"Irreversibility (II)"


The air was deathly quiet.

Everyone was positioned perfectly. Although it had taken everyone quite a bit of time, the Five, Shifu, Alf, Yu, and Zhong managed to tuck themselves behind buildings and within empty shops in the Valley Central Bazaar. They had to have been waiting for at least eight hours, without movement - but as soon as Zeng flew in with news of a "ginormous bull" coming from the east, everyone sprung into action.

Unlike the members of Team Jade, Wang and his Yongshi soldiers were nowhere to be found - he had promised Shifu he would attack simultaneously with the red panda's students, but never quite revealed where he and his men were positioned. The lack of clear communication bothered Shifu, but he was still hoping for their aid once his students started the attack. One thing however made Shifu gleeful - Wang had not confirmed Zhong's idea of using Valley guards to assist their attack, which could mean that he didn't have faith in the wolf's ideas.

A creaking noise, coming from the stone flooring at the center of the massive marketplace. Alf, Yu, and Zhong - all three rightly seated atop the roof of a particularly tall red building - peered down at the sole individual standing right at the heart of the formerly bustling commercial square. Wind blew through the area ominously, touching through Alf's dark hair.

They finally managed to look at the bull. Alf had to suppress the fox's gasp.

Kai - as it turned out - seemed absolutely ginormous by comparison. He was clearly taller than even Po, and roughly on the same size as Wang… and the twin chain blades that the lion had warned them about, were indeed there in the bull's grip. A circle of jade amulets ran around Kai's muscular waist, while green eyes and a ferocious, horned head peered all around him.

"COME OUT COME OUT YOU FOOLS!" Kai screamed at the circle of empty, tall buildings around him, privately admiring how far the Valley had come architecturally since he was last here. "I KNOW YOU'RE HIDING! THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO! I CAME HERE TO DESTROY THE PALACE!"

Alf watched the bull sway below him in anger. Just out of the corner his eye, he saw two furry ears and whiskers just stick out from a large stone, across the center of the marketplace where Kai was…

... Shifu had just waved his finger from his crouched position.

And instantly a flurry of movement occurred.

As if by clockwork, the Five suddenly broke out from random positions hidden across the grand marketplace - Viper and Monkey appeared from underneath a local shop's tiles, Crane had flown in suddenly from the sky, while Tigress and Mantis lunged forward from behind a door.

"ARGH!"

"AGHHH!"

"FOR THE VALLEEEEY!"

Alf watched the Five and Shifu perform a coordinated attack against the enormous bull. Half of the team immediately sweeped Kai's legs, while the rest focused on pouncing on his massive torso. Shifu peppered the bull with quick kicks to the face, while Tigress wrestled the bull down with great strength.

Zhong and Yu watched Alf silently bring out the acupressure cuffs Shifu had instructed him to bring. Alf had to wait for a moment that Kai was vulnerable - currently, he was miraculously able to keep up with even the combined efforts of the Five and Shifu… the bull throttled Viper and Mantis together, spin-kicked Crane and Monkey, and was able to just barely overpower Shifu and Tigress in a gripped position.

Tigress looked up suddenly at Alf, watching him observe the fight cooly.

She nodded.

Alf knew that was his cue.

He leaped down.

In reaction, Tigress and Shifu suddenly pulled back Kai before he could unsheathe his chain blades, exposing his wrists.

Alf soared down, cuffs ready and aimed squarely at the unsuspecting but angry bull.

"ARGH!"

WAP.

Alf was smashed away by a much larger force - but to be more accurate, a much more powerful series of forces - which bludgeoned him to the side and diverted his descent, as Alf crashed into the nearby building wall and flew down, collapsing onto a shop's roof before breaking that too and falling onto hard cobble flooring.

"ARGH - WHAT THE - " Alf let out in anger, seeing an enormous lion - flanked by perhaps ten other men completely shrouded in dark black clothing (or women - it was hard to tell) descend down on Kai, as Shifu and Tigress growled at the misdirection.

