Ohayho Tokyo! Konnichi wa London! Konban wa New York! CJzilla here with a HUGE chapter. In this update, Tai Lung and Layla finally storm the Jade Palace. Enjoy.
As I destroy this city, alls CJzilla has to roar is this: R&R! Love on me, hate on me... you should know this by now.
Kung Fu Groove
The warmth of the afternoon gave into evening. The sun was beginning its decent over the mountains. Roughly two hours of good daylight were left before the day star disappeared completely over the horizon.
Just as the Valley of Peace was beginning to grow shadows, two figures appeared at the threshold of the village. The townsfolk, pulling in from their rice fields failed to recognize the two individuals until they passed right by them. Mouths fell open, faces went white and panic screams came out as rushed whispers.
"Tai Lung and Lady Layla!" The hushed names passed over the entry of the village like a cold fog.
The vixen and snow leopard passed each other amused grins as the realization of their presence spread. The crowds in the streets suddenly parted, fearfully scrambling away from the two powerful warriors. The Valley's residence was immobilized by fear. Tai Lung and Layla advanced toward the Jade Palace, spreading terror as they walked casually along.
A few blocks away Mr. Ping was closing up the noodle shop for the night. As the last customers left with full bellies one stopped and glanced back at the elderly goose.
"Those are kids for you." The white rabbit voiced with a light chuckle. "They are always missing when there's work to be done."
Mr. Ping hid a frown as he slathered a wet cloth over the dirty tables. The only reason he tolerated the comment was because the rabbit was a regular patron.
"Oh, Po's only out for a minuet." The goose returned, curbing the want to throw his rag at the rabbit. "Good-bye."
The rabbit rolled a toothpick around in his mouth before waving and leaving. Mr. Ping stuck his tongue out at the creature, hoping that the rabbit would get indigestion from the chili peppers in the noodles. He continued to clean up after the busy business day.
Po wasn't far away. The Dragon Warrior was a few yards from the shop, firmly holding what he had just purchased at a near by shop before it closed. Po walked over the dusty streets of the village, with a smile on his face as he held at the two bamboo and paper fans in each of his hands. They weren't as nice as the one of Lady Layla's that he broke, with the cinnamon smell and high-quality red paper, but they would be a good training tool. The vixen did say that using a fan would help cultivate accuracy. Po hoped to use these to build up his precision.
Opening the fans, Po gazed at the design on them. Both had matching pink water lilies painted on the delicate paper. He'd learnt a lot from Lady Layla over the one day she was in the Jade Mountain. The female fox taught him not to limit himself, to not let others limit him and that a great warrior can be from the most unlikely of backgrounds. And that made a warm smile come to Po's face.
The panda walked to his father's shop and disappeared into the building a moment before Tai Lung and Layla appeared at the end of the street.
Mr. Ping was thrilled that his beloved son returned.
"Po! Welcome back!" The aged goose cheered.
Po laughed.
"Knock it off, dad!" The panda shook his head. "I've only been gone for, like, five minuets."
Mr. Ping smiled.
"And I missed you terribly!" He jokingly returned, making his son laugh more.
The goose then caught what was in Po's hands.
"What have you got there, Po?" Mr. Ping inquired as he walked up to the panda wiping his hands clean on his apron.
Suddenly Po became self-conscious and hid the fans behind his back.
"Nothin'…" The panda avoided his father's eyes.
Mr. Ping pursed his beak.
"It doesn't look like nothing, Po." The aged goose grew curious. "C'mon! What is it?"
The panda's face twisted with embarrassment and guilt over the excited look on his father's face. Po relented to his father and pulled the fans out from behind his back.
"Fans." He mumbled as Mr. Ping took one from his paw.
There was a silence as the goose pondered for a second.
"They're… pretty." Mr. Ping's face twisted with a laugh and a skeptical look as he handed it back to his son. "What in the world are you doing with fans, son?"
"I… uh… I was shown how to fight with them yesterday." Po gave a goofy smile. "I bought my own pair so I could… train… with… them."
