Ohayho Motherhopers! CJzilla here with a lightning fast update. In this chapter, it seems that Lady Layla and Tai Lung have the upper hand in this battle. Things grow interesting when Shifu realizes the truth to his vision and he banishes the Furious Five! OoO. But the battle takes a dramatic turn when Po shows up. Enjoy.
As I stomp flat this city, alls CJzilla has to roar is this: R&R! Love on me... hate on me... I don't care.
And to my wonderful reviewers:
silentXtears9331: Thank you. Enjoy this chapter.
D.J. striker: I hope this update was fast enough for you.
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corset-rebellion-follower: Thank you. There's plenty of angst here but please don't explode.
Blue on Black
POW!
Monkey and Viper went flying. Crane and Mantis followed. Tai Lung's mighty fists launched four of the Furious Five out into the training yard. Only Tigress and Shifu remained in the Hall of Heroes. Master Shifu was catching his breath at the edge of the pool, leaving Tigress alone to face down the snow leopard powerhouse and the vengeful vixen.
"Last chance, Red." Tai Lung smirked at Tigress, standing shoulder to shoulder with Layla, their backs to a battered Shifu.
"Submit to your new masters." Layla's tail flicked to the side.
Tigress' muscles burned and her breath was short but she was not about to relent to two twisted villains.
"Forget it! You two are no more masters than I am a quitter!" The female south China tiger growled.
Layla and Tai Lung glanced at each other and then laughed.
"I'm going to have to write that one down." The vixen wiped her eyes free of laughter tears.
Tigress rolled her eyes. Apparently some of Po's cheesy remarks rubbed off on her.
"Thanks for the laugh, princess." Tai Lung gave a wicked smile. "Those words were your last."
The snow leopard extended his long claws and the silvery vixen stood next to her partner with an arrogant smile on her face.
The female tiger took a fighting stance, determination all over her beautiful features. Seconds before the two villains attacked though, Tigress spotted Shifu rising to his feet and dashing toward Tai Lung and Layla.
The snow leopard noticed the tiger's eyes widen for a split second, looking beyond his shoulder. Rolling to the side, Tai Lung nearly received a crippling nerve strike from his old master. Tai Lung heard a yelp of surprise from Layla as Shifu plunged his finger into her neck, hitting one of her main pressure points. The gray fox fell to the ground, motionless. Recovering from his dodge, the snow leopard saw Shifu grab Tigress by the hand and race out of the Hall of Heroes. Tai Lung gritted his teeth. Shifu's move was desperate, not unlike a coward, and threw fuel onto the snow leopard's irritation.
Springing over to Layla, Tai Lung turned the vixen onto her back and crouched over her. The silver fox's yellow eyes met his and immediately the snow leopard could tell that she was terrified. Nerve strikes render the receiver motionless, unable to control their body while they remained alert. The fear factor was powerful.
"Relax, Layla." Tai Lung's face went straight. "I can get you out of there."
The snow leopard moved his fingers over choice nerve points along the vixen's body, releasing the paralyzing hold of Shifu's nerve strike. Layla gasped, heaving in a breath of air that she could control. She sat up.
"Thanks, Tai Lung." She held a hand on her chest, trying to slow her heart.
Relieved at seeing his flame all right, Tai Lung regained his swagger. He got a kinky smile on his face as his eyes glanced over her body.
"I-" The snow leopard was stopped when Layla gave him a rock hard slap to the face.
He reeled with the blow, falling from sitting on his haunches to his butt. Tai Lung clapped his hand on his cheek but before he could start yelling, Layla beat him to it.
"Don't you ever touch me like that again!" She fumed, her tail bristling like a cat's but her face as red as a tomato.
Tai Lung would have normally believed her, but that fiery flush on her face said otherwise. The snow leopard let a naughty smile go as he pulled Layla into his lap. The vixen squirmed but could break his firm grip. Through her struggling, Layla could tell Tai Lung was smiling at her. She smoldered, face getting redder, if that was possible. When Tai Lung was satisfied that she couldn't move, he pressed his mouth to her ear.