Wang and his Yongshi.

Assholes, Alf thought. He never told us that part of the plan…

Kai seemed to understand he was outgunned - with Shifu and Tigress still engaged with him, while the rest of the Five were beginning to recircle - and now, Wang and his soldiers had begun running towards him.

And to Alf's greater surprise, they began firing something.

With small, revolving devices in their hands.

So that's why he leaked the Revolver plans, Alf mused, trying to regain his bearings from hitting the ground so hard. Again - what an asshole.

The bull waved his amulets around, emitting green bursts of energy.

Instant green forms appeared, morphing into the bodies and faces of familiar masters.

The jade zombies were back.

At least fifteen of them.

"Now this is a fair fight!" Kai roared, throwing away Tigress and Shifu to a few zombies before choosing to directly engage with Wang.

The lion seemed to understand, irritated to note that despite the firing of his Yongshi soldiers - the projectiles were not enough to completely stop the zombie army from attacking. Alf grew concerned as two zombies managed to find Yu and Zhong atop the red building - dragging them down to the ground with a crashing thud. His first instinct was to rush to their aid, but the ensuring battle between the lion and the bull was growing far more interesting.

And finally, Alf saw just how strong Wang was.

The physique hadn't lied.

The lion was - incredible.

Wang moved like a rhino and charged like a bull. He suddenly unsheathed an enormous green sword, swiping it down hard on Kai as the bull deflected with his chain blades. Alf observed that apart from Tigress - Wang was the only one fighting Kai on equal footing, as both huge figures became blurry in a haze of sword swipes and blade stabs. Circles of dust were blown away with each and every movement, nearly blinding Alf.

The zombie army, on the other hand - was fully engaged with the Five, Shifu, and the black-robed Yongshi soldiers. Each zombie seemed to require at least one master to keep it under control - Tigress, who usually fought three or four enemies at a time, was barely managing to keep up with just one, which seemed odd for her.

And then Alf grew shocked, recognizing two of the zombies immediately.

Viper was fighting a peacock.

Not just any peacock.

The peacock.

Shen.

And as Alf turned to Tigress again, he noted that she was fighting a snow leopard.

Tai Lung.

The expressions were there. Tigress was fighting valiantly as the zombified version of the destructive former master sparred dangerously with her.

Alf seemed to recognize his opportunity again, acknowledging that he had to get Kai under control before it was too late - and he could summon more zombies.

He picked up the fallen cuffs, watching Kai exchange ferocious blows with Wang - who was fighting with equal power.

A second of pause.

Alf's eyes met with Kai's, as the bull just realized he was there.

Another pause.

Kai suddenly stopped, shaking his head.

Alf watched him fall to the ground, shaking his head like a madman.

"No no no…" Kai whispered to himself. "Not now not now…"

The rest of Team Jade, Wang, and the Yongshi were confused. The jade zombies weren't moving also - and Yu and Zhong noted that everything about Kai's body language seemed to have suddenly changed… he was acting afraid now.

"What the hell…" Alf let out, watching the bull mumble to himself.

"No no no…" Kai whispered again, almost pleadingly. "No… ARGHHHHHHHH!"

BOOM.

A massive explosion of light.

Green chunks went flying.

The bull's head soared over Alf's. The Seeker recoiled in shock.

As soon as the light had dimmed down, Alf could better focus on what was in front of him.

Wang was shocked.

His Yongshi were shocked.

Shifu was baffled.

The Five were baffled.

Tigress was amazed.

Zhong and Yu gasped.

Even the zombies looked oddly off-balanced.

Alf merely shuddered instinctively.