The look on Mr. Ping's face was priceless. He stared at his son.
"Oh, c'mon!" Po threw his hands in the air. "Fans can be deadly weapons, dad!"
Mr. Ping gave a slow, bewildered and unsure nod.
"Sure, they are, son." The goose gave a fake smile. "A fan can be a deadly weapon… I've heard of fans giving nasty paper cuts."
The goose gave a loud laugh at his son's expense as he turned back toward the kitchen. Since Mr. Ping was family, Po really cared what his father thought so he tried to explain himself.
"They build accuracy, dad!" The panda followed his father toward the back of the noodle shop. "I was shown how to use them by a great warrior!"
Mr. Ping was still laughing.
"Whatever you say, son." The goose voiced. "Now get your fans over here. I need you to put this big pot in the bottom cabinet."
The goose walked upstairs for a moment and Po was down in the kitchen with a red flush on his face. It appeared that his father would never understand the strategic advantage of colorful fans. Grumbling to himself, the panda put his fans on the counter before heaving a big cast-iron pot off of the stovetop. Bending down, he put the caldron in the bottom cabinet.
Just as the panda disappeared behind the counter, Layla and Tai Lung passed the shop. The warriors didn't know that the Dragon Warrior was within speaking distance as they walked down the street. The stairs to the Jade Palace were in clear view now. Both snow leopard and vixen gave hungry smiles as they drew nearer to the Jade Palace. Their prize was only a short distance away.
Meanwhile, up in the Jade Palace, Tigress and Viper walked under the Hall of Heroes' pavilion. The female south China tiger held a tray with a pitcher of cold tea and four cups. Chatting happily, Viper and Tigress came upon their friends and Kung Fu master, inside the Hall of Heroes, lying on the cool floor.
"Why is everyone on the floor?" Tigress asked out loud.
Viper slithered on the ground and looked at Monkey, who was the nearest one to her. The green tree viper gave the golden languor a curious look.
"Did you know the sun gets really hot?" Mantis sarcastically answered.
"Well, yes." Tigress blinked, taken aback by her master and friends on the ground.
"Mantis." Master Shifu reprimanded. "Do not take out our mistake on Tigress."
The praying mantis could do nothing but scowl.
"Let me guess…" Viper moved over the floor to Crane. "Too long out in the sun?"
Crane had his straw hat over his face but the green tree viper could tell he was smiling.
"Yes and now we're paying for it." The red crowned crane sighed. "My legs are fried."
Viper glanced down at the bird's thin legs. Crane's skin was sun burnt, pretty awfully too.
"Just fifteen minuets in the sun." Mantis complained, burnt so badly on his belly he couldn't move. "JUST FIFTEEN MINUETS! It's unfair."
Viper giggled.
"The temple is on a mountain." The green tree snake voiced. "Skin burns easily at high altitudes."
"Now you tell me!" Mantis complained on.
"But I did get my fur a nice golden yellow." Monkey sat up, rings around his eyes were the cucumbers blocked out the sun's rays.
Tigress gave an amused grin before she stepped up to all of them.
"Aloe is very good for burnt skin." The female south China tiger stated. "But we did bring you some cold tea."
Master Shifu sat up, his nose and lips burnt.
"Cold tea sounds great right now." The red panda Kung Fu master smiled.
Tigress handed out the cups of cold tea before walking up to her master. She knelt, set the tray and tea on the floor. Shifu picked up is cup and sipped it.
"Where have you been, Tigress?" He glanced at her. "You could have been getting sun burn with all of us."
The south China tiger grinned.
"Viper and I were sending some girl-time together." Tigress voiced. "Was your time out in the sun relaxing, master?"
The red panda nodded and sipped his drink.
"Yes." Shifu grinned. "But it's a shame the sun has to be so harsh."
He pointed to his nose. Tigress softened at her master.
"I will go to the garden and get an aloe plant." The female tiger stated. "That will help soothe the pain."
Shifu smiled and got to his feet, as did Tigress.
