Ohayho Tokyo! Konban wa New York! Konnichi wa London! CJzilla with another update! Short but hey, I have a short attention span. In this chapter, there is one battlefield but many battles being fought. Enjoy.
As I rampage all over this city, alls CJzilla has to roar is this: R&R! Love on me, hate on me... I don't care.
To my reviewers:
Wolf Mystic: KILL TAI LUNG?! Please; he's my favorite fighter... I'll just rough him up a bit.
Blood Dragon JL: Layla's problem is nobody's fault but hers and it's only gonna get worse. To your question (if I understand it correctly) a sequel to "Family Affair"? Maybe; I haven't decided yet but I can promise you that Layla's redemption comes at a price. Thanks for the awesome compliment!
D.J. Striker: Here's your update! ;)
corset-rebellion-follower: Sure, tossing Tai Lung off a cliff would be awesome, but I have a more... explosive ideas in mind for the snow leopard. Just... don't get any ideas about exploding okay?
And to everyone send me your ideas on how to end my fic... What would you like to see happen? I personally would like something like something off of Mr. & Mrs. Smith...
Fox On the Run
Layla hesitated to move and to speak, her mind and heart at a dangerous crossroads. In battle, a moment's hesitation could get you killed.
Tai Lung snorted at his partner's actions. He'd talk to her after the Jade Mountain was theirs. The snow leopard shifted his feet in the dirt. With one flex of his powerful leg muscles, he propelled himself in a sharp vertical leap. Flipping and twisting in the air, Tai Lung flew over Layla's head and he aimed an iron fist toward the Dragon Warrior.
The silver vixen's mouth dropped open at how high the snow leopard could jump from a standing position. But she had to save her awe for another time; as he dropped out of the air, Tai Lung was aiming straight for Po. He was moving too fast and though she raced for the panda, all Layla could do was watch as her flame sailed toward Po.
Snapping out of his thoughtful (and flattered) daze, Po sidestepped. Po had enough smarts to know that if he stood there, ogling at how Layla was defending him, Tai Lung would pulverize him into mince meat. The snow leopard passed harmlessly by him, slamming his devastating fist into the dirt.
Tai Lung snarled out of anger as he tried to pull his hand out of the dirt crater his punch created in the walkway. He was stuck pretty good. Then he heard the panda laugh at him.
"Apparently DIRT is your worst enemy." The Dragon Warrior quirked.
"Get your carcass over here and say that to my face, you crusty throw rug!" The snow leopard fumed, yanking on his hand.
"All right." The panda shrugged.
Before Tai Lung could take a strike at the annoying Dragon Warrior, the panda put a foot on his side and harmlessly pushed him over. Now on his back and hand stuck in a hole, the snow leopard was angrier than ever.
"You're dirty an' smelly." The panda looked down at him. "And you have beef Chow-Mein for brains, you have one heck of an under-bite and I've seen better facial hair on goats-"
Gnarling, Tai Lung took a swipe at the Dragon Warrior with his free hand but he missed by a fraction of an inch.
Reeling back from nearly catching claws across his face, Po put a couple steps between him and Tai Lung. He touched his nose, making sure the psycho snow leopard didn't claw it off. Then through the corner of his eye, he saw a blur of gray fur and white fabric. Before he could blink, Po's hand and arm was cranked behind his back and he was pushed toward the training yard.
"Hey!" The panda barked.
Layla released the panda and he stumbled forward. Po turned on his heel and locked eyes with her. The vixen had to end this before the charismatic panda and/or her snow leopard love got hurt. Layla took her fans from her belt, opened them and spun. The force of her energy was controlled and thrust forward. Even though he fought it, Po was driven even further into the large training yard by the energy push.
Satisfied with Po's distance from the entrance, Layla jumped to the nearest door. With a slice of her fan, the cord holding the door open was cut in half. Hauling the door closed, the vixen did the same with the other. Once both doors were shut, she gave the large wooden locking-system a kick. The huge beam moved with her strike and locked both doors together. Opening both of her fans, Layla twirled and propelled herself up onto the wall.
The vixen felt Po's eyes on her and she sighed. Turning her head, her eyes fell on the adorable panda. Layla grinned and winked at him before sheathing her fans and jumping over the wall.
Tai Lung was still trying to pull his fist from the ground, his face red with anger. Layla rushed over to him. Standing beside the snow leopard, the vixen raised her leg and gave the ground a kick. It was enough to make the hard-packed dirt crack and for Tai Lung to pull his fist from the ground. Grunting with satisfaction, the snow leopard easily shook the dirt from his paw.
"I'm going to cream-" Tai Lung took a step back toward the training yard when he felt a hand on his wrist.
"Please, Tai Lung." Layla pleaded. "That's enough. Let's just… let's just leave."
Tai Lung couldn't believe his ears and he spun his head toward the silver fox.
"What?!" He yanked his hand out of hers.
Master Shifu and the Furious Five, cradling their injuries took a cautious breath of relief. In a last minuet twist, Layla had put forth an effort to prevent a fight between Tai Lung and Po. It appeared as if the Jade Mountain was spared another momentous battle.
Shifu was particularly relieved. Though he and the Furious Five were roughed up, no one lost their lives and Po proved to be safe. The red panda Supreme Kung Fu Master felt a heaviness lifted from his chest. Layla was not turned completely evil after all; she would not let any harm come to the Dragon Warrior. It looked as if the fight was over but Po was trying to unlock the doors.
"Po!" Master Shifu called to him. "What are you doing?!"
The nutty panda strained under the lock's weight.
"I'm going after them. Tai Lung might hurt Lady Layla." Po grunted, trying to pull the heavy wooden locks apart.