Kai was not at the center anymore. In his place, a strange creature was standing - yet it wasn't really a creature for two reasons: it did not appear to be fully physical, as some of its body was covered in smoky haziness and the entire figure tended to "flicker" from time to time… yet the appearance was so distinctive, so contrasting to everything around it that Alf wondered if it was even something that was alive. The figure's body was enormously taller - taller than Kai, taller then Wang, and ridiculously cold and muscular - a dark, shiny, strangely metallic plate of armor ran across its entire frame… and atop the imposing body, a smooth, pale-skinned face with hair only existing at the top of the head and beard. The face was long and oddly majestic, demanding and controlling, ferocious and seemingly legendary.

There was nothing else it could be.

Alf thought back to all the myths and legends he had read and seen about his kind before.

It couldn't be.

Yet it was.

"It's certainly taken me a while - five years to be precise… and we still haven't reached your world," the figure addressed boomingly, deep voice silencing everyone in its awe-inspiring power. "But - I still don't think we've been properly introduced… I am Omega."

Alf watched the - the Seeker - for that was the only thing to call it - smile at him.

. . .

The location that the two pandas were staring at was so secretive, so well-hidden, and so elevated into mountains that it was nearly impossible to find it unless there were major detours along the way. The two pandas had traveled across frigid snow, harsh deserts, thick jungles, and had completely eliminated dirt tracks and any rocky paths leading towards the location had been abrasively crushed. But as soon as the location - which stuck out oddly as it sat on a rugged mountainscape tall enough to pierce through low clouds - was found, an observer might note that the scenery was actually quite beautiful. Ignoring the perilous and uncertain journey there, the location was magnificent: golden light shining down everywhere, unfiltered by cloud cover, along with cool, clear air that wafted through the entire space.

And a panda village sitting in a meadowland, right atop the mountain.

Po sighed, just waiting for Li to make the last few steps up the cliffside as he got a better look at the village. It was mostly made out of wood and clay, but it had history - although the civilization was nothing compared to the Valley, it felt simple and kind - with a perimeter that could house probably house just about twenty families, a variety of short but fat red buildings within a cobblestone perimeter wall, and a quiet haziness to the entire area.

Li finally caught up to Po. "Wooh! Guess it took us a while but - whaddya think?"

Po looked at the village, feeling a sense of familiar wonder and happiness hit him. He was nervous more than anything - although he didn't see any pandas emerging yet from the cobble perimeter wall, the mystery surrounding the village and meeting everyone… especially in such a secluded location -

"Let's get one thing straight," Po noted. "I - I'm still kind of - uncomfortable with all this."

Li's breath became rough and defeated. "I understand."

"But that doesn't change that you've done all this for me," Po corrected with a smile. "And - bringing me here, and - the chi thing - well…"

Despite all the reluctance Po was feeling, he let himself force a hug with Li. The larger panda gratefully smiled, wrapping his arms around Po.

"Just give me a chance son," Li asked gently. "I can try to make all the years up to you - I didn't leave you, trust me."

Po blinked, wishing it would desperately become true. "Let's go inside."

Li grinned, setting off a small footpath leading to the cobble wall that bordered the village. Po watched the sleepy little town tucked into the middle of nowhere, gentle meadowland surrounding a home of red buildings and old memories that the panda was anxious to experience again.

To remember again.

. . .

"Ah…" Omega gently let out, approaching Alf on the ground. "There's the man of the hour… "

The massive Seeker approached Alf, heavy footsteps mildly displacing dust across the cobble pathway. It almost felt like a theater experience - with so many masters around (albeit restrained), with a variety of tall buildings surrounding the pair, with the strong wind blowing through the crowded square, and with the deathly silence at the marketplace… it all felt surreal.

No one was even daring to move. True, there were enough jade zombies to force back Wang, the surviving Yongshi members, Shifu, and the Five - but more importantly, the utter shock of the moment had compelled nearly everyone to stay quiet and just observe what was happening. Yu and Zhong were lying beside Alf, exchanging scared looks.