Just then they heard slow footfalls ascending the steps to the Hall of Heroes. Putting their eyes on the entrance, the Furious Five and Master Shifu expected a wheezing Po to come crawling up the staircase, returning from his day off. But as they listened closer, the distinct footfalls of two people sounded on the stone steps. Their pace was slow, steady, tireless and tenacious. The heroes couldn't take their eyes from the entry.
Climbing the staircase, the silhouettes of Tai Lung and Lady Layla appeared before glow of the setting sun. Mouths hit the floor and a silence, not unlike the grave, washed over the Hall of Heroes.
The world around Shifu froze and his blood ran ice cold. It was as if his nightmares had taken on reality, jumping directly from the most innate terrors of his mind and into the world before him! Tai Lung and Layla together as one. The vixen had been banished and the snow leopard was in Chorh-Gom! It was impossible! Both vengeful fighters stood at the threshold of the Jade Palace, their sole incentive to tear it down with their bare hands. Shifu wished and prayed that he was hallucinating from his exposure to the sun. But once Layla's yellow eyes and Tai Lung's golden eyes flashed, the world began to spin again.
Layla and Tai Lung watched the aged red panda's eyes widen in terror as his cup of tea fell from his hand and shattered on the floor. A menacing grin split both warriors' faces. The Furious Five shot to their feet and jumped back, taking a defensive stance in front of Master Shifu.
Both vixen and snow leopard laughed at the move.
"You two are not welcomed here!" Tigress spat, swiping the air with her claws. "Leave now!"
Tai Lung scoffed at the tiger's threat.
"I'd like to see you make us, princess." The cocky snow leopard smiled, extending his claws and scratching his chin.
Tigress narrowed her eyes and she tensed, just a second away from jumping at the two ruthless warriors. Shifu's touch stopped her.
"Don't!" The red panda's usually serene voice was tight with fear.
The Furious Five gave a small sidestep, allowing their master to step forward. Shifu's eyes were still as wide as dinner plates and he was white knuckling on his staff. He looked over at Layla and Tai Lung like they were death on his doorstep. Shifu's eyes finally settled on the silvery vixen.
"Layla… what have you done?" His voice was slightly louder than a whisper.
At once Shifu knew that Layla helped Tai Lung escape from his icy prison and his terror only fueled her pleasure.
"I couldn't let Tai Lung remain in Chorh-Gom knowing that he'd take as much satisfaction as I would in seeing you whipped and thrown from the Jade Mountain, Shifu." The grinning silvery vixen's tone was dripping with evil enjoyment.
"You'll never get the chance!" Mantis barked as he made a movement toward the villains.
Shifu's hand stopped him for advancing further. Willing his fears away for a convincing second, the Kung Fu master stepped forward.
"You must leave at once!" The red panda asserted. "Both of you were banished from this sacred mountain and have no right to be here!"
Tai Lung scoffed.
"Throw your worst, Master Shifu." The snow leopard gave a mock bow that was full of resentment. "We are not going anywhere."
Fear pinched shut Shifu's throat. He knew Tai Lung's capabilities and Layla's aptitude; both were clearly deadly. He could not see anything happen to his students nor would he allow harm to come to them.
Spinning and thrusting his body forward, Shifu guided a blast of energy toward Layla and Tai Lung. The Kung Fu master expected the two warriors to dodge the shockwave of energy, leaving a window of escape for his students. But as they watched, Layla took a firm stance on the floor and held out her hands, wrists together. As Shifu's energy blast came to her, the vixen seized it from the air. She spun and threw it back toward the heroes. Shifu and the Furious Five had barely a second to evade the attack.
Landing back onto the floor, for Shifu, the world went in slow motion. He could see Tai Lung, at full gallop, racing toward him with Layla not too far behind. Glancing to his right, he saw Tigress and Crane jumping to the floor from evading the boomeranged energy blast. To his left, Viper, Monkey and Mantis stood ready to attack. His beloved Furious Five moved to defend him facing a force not unlike a raging river.
No, he thought.
