strikes me in the shoulder, pushing me into the snow as I try to dig my feet into the ground.

There's nothing under my heels, only my toes, as I look ahead and focus on the half blurry figure before me.

The rope dart.

I lean back quickly to dodge the blow and grab the rope out of the air to pull myself back up over the ledge.

Scorpion pulls his weapon back and I use the force to get closer, landing in a low stance and watching very carefully.

"You think you can just come back and rule us? You're tainted!"

I move my feet quickly as I keep my attention on the bladed part of the rope dart weapon. I dodge behind him and step lightly and quickly around as I move from side to side.

The blade goes low and I take my chance to jump up and kick him in the face.

I land and keep my clenched fists at my sides.

Once he looks at me I hold them up, ready for his next move.

I went to punch him from the left and he dodged, getting a little behind me, but still with his back mostly turned.

He went to strike me with his elbow and I caught his arm with my own, moving my arm up and then down to block as he tries to go around.

I caught his next move quickly and moved out of the way, allowing him to fall face first into the snow.

"I left on a quest for knowledge to better myself. You stayed brewing in anger and spite. That's why you attacked me in New York!" I inform him, I can feel both of my hands unconsciously warming up…

"You knew he was the Ninja?" Spider-Man asked.

"Of course I did," I assure him. "We trained together for years. But I had hoped he might see the error of his ways before it came to this. If anyone has dishonored K'un-Lun, it's you Scorpion."

His slightly adjusted his weapon before jumping up and launching it at me.

My left hand shot out without thinking, burning with the chi of the Iron Fist, and shattering the blade as it connected.

I take a deep breath, going through the motion to regain control of my chi and I ready myself once more for Scorpion to attempt anything.

"Two Iron Fists?" Spider-Man gawks.

"K'un-Lun rewards the worthy. He truly is the one," Master Zhang explains.

I hit Scorpion with my right hand and then with my left right before the chi begins to fade.

The mountain shakes as the light of the Iron Fist blinds everyone momentarily.

I have a feeling they could see it back at the monastery too… and in the village…

I look down at Scorpion, pushing himself up from the ground. "Please, mercy, I am sorry, I was blind."

"Yes, you were, you have much to learn, and I sincerely hope you do, in exile." Master Zhang informs him calmly.

I look over at him.

There will be no changing his exile. But… it still seems very harsh.

Scorpion would think I'm going soft.

"Wait," Spider-Man says. "When did you get your eyesight back?"

"Before the contest, but I did not need eyes to see I had picked an honorable champion." I smile at him.

"So I'm like the chosen one?" Spider-Man asks in excitement.

"Let's not push it."

"I'm so tired." Peter groaned as he laid down on his futon.

He had changed into a loose-fitting changshan but had opted to keep his mask on while Mistress Kavi was in the room redressing my injuries from the past two days.

I feel numb. I'm king, or I will be King. But I don't feel any different.

I'm going to miss New York; the daily excitement, the rush of everyone who lives there. Maybe they don't take it slow like one might in K'un-Lun but there is a beauty I have come to appreciate.

It's going to be hard to adjust back to the slower pace of life here. But I can manage.

"Does anything else hurt?" Mistress Kavi asked as she finished bandaging up my bruised ribs.

"No, I believe that will be all. Thank you, Mistress Kavi." I let out a deep breath.

"Spider, do you require any medical attention?" Mistress Kavi asks.

"Nope, I'm tired and I've got a full belly, all I need is some sleep," Peter says stretching out.

"Have a good evening then." She bows to me before walking out of the room.

"Hey, how does it feel to be king?" Peter asks pulling off his mask.

"I am not sure I have had the proper time to let that feeling come." I look over to the desk where there is a change of clothes and a tray with a tea kettle on it.

I stand up stiffly and put on my changshan top and bring the tea back over, placing it between the futons and pouring two cups.

"Thank you, for everything." I hold out Peter's cup to him.

"You would have done the same, I mean; you have filled in as me not too long ago. Plus, it's what teammates do." He accepts the cup.

I nod as I pick up my own cup and take a sip of the warm sweet liquid inside.

"So… I assume you guys know a ton about me, I mean we shared a room for like two-three months." Peter estimates. "What's the story?"

"What story?" I ask calmly

"So you fought a dragon and got your powers, sure… but… you're a born and bred New Yorker, right? How is it possible you are king?" Peter takes a careful sip of his drink, allowing me to answer.

"I was born in New York City, yes," I confirm. "But I have spent most of my life here, in K'un-Lun."

"So how did that happen?" Peter asks. "I'm curious."

"My father lived here when he was young. I'm not really sure if he was born here or if he came here as a pilgrim like most of the population." I begin. "I don't know the story. And those who have answers seem to shield me from them."

"Maybe there's a reason?" Peter offers. "I guess you don't know until you get the whole story."

"Right," I agree. "He was apparently taken in by the Yu-Ti, that's a ceremonial title for the ruler over K'un-Lun; he should have inherited that title. But, again, for reasons I don't know, he didn't. He left K'un-Lun and ended up in New York, but I don't know why he left here."

"So people just don't tell you things?" Peter asks skeptically.

I close my eyes to avoid glaring at him. "That would be correct. There are things about my heritage I don't know."

I open my eyes and look at him again. "The Yu-Ti I have referred to was Lord Tuan. His blood son, Nu-An, is the current Yu-Ti, and Scorpion's father. Does that make sense?"

"You guys could be called cousins but don't share any DNA." Peter summarizes.

I just nod in agreement. "This put me in front of Scorpion in line for the throne. Some Yu-Ti, and I only mean a few, have been known to have prophetic dreams. It's not common at all, the last one before Lord Tuan was maybe 500 years ago. I don't know how it happens or why, but the signs have been recorded over the years so that monks knew his dreams were those of prophecy."

"Yu-Ti, upon my initial arrival, ordered that I was not told anything about how my father lived in K'un-Lun at one point, or that I was in line for the throne. He died maybe a year or two after I arrived, but months before his death he had those dreams. I don't know what those dreams were specifically, but the monks put the provisions in place and declared that Scorpion or I, whoever won, would take the title of King – not Yu-Ti – to symbolize the new era that Lord Tuan prophesied."

"What's with that?" Peter asks, "Them not telling you things that seem important?"

"Don't you think if they told me all of this as a child, I would have been different?" I question him.

"Maybe, but who really knows?" Peter asks, putting his cup down on the tray.

"Growing up here was hard and confusing, I'm honestly grateful – to a point – that they waited to tell me some of this things, while other things are honestly frustrating." I look out the small window that was providing some light to the room; it had gotten quite dark as we spoke.

"Perhaps we should turn in for the night," I suggest. "You must be exhausted from the contest."

I place my own cup on the tray; I had not realized I had emptied it. I stood, taking the tray back to the table where it had been previously.

"Hey, Danny," Peter hadn't moved from where he had been sitting. "Thanks for telling me all of that. I guess, when you told me it was hard to explain things you didn't understand yourself, you weren't kidding."

I nod in agreement, a light smile gracing my lips. "I suppose."

"Are you going to bed now?"

"I am going to try to meditate some," I answer. "I will go to bed when I'm finished."

I walk back over to my futon sitting down lotus style and preparing myself for much-needed meditation.

"OK, good night then," Peter mutters, pulling the heavy blankets nearly over his head.

"Good night, Peter."

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