"Stay away from him!" Tigress roared, managing to break away from her zombie guards - but was quickly silenced as a wave of Omega's hand forced a jade zombie to slam her face into the stone ground. Another wave and the rest of the zombies quickly pinned down Wang, the Yongshi, and the rest of the Five and Shifu - Alf noted that the power that Kai had imbued the zombies was absolutely nothing compared to what this - man was doing… a simple wave had given the zombies enough power to force down everyone. Alf watched Shifu quiver as the zombified version of Tai Lung gripped him.

Omega kneeled down, watching Alf's horrified face with amusement. "I apologize that it took so long for us to meet…"

Alf gulped, completely at a loss to say anything. Omega's physique and armoring was so incomprehensibly different than what he was used to seeing - red metal upon shiny black metal, with panels that lit up and a retractable visor atop his head. Alf's first thoughts were magic - but something this futuristic couldn't possibly come from just magic, kung fu, chi, or anything else… it all looked out of this timeline.

He looked completely out of this world.

"You - " Alf squeaked out, tortured with fear. "You're the same - the same voice that controlled Tai Lung… that spoke to me in Shen's torture cave… the one I've had nightmares about…"

"Quite a resume," Omega breathed out with a smile, deep, guttural tones rattling the surrounding environment. "My sincere apologies. We were thousands of light years away when the beacon was activated…"

Omega tapped Alf's collar, as the smaller Seeker recoiled in fear.

"...so, it took us a long time to track this miserable planet," Omega continued. "And even longer to travel here - even with our ship's hyperspeed engines activated."

"Hyperspeed," Alf began, trying to deduce what this meant. "Hyperspeed… you - you're from the future?"

The massive Seeker merely laughed this off.

"In a manner of speaking, perhaps," Omega countered. "The more accurate answer is that we come from a far off planet called - Earth."

Alf tried his best to memorize the name.

Earth.

Earth.

Earth.

Why did it sound so familiar?

"That doesn't make any sense," Alf braved on, more courageous now. "How can your - people be so - advanced, while ours…"

"We are your evolutionary ancestors, boy," Omega offered gently, smiling. "My people - to be frank, our people have about a head start of about a few million years compared to this planet's life."

Alf felt even more confused now. He was getting the concept, he just couldn't understand how millions of years could lead to such a profound gap in capabilities between - planets?

He hadn't even processed that yet.

The Seekers were on a different - planet?

"I can sense your neofrontal cortex is overloading," Omega noted, placing a hand on Alf's shoulder. "Relax - we can acclimatize you to all the truths later. But - just so you know - all these years of interacting with your world is not for show - we've come here to save you."

Alf felt taken aback. "Save me? From what?"

He really ought to have attacked Omega by now, but the Seeker's presence was so intimidating and controlling that Alf knew it was a lost cause. He knew that a fight would be pointless.

He didn't even understand how powerful the man was.

A bit farther away and still in the circle of captured masters, Shifu struggled against his magical bindings and tried to scream - yet a closeby jade zombie pinned him down even further.

"From this pathetic world, of course!" Omega let out defiantly, almost as if he was surprised Alf didn't know this. "I'll admit - we did initially come here to find a new host planet… yet the discovery that one of us is here…"

Alf gulped, feeling Omega's face inch closer to him.

"... beguiled even our technological achievements," Omega finished with a flourish. "What is your name, boy?"

"Alf," the smaller Seeker responded quickly, nervous. "Alfalfa Pin - "

"No not the name these miserable lifeforms gave you," Omega let out derisively, looking back at Yu, Zhong, Wang, the Yongshi, the Five, and Shifu - still all pinned down by the jade warriors. "I mean the name we gave you. Your human name."

"Human name?" Alf asked, confused. "Uh - I - I don't know…"

"I thought as much," Omega confirmed, standing up to at least give Alf some breathing space on the ground. "We've run your biological data through our servers at least a hundred times - there isn't a single record of your birth, parental data, or home planet…"

Omega kneeled down, again intimidating Alf.

"So I ask you again… who are you boy?"

Alf's lips quivered, turning his eyes down in defeated fear.

"I'm just Alf."