"That's not fair, Baby Bird." He whispered, taking enjoyment in watching her squirm.
The snow leopard let a purr go into the vixen's ear. To Layla, THAT was more crippling than Shifu's nerve strikes. She stopped struggling and let out an angry growl, knowing that she couldn't escape Tai Lung's arms… even if she wanted to. The snow leopard held in a laugh.
Letting go of her, the snow leopard sat back as Layla sat on his lap. She gave him a light glare as she folded her arms and sighed.
"We can continue this later." The vixen opened her eyes halfway at him seductively.
Feeling like lightning just hit him, Tai Lung blinked and cocked his head, what Layla just said sinking into his mind.
"I'll hold you to that." The snow leopard tried to give a wicked smile, but his anticipation was showing.
Layla giggled and got to her feet.
"Now do me a favor and let me take Shifu." She voiced, her tail flicking to the side as she drew her fan. "I'm getting tired of kicking around his students."
Tai Lung stood.
"Sure thing, Baby Bird." The snow leopard gave a goofy smile.
Rolling her eyes as Tai Lung's daze, the vixen bounded toward the training yard, her flame right on her tail.
Shifu cast a wary glance toward the Hall of Heroes. Tai Lung knew how to neutralize that nerve strike and it would be in just a few short seconds that he would rouse Layla, and the both of them would pick up where they had left off.
"Hurry! Hurry students!" The red panda rushed.
His beaten and battered students were peeling themselves off of the ground. As soon as Crane, the last one to stagger to his feet, Shifu cast terrified eyes toward the Furious Five.
"Please my students!" He turned toward them. "Leave now!"
Tigress looked at her master with wide, surprised eyes.
"No, Master Shifu! We will not abandon you!" The female south China tiger returned.
"Do not argue!" Shifu snapped. "Leave now! I understand my vision now!"
The Furious Five took a step back, surprised at their master's outburst.
"In my vision Layla and Tai Lung destroy the Dragon Scroll!" Shifu exclaimed. "The actual fighter's scroll will not be harmed, but those who represent its importance to me will be."
The master's revelation stunned his students.
"I will not have those I love destroyed." Shifu asserted. "Go!"
With a thrust of his palms, Shifu let loose a wave of energy, pushing his students toward the door. Tigress, Monkey, Viper, Crane and Mantis were propelled to the exit. His students saw the tears streaming down his face.
For a moment, the Furious Five hesitated, part of them wanted to obey but the greatest portion of their beings planted their feet firmly on the ground.
"We will not leave you, Master Shifu." Viper slithered forward.
The aged red panda wanted to throw another energy burst, hurling them down the mountain.
"I said GO!" Shifu took a threatening step forward.
"And we said NO!" Tigress asserted. "We are a family! Families fight together, love together and move as one! We will not leave your side!"
Shifu's vision was blurry with tears.
"No." He said as loud as he could. "I will not let my five children be killed."
"And we will not let our beloved master be harmed either." Crane flicked his wings.
The red panda's response never made it out of his mouth.
"Nothing you can say will make us leave, Master Shifu." Monkey approached his master with his friends.
"We respectfully decline your totally outrageous order and will reverently proceed with kicking Layla and Tai Lung's butts!" Mantis hopped on Crane's hat.
Shifu gritted his teeth.
No, he thought, recalling to mind what Layla had told him.
"I hope you trained your Furious Five well. Because I will not hold back and continue to let you spit upon Master Oogway's legacy! Mark me, Shifu!"
He could not allow it.
"I FORBID THIS!" He swiped the air with his paw. "LEAVE NOW OR BE BANISHED!"
His students' heads drew back in absolute shock. Only Tigress remained unmoved.
"So be it, Master Shifu." The female south China tiger expressed. "I shall fight as a banished warrior."
UGH! Nothing was working on his pig-headed students! Shifu stomped his foot in frustration. There was a soft "thunk" behind him and he heard Tai Lung's voice almost in his ear.
"Gee, you started the fight without me." The snow leopard cheered.