Tai Lung could see his old father figure dazed with disbelief as his new students bolted to protect him. In the same second a scowl of jealousy appeared and vanished on the snow leopard's face before he was confronted by the nearest Furious Five fighter. The golden languor intended to give him a flying kick to the face. The monkey was easily avoided by a quick juke to the left. Leaping over the crane and closely missing the rest of the warriors, Tai Lung pounced on Shifu. The snow leopard took the red panda to the floor in a series of rock-hard blows.
"NO! Master Shifu!" Viper cried out.
As the Furious Five changed direction to aid their master, Lady Layla jumped between them. With a sweep of her foot on the floor, she took Mantis from the floor and sent him flying with a kick. With her leg still in motion, the vixen did a roundhouse kick, stopping Crane with a heel to his face. Monkey vaulted toward her, both of his fists clasped together. Layla couldn't risk injury by standing in the golden languor's path. Instead she turned to the side and as he flew past her, the vixen gave Monkey a punishing elbow thrust to his shoulder. He went straight to the floor and tumbled to a stop.
Tai Lung slammed Shifu into the steps under the Dragon Scroll. The old red panda flinched with every strike his body took but not a noise escaped his mouth.
"Bring back memories, Shifu?" The snow leopard grinned. "About two weeks ago, we had this same fight."
Again he tossed Shifu into the floor.
"I all ready defeated you so this is just a little warm up for me and a refresher for you." Tai Lung held the red panda at eye level. "No; I didn't come back to this gaudy place just for you."
The snow leopard saw that his old master was slipping into unconsciousness. Snorting at how easy it was to beat the red panda senseless, Tai Lung then dunked Shifu into the indoor pond under the Dragon Scroll. After a quick second, he brought Shifu out of the water. The red panda coughed, the cold temperature of the water bringing him out of unconsciousness.
"Where is the Dragon Warrior?!" Tai Lung hissed.
Through the spinning his mind was doing, Shifu heard Tai Lung's question.
"I-I-It doesn't matter w-where the Dragon Warrior is, Tai Lung." The Kung Fu master managed. "You'll never be able to defeat him."
The snow leopard's scowl deepened dangerously before he suddenly lightened.
"Fine." Tai Lung casually stated. "If you won't tell me, I'm sure at least one of your precious students will. Who knows? Maybe the whereabouts of the Dragon Warrior will be the last thing any of them will say."
Lady Layla was impressed with Tigress and Viper. The two girls worked as a team and were putting up a reasonable fight for being trained by Shifu. But the vixen was growing bored with their attempts to help Shifu from the beating he was receiving from Tai Lung.
Viper took a swipe at Layla's ankles, knocking her off of her feet. The vixen fell to her back with a thud. With Layla on her back, Tigress raised her leg over the vixen's form. The vixen had enough time to recover with a back flip before Tigress's heel met the floor where her head once was. Under such a force of the female tiger's stone shattering kick, the granite cracked and spider-webbed around her heel. Layla took advantage of the tiger's post-attack posture and did a round house kick. Tigress avoided the vixen's heel by bending back, but as she brought her torso upwards, Layla scored her foot across the female tiger's face. Tigress spun with the force of the blow and landed on her stomach.
Through the corner of her eye, Layla saw Viper flying toward her. Catching the snake behind her head, the vixen spun and threw her. Viper flew down the Hall of Heroes before she righted and came to a graceful stop. The green tree viper gave a hiss and rushed the vixen again. Layla reached down to Tigress who was trying to get back on her feet. Seizing her by the back of the shirt and belt, the vixen held the tiger in front of her like a shield. Tigress saw Viper rush toward her. She flinched, expecting to get creamed by her friend. Viper stopped clumsily, halting from her charge.
Layla snickered. Predictable.
The vixen planted a kick in the middle of Tigress' back, sending the tiger reeling forward. Tigress held in a yelp of pain as she spun and faced the villainous vixen, Viper at her side. Crane, Mantis and Monkey surrounded the vulpine female. Layla smirked, spinning slowly as she sized up her opponents.