Omega grimaced, turning away from the boy. Alf watched him walk to the center of the marketplace, avidly surveying the rest of Team Jade - still firmly pinned down by the various jade zombies. Only Wang and a few Yongshi members (the ones that weren't instantly killed) were relatively free to move - yet they feared doing so, for Omega might retaliate by ordering Alf's, Yu's, and Zhong's deaths. A few jade zombies creeped closer to Alf, as Yu struggled to get closer whilst helping Zhong a few feet away.

"Kill them all, except for the boy," Omega declared.

"NO!" Alf roared.

One by one - the jade zombies began unsheathing magical blades, plunging all of them deeply within the bodies of the captured Team Jade members. A circle of cries and roars followed - even Tigress yelped in pain as two zombies plunged two blades each into her ribs. The rest of the Five and Shifu growled and managed the blades from cutting too deep - yet Alf knew the weapons had sunken significantly into flesh. Only Wang and his Yongshi soldiers managed to fend off the blades, slapping them away ferociously - this did little good however, as with another wave of Omega's hand - more zombies appeared out of thin air to pin down Wang and his soldiers, who met the same violent fate.

"ARGH!" Wang roared, held down by two zombies just like Tigress - with four blades total shoved into his ribs.

"DON'T DO THIS!" Alf screamed, noting zombies start to approach Yu and Zhong behind him.

"COLONIZATION MUST BE COMPLETE!" Omega boomed out angrily. "IF THE BEST YOUR PLANET HAS TO OFF - "

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.

Everyone in the marketplace was startled by the noise. With herculean effort, the Five, Shifu, Wang, the Yongshi soldiers, Po - even Yu and Zhong all looked at the source of the noise. Alf was utterly baffled to see the actual event.

The jade zombies holding down Wang were fractured into green chunks.

Wang turned his head to see the source of the noise.

Commander Jinping - accompanied by perhaps fifteen of his rhino guards - were standing behind him. The rhino commander had just shot something - had shot using something very specific… almost unrecognizable because its design had been modified, but the central concepts were there: a long barrel, a smoky chamber, a handle…

A Revolver.

To be precise - many revolvers. All of Jinping's rhino warriors had the devices, all aimed firmly at the remaining jade zombies and Omega.

Yet the devices had some modifications to them that Alf's original design did not have.

A stream of letters written onto the chambers.

Glowing letters.

Something magical?

Alf's mind was going insane. Perhaps Wang had listened to Zhong's idea… and even more strangely, perhaps he had leaked the Revolver plans specifically so the guards would be able to manufacture them.

It was brilliant.

He watched Wang smile out of the corner of his eye, while Shifu growled at Zhong - despite the latter being fifty feet away.

"Um, Mr. uh - Omega!" Jinping yelled, pointing the revolver directly at Omega's head. "Surrender your um - zombie army now!"

Alf could tell Omega's appearance itself was terrifying Jinping and his rhino guard. Omega merely laughed incredibly, clapping his hands together in feral amusement. His shrill tones bounced off the tall red buildings around them, stunning Team Jade and even Wang.

"So perhaps you lifeforms are moderately advanced," Omega noted with a smile. "Such primitive guns… or, do you even know what that word means?"

Alf growled, feeling insulted.

"Very well," Omega continued. "You shall hear from me again."

SWISH.

A blinding flash of light.

Then nothing.

Omega was gone.

Alf looked around desperately, wondering if the Seeker had merely teleported behind him or was above them - trying to place a counterattack.

But no one was there.

What was even more strange - the zombies were lifeless now, laying on the cobble flooring of the marketplace - blades still embedded into their victims chests.

With an effort, the Five and Shifu managed to wrestle themselves away from the fallen zombies. Alf grimaced as the sounds of multiple blades being torn away from skin and muscle pierced the air. He was - at the very least - relieved that Yu and Zhong were not hurt. In contrast, Wang and Tigress roughly kicked the zombies and blades off in irritation. Tai Lung's zombified corpse landed along Shen's - Shifu watched them both lay down in disgust.