Before Shifu could spin to face his villainous ex-student, Tai Lung tackled him from behind, pouncing and pinning him to the dirt.
"Wow." The snow leopard awed into Shifu's ear. "Banishing your precious students? You're really off your rocker, Shifu."
Cackling like a madman, Tai Lung sprung off of the red panda and dove into the Furious Five. Hearing blows land Shifu peeled his face from the dirt and looked up. Déjà vu washed over the red panda. His Furious Five were fighting against a much powerful Tai Lung.
"No!" Shifu croaked, pulling himself from the dirt.
Then he felt himself lifted from the ground by the collar of his robe. The world slowed once again as he felt his body swung and propelled back toward the Hall of Heroes. Catching only the sight of Tai Lung beating up his students, Shifu came to an abrupt halt on the stone steps. His vision was blurry and he felt his mind growing heavy with unconsciousness. The red panda then heard steps ascending toward him.
"I promised you I would not hold back, Shifu." It was Layla. "I hope I've exceeded your expectations."
From her tone, he could tell the silvery vixen was smiling. Shifu hissed at his pain, his efforts to haul himself off the ground futile.
"Purging you from the temple is far easier than I could have imagined." Layla stated, clasping the front of his robe and bringing him to eye level. "Years have made your punches weak and your students had no chance against Tai Lung and I."
Shifu tried to blink the pain out of his head.
"Take one last look around, Shifu, because this is the last time you will ever see the Jade Palace as you have always known it." The silvery fox pulled back her fist. "Your corrupt ways will end today."
Just then a voice ceased the fighting and probably the world.
"Holy-!" It was small but unmistakable.
Layla's eyes widened as she turned, dropping Shifu to the steps. There, before the entrance of the training yard was Po, his mouth gaping open and his beautiful green eyes as big as dinner plates. The vixen's heart stopped for a long second before it iced over and dropped to the lowest parts of her body. The innocent panda's face had a horrified expression on it, something that tore into Layla like a dull blade. It sunk into her heart and burned like a red-hot dagger.
Unaware of Layla's feelings for Po, Tai Lung stopped his onslaught on the Furious Five. Dropping the red crowned crane to the ground, the snow leopard turned his hungry eyes toward the Dragon Warrior. A wicked smile spread onto his face.
"Well, well." Tai Lung smirked. "Look who finally showed up. The mighty and powerful Dragon Warrior has graced us with his presence."
The snow leopard gave a mocking bow.
"Welcome to the hardest butt kicking of your life! I'm going to beat your fat butt so hard and so fast, you won't know what hit you!" Tai Lung took a fighting stance.
Po snapped out of his dumbstruck, bringing his eyes back to Tai Lung.
"Oh yeah?!" The panda challenged puffing out his chest but panting since he had to run up all those stairs. "You obviously don't remember (gasp) the tremendous butt whoopin' I gave (wheeze) you last time, so this time, I'll (heave) make sure you'll never forget it!"
Tai Lung laughed.
"Not before I pound that fat head between your shoulders!" He exposed his claws.
"Oh please, grandma." Po returned. "I'll shrink your huge head down to size, by sitting on it!"
The panda shook his butt at the snow leopard. Tai Lung made a face, remembering his head wedged between the temple's stairs and the panda's large rumpus and face-palmed.
"I'm gonna hurt you so bad…" The snow leopard growled as he fought off a flush.
Po laughed at the look on Tai Lung's face.
"If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll get, Tai Stupid." The panda did a high kick and took a warrior's stance. "Bring it on, kitty-cat."
Tai Lung's patience for the pre-battle trash-talking was over. Giving a primeval snarl, the snow leopard took off toward the panda.
Layla watched in horror as Tai Lung roared with rage and began to race toward Po. He'd snap the young panda in half! Jumping from the steps, the silvery vixen sprinted to stop the snow leopard.
Po saw Tai Lung thundering toward him after that, everything happened in slow motion.