"You five are in over your head." The gray vixen stated. "Yield to me, a greater warrior than any of you can ever hope to be and I shall be merciful."
The Furious Five took a fighting stance.
"You are a disgrace to this mountain, Lady Layla." Tigress snarled. "Your traitorous presence will no longer be tolerated here!"
Layla grinned again, spreading her legs and holding her fists to her chest.
"The only disgrace I've brought to the mountain is letting Shifu and his students remain here." The vixen returned. "That ends today."
Suddenly the fight was halted when a goose happened upon the battle. Attracted by the noise, Zeng rushed to the Hall of Heroes. He never expected to see vicious Tai Lung and Lady Layla back inside the sacred hall, pounding on the Furious Five and Supreme Kung Fu Master. Frozen where he stood, the goose couldn't hold back his thoughts.
"Holy mother of…-!" He said too loud for his own good.
Heads sprung up and blows were paused as the messenger goose held everyone's attention.
Tai Lung recognized the goose, who had inadvertently been the means of his first escape from Chorh-Gom. Grinning ear to ear, the snow leopard then realized a fast and easy way to get the Dragon Warrior's attention.
"Perfect." Tai Lung released Shifu.
From the floor, it took Shifu two seconds to recognize Tai Lung's interest in the messenger goose.
"Z-Zeng!" The red panda cried. "Get out of here!"
Zeng's eyes went wide as he saw Tai Lung stalk toward him. The goose took off running. Tai Lung simply grinned as he sprinted after the feeing poultry. The snow leopard dashed out of the Hall of Heroes and out of listening distance to all inside.
Zeng scrambled to get airborne and away from the battlefield. Just as the goose cleared the tops of the temple's walls, he was yanked out of the sky. Tai Lung had snatched the bird from the air and landed gracefully on the ground, his large hand tight around the goose's body.
"Hello again." The snow leopard nearly laughed at the totally petrified look on the goose' face. "Can you do me a favor?"
Tai Lung asked a more rhetorical question but reinforced his control by squeezing Zeng.
"Bring me the Dragon Warrior. Tell him that Tai Lung wants a rematch." The snow leopard grinned sweetly as he ran his finger over the goose's head. "Tell him that I tire of beating his friends and master and that if he has any type of backbone, he'd show his fat face."
Po moved a mop back and forth lazily over the floor. Moping always seemed to hypnotize the panda and he stared blankly at the dirty circles the mop created. After a day of being Mr. Ping's son and employee and then working with fanatic people all day, Po was wiped out. But he did enjoy his day with his father. The tired panda was snapped out of his thoughts by the sound of marbles rolling around in a hollow box. Turning toward the kitchen, Po saw his father walking toward him with a Chinese checkers game. Mr. Ping smiled at his weary son.
"Don't worry about the floor, son." The aged goose pointed out. "Work is done for the day. Let's play another game."
Po gave a small grin. He knew he'd be no match for his dad. Mr. Ping was the best Chinese checkers player in the entire Valley of Peace.
"Sure thing, pop." Po set aside the mop and pulled off his apron.
Mr. Ping put up the checkers with a smile.
"What time do you think you will return to the Jade Palace?" The goose asked, carefully setting up the marbles.
Po shrugged, struggling with the knot of his apron.
"I, uh, was thinking of staying the night here, actually." The panda gave up on the knot and was now trying to pull the apron off of him like a skirt.
Mr. Ping grinned ear to ear, but Po didn't see it. He finally pulled off apron but it wrapped around his ankles and he plopped on the ground, in a tangled mess of panda and fabric. Chairs went everywhere. Po gave an irritated groan from the floor. Mr. Ping hopped off of his chair, untangled his son's feet from the apron and helped him up.
"No offense dad, but I've always hated the layout of his place." Po glanced over the tiny restaurant. "It's just too small for me."
"None taken, son." The goose replied, walking over to his Chinese checkers. "But all those years ago, I never foresaw getting a son that would some day grow to be tall and a healthy eater."
Po made a face in acknowledgement as he set up the chairs again.