"What the hell? Argh…" Crane let out, approaching Alf at the center of the square, watching Jinping and his rhinos search around the marketplace in confusion. "... what just happened?"

The rest of the Five, Shifu, and Wang got up and approached Alf as well. Yu held tightly onto the Seekers grip, while Zhong watched some of the surviving Yongshi just begin to stand up from their injuries.

More flashes of light.

But this time - it was green.

Alf spun around, feeling sudden alarm rush through him.

The jade zombies' bodies - although lifeless - were glowing.

Actually flickering.

Flickering brighter, and brighter, and brighter.

An eery sound.

Like a progressively higher pitched beeping.

It felt off.

"We have to run," Alf started, fully panicking now. "We have to RUN!"

Tigress caught Alf back, tugging his hair. "Settle down there Agatha, what exactly - "

"THESE THINGS ARE GOING TO BLOW LET'S GO!" Alf roared, tearing himself away from her grip to drag Yu forward - the fox however, let out no protest.

The panic had spread to everyone else as well. Jinping and his rhinos began to practically race Wang, the Yongshi, the Five, and Shifu out of the marketplace - running progressively faster and faster without reason. Alf had wished there was more time to explain - but in a situation like this, he could only rely on instincts and judgements - there was no time to delve into lengthy explanations.

"COME ON LET'S GO GO!" Alf screamed behind him, satisfied to see the rest of the crowd - even Zhong - keep pace with him.

The marketplace was at the distant corners of his vision now. They could make it.

He kept running.

A whiz of noises and blurred images - tall buildings and empty shops and colorful schools ran alongside Alf's vision.

"AGH!"

Alf looked behind him in fear, hoping his instincts were wrong.

They weren't.

Yu had tripped and landed hard onto the cobble pathway leading out of the marketplace.

Alf's heart beat even quicker. He rushed against the flow of the crowd, quickly making his way to Yu.

"Get up get up get up baby," Alf tried desperately, hearing that beeping go even louder and more frequent. "We have to go, we have to go… AGH!"

BOOM.

Alf recoiled in pain, as something metallic tore through his right shoulder - grounding him next to Yu.

He looked back.

Jinping had stopped as well, pointing his own revolver at him with anger. "THAT SEEKER DEMON WANTS YOU! IT JUST WANTS YOU! OH SEEKER LORD PLEASE ACCEPT THIS SACRIFIC - "

To Alf's pleasure, Tigress put an end to the rhino's supersitial nonsense by whacking him on the side of the head. Alf noted that the rest of the group were already at the outskirts of the Valley, obviously headed for the Wu Dan mountains which stuck out against the distant fog. They were already at the large red gates newly constructed in the city - Shifu and Crane had torn them open with effortless strength.

Alf turned back to Yu, whose leg was contorted. "Come on - get up get up…"

Yu was completely unable to put pressure on her leg.

She looked up at his stressed face.

Alf looked deeply into her honey-colored eyes.

A flurry of memories passed by them both.

For a second of serenity.

"Alf," she began. "I lov - "

BOOM.

Alf never heard the remainder of the sentence, as the beeping had stopped and a gargantuan noise had exploded - and in an instant, Alf was knocked powerfully away from Yu by a burst of air. He remained conscious long enough to see that delicate paw reach out to him, before both were consumed in a blazing inferno of explosive energy.


A/N

Yes… the grand meeting at last!

Omega is certainly a lovely character to write for. I wanted his first, physical interaction with Alf to be centered around mystery - all his life, Alf has heard legends and stories about how the Seekers used to be… but he's never really seen something as concrete as this. Remember, he's a Seeker who JUST NOW saw another Seeker for the first time in his life… and one that appears much, MUCH more powerful and older.

So there's a natural allure there.

Kai's dead, also. So that should be a cool twist. Hehe.

And… what just happened with Yu and Alf?

Well - you'll see.

Heh.

Support is love, support is life.

~TW