Tai Lung's feet made their final contact with the ground as he pounced toward Po, claws extended and ready to rip into the panda, when Lady Layla jumped onto the snow leopard's back and forced him to the ground. Po quickly sidestepped as Tai Lung slashed the air, inches from the panda's belly. He watched as the vixen's weight forced Tai Lung into a face plant. Before the snow leopard tumbled on the ground and down the stairs, Lady Layla jumped off his back. Tai Lung let out a grunt of impact as he skidded over the dirt and down a flight of stairs.
Layla flinched at what she had just done as she watched her flame tumbled down the steps. But she had to! He would have creamed Po! Turning on her heel, Po's fist barely met her face. Out of surprise, Layla stumbled with the blow but she admitted to herself that Po's punch could have been a lot harder, if he wanted to. Taking two steps back, the vixen recovered and placed her hand on her face, her yellow eyes wide at the panda.
Po looked shocked at just hitting her and he quickly retracted his fists to behind his back.
"S-Sorry, Lady L-Layla." He voiced, but he stopped himself and stomped his foot. "You know what? No! I'm not sorry. You are doing a bad thing, Lady Layla! A very bad thing!"
His words had more impact than he could have ever imagined on Layla. As the panda's face grew cross and he charged at the vixen, Layla flinched at the reprimand. Po's strong but gawky strikes were easily avoided by the more experienced Layla, but she wouldn't strike back!
"Po! Po, stop!" The vixen pleaded, slipping under his arm and moving behind him.
The panda's face was unusually marred by hurt and anger. With every passing moment of Po's disapproval and sadness caused by her hand, tore deeper and deeper into Layla's heart. Still she moved backwards, avoiding Po's punches and kicks. Thrusting out, she caught the panda's hands by her robe's sleeve. Layla forced Po's hands down and stepped into his face, her eyes sinking into his.
When Po's eyes met the vixen's, the world stopped. She was able to communicate a volume of thoughts just by her eyes and again, the panda's mind was numbed.
"Po, listen to me." Layla's voice brought him out of his stare.
The panda gritted his teeth and squirmed.
"No! I should have listened to Master Shifu and Tigress! They were right about you!" Po barked.
He twisted and unraveled Layla's robe from around his hands. He gave a high kick, aimed for her head, but the vixen caught it.
"Listen to me, Po." Once again Layla locked eyes with the panda. "I don't want to hurt you."
Po grunted in frustration with his inability to get his foot out of the vixen's hands and how he couldn't bring himself to harm her as well.
"But you attacked my friends and master!" The panda growled. "Hurting my friends is like hurting me."
Layla's face cracked with his words.
No! Shifu and the Furious Five… they are just warriors! She couldn't be hurting Po by harming his them… Now Layla could see the extent of her twisted mind.
But before she could say anything in return, through the corner of her eye, she saw Tai Lung bounding toward them. Layla gasped, released Po's foot and gave the panda a push. The snow leopard flew harmlessly between them but landed in the middle of the training yard.
Snarling, Tai Lung turned and glared at Layla.
"What are you doing, Layla?!" He fumed, a dangerous rage in his golden eyes.
The silvery vixen boldly took a step in front of the Dragon Warrior.
"I will not let you harm the boy." She said, her voice was strong and resolute.
Tai Lung was almost knocked over.
"WHAT?!" He threw his hands in the air.
Layla's face softened.
"Let's just leave, Tai Lung." She stepped into the training yard, pleading with her flame. "There is nothing for you and me at the Jade Mountain any more."
The snow leopard starred at her like she'd gone crazy insane.
"WHAT?!" Tai Lung snarled. "NO! We've come all this way and I am not about to have my revenge yanked out from under me!"
The vixen's eyes went wide.
"Revenge?" She repeated. "We've all ready defeated Shifu and the Furious Five! What more do you want?"
Tai Lung tensed and made fists with his hands.
"I want that fat panda's head on a platter!" The snow leopard roared. "He disgraced me with a defeat. I will redeem myself."
Layla glanced back at Po before she looked back at Tai Lung. Now she was starting to get scared. Could she keep the man she loved from harming the boy she loved?
R&R! LONG LIVE ROCK AND ROLL!