"I need to invest in getting you a bigger noodle shop." The panda pulled up his slacking pants.
"Perhaps in the far future, my son." Mr. Ping returned. "For now, I am content with what I have and with you as my son."
The panda gave his father a grateful smile, even though the goose didn't see it. Then a strange feeling washed over him. It felt like a brick had settled at the bottom of his chest, pressing down on his stomach. It was an uncomfortable feeling, almost like a warning to something bad about to happen.
"Po? What's wrong?" Mr. Ping questioned, noticing his son had grown silent and still.
Po put a hand on his stomach.
"Whoa. I just got a weird feeling, dad." The panda answered. "Like something bad's about to happen."
The aged goose cocked his head as he watched his son stare off at a wall, trying to evaluate what he was feeling.
"Perhaps it's just dinner talking back to you." Mr. Ping shrugged. "Now, c'mon! I wanna thrash you at checkers before we have too little light to play in!"
"All right, all right." Po took his seat with a smile. "No one up at the temple has time for games anyway."
"Then visit me more often!" The goose returned like his son was stupid. "I get lonely down here and I miss wiping the floor with your face at board games."
Po rolled his eyes.
"I will. Can I go first?" The panda's paw was almost over a game piece when they heard a clamor of flapping wings.
Zeng, the Jade Mountain's messenger goose, fell from the sky and onto the Chinese checker board. As marbles went everywhere, Po and Mr. Ping were on their feet. Po recognized the wheezing goose.
"Zeng?! What the heck are you doing here?" The panda asked tapping the goose on the head.
"Ai-ya! You just ruined the checkers!" Mr. Ping sighed. "Noodle hours are from nine to six."
"Dad!" Po scolded his father.
"No-… No… No noodles." Zeng gasped for breath.
The messenger goose looked up at the panda with wide, terrified eyes.
"T-T-Tai Lung. He's back, Po!" Zeng said clearly.
Po's eyes went wide.
"What?!" The panda couldn't believe his ears. "No, no. Tai Lung was in Chorh-Gom Prison only yesterday! He couldn't have-!"
"Po, he's back and up at the Jade Palace!" The goose crawled toward him. "He is fighting Master Shifu and the Furious Five! But he's not alone!"
Zeng stood on the table and looked the panda dead in the eyes.
"Lady Layla is fighting along side Tai Lung." The goose was as grave as a cemetery.
The panda shook his head.
"No way!" Po returned. "There's no way! Lady Layla would never-"
"PO!" Zeng begged. "Tai Lung told me to get you! He wants a rematch. Po, if you don't help Master Shifu and the Furious Five, there might be nothing left of them!"
The shock was sinking in when a crowd of townsfolk gathered outside of the noodle shop.
"Great Dragon Warrior!" A white rabbit bowed. "What are you going to do? You must save us from Tai Lung and Lady Layla!"
"Yes! If you do not defend the village, there is nothing left for us!" A boar voiced.
The worried clamor of the crowd was drowned out by Po's thoughts. It took the Dragon Warrior a split second to make the decision. The panda's face went as straight as a needle as he walked to the kitchen. Grabbing his fans, Po started for the door.
"Po!" Mr. Ping stood before his only son holding his wings to Po's stomach. "Don't! You'll get killed!"
The panda softened at his father's terrified expression.
"Don't worry, dad." Po put on an easy smile. "I'll be back."
Mr. Ping shook his head and his mouth flapped open with worried words being choked out by fear.
"I promise, dad." The panda set his paw on his father's shoulder. "Then we'll finish our game."
The goose took a deep breath and gave a nod.
"Be careful, son." Mr. Ping hugged Po.
"I will." Po returned his father's hug.
With that Mr. Ping released the panda and the Dragon Warrior moved toward the exit.
"I love you, dad." Po gave a wave to his father, still holding to an easy smile.
"I love you too, Po." Mr. Ping returned, trying to keep calm as he waved back.
The Dragon Warrior held his eyes to his father's for a long second before disappearing around the corner and walking toward the Jade Mountain.
R&R! LONG LIVE ROCK!