Tigress, holding her arm and showing a swollen cheek stood next to Shifu.
"Don't be a fool, Po. Our battle is over." The female tiger voiced, scowling a little.
But Po wasn't going to quit. When he couldn't get the doors open, he climbed up the nearest bamboo tree.
"My battle isn't over until all my friends are safe!" Po returned. "That includes Layla!"
Tigress fumed, jealousy roaring inside of her.
"Just leave them!" Her tail bristled. "It's better that they rip each other to shreds than us!"
"What?!" Po's eyes bugged as he accidentally slid back down the tree he was climbing. "I'm not going to let that happen!"
Now it was Shifu's turn.
"Po, let it remain!" The red panda ordered. "Tigress is right; our battle is over."
The panda clumsily scrambled up the tree.
"Sorry, Master Shifu." Po called down to his master. "But I was right about Layla. She's not totally evil and that's a good enough reason to keep on fighting!"
Shifu face-palmed. There was a thin line between bravery and stupidity and Po walked the thread every day. Po finally plopped to the top of the wall and caught Tai Lung and Layla still at the doors, arguing. Po fell silent, wondering what they were talking about.
"You were the one who said you wanted Shifu and his precious students thrown from the Jade Mountain!" Tai Lung pointed his finger at Layla. "We've almost knocked Shifu out of the Supreme Kung Fu Master position! The only remaining remnant tarnishing Master Oogway's legacy is that panda you're defending!"
Layla chewed on her bottom lip.
"I-… I do not approve of Shifu… But-… Now is the time to leave, Tai Lung." The gray fox voiced, trying to see through her confusion.
A scowl rippled across the snow leopard's face.
"This is a bad time to grow cold feet, Layla. I refuse to leave here without my vengeance slated." Tai Lung growled. "Now, just step aside; I will take care of the Dragon Warrior and the mountain will be ours."
The vixen shook her head.
"I will not let you hurt, Po." Layla boldly voiced.
Tai Lung blinked before an evaluating look on his sharp features.
""Po"?" He repeated, stepping toward her. "You know the Dragon Warrior's name."
Layla's determined expression dropped from her face as her eyes widened in nervousness.
"That is the Dragon Warrior's name is it not?" The silvery vixen voiced as she got rigid with tension.
"Yes." Tai Lung took another step. "And you knew the panda's name."
Layla gulped.
"So?" She returned, narrowing her eyes at the snow leopard.
"You used the panda's name instead of his title. His name." Tai Lung returned.
Layla was confused but she didn't like the pensive silence and the contemplative look on the snow leopard's handsome face. But it wasn't until the look of problem-solving came to Tai Lung's features that Layla grew fearful. Finally, he came to the answer and his golden eyes widened in realization. The snow leopard read over the vixen's beautiful features to see if his assumption was correct.
"So. You've got a soft spot for the Dragon Warrior?" Tai Lung's face darkened considerably.
"Yes." Layla admitted. "I do and I will not let any harm come to him."
At first the snow leopard looked stunned then hurt and then a jealous boiling anger came to his eyes. Tai Lung's shoulders rose, he gritted his teeth to the point of cracking, the hair on the back of his neck bristled and he balled his fists.
Layla saw how angry Tai Lung suddenly grew. She didn't understand it.
"I didn't tell you because I didn't think it was important." The silvery vixen voiced honestly. "I thought I'd deal with this when it came to me."
Her response made Tai Lung angrier. How could she not think it important?! That black and white headache was the DRAGON WARRIOR! He is Shifu's pride and joy! Not to mention the snow leopard had a vendetta against the panda. Tai Lung couldn't help but feel betrayed and experience more hatred toward the Dragon Warrior.
"Well, it's starring you in the face right now, Layla." Tai Lung hissed through gritted teeth. "What's it gonna be? Are you doing to stand with your best friend or Shifu?"
Layla darkened when he insinuated that she was siding with Shifu.
"I will stand for those I care about, Tai Lung." She answered before placing a hand on the snow leopard's cheek. "You and Po."
Though she was honest, her well-meaning words just fed Tai Lung's foul mood. The snow leopard's golden eyes sharpened and he grabbed the vixen's hand from his face.
"But the panda takes your best?" Tai Lung was still talking through clinched teeth. "Did you tell him the same things you told me in the forest?"
The snow leopard was referring to hours before within the bamboo forest where the time Tai Lung and Layla exchanged together transformed their friendship into love.
"What?! No!" The vixen's yellow eyes gleamed. "But Po is innocent and there is more at stake here than your pride, Tai Lung."
Tai Lung's eye twitched.
"So, my pride and I are not good enough for you to side with and you turn against throwing Shifu from the Jade Palace?" The snow leopard closed his hand firmly around Layla's hand.
The pain was near to unbearable. Tai Lung's vice-like grip closed over the vixen's hand and was crushing it. Layla tried to free herself by the snow leopard caught her other hand. She was forced to her knees as both of her hands being squeezed to the breaking point.
"If you're not with me, you're against me, Layla." Tai Lung glared down at her. "And I will do this with or without you."
The gray vixen let out a small whimper of pain, her hands near to being broken.
"HEY!" Came a voice from the wall over their heads. "Get off of her, you creep!"
Tai Lung released Layla and looked up. There was Po standing on the wall, angry look on his face.
"You!" The snow leopard fumed. "I'm going to destroy you!"
The panda just glared.
"Take your best shot!" Po snapped back doing a high kick.
But then the panda lost his balance and when falling off the other side. Snarling in a fit of pure rage, Tai Lung shot over the wall and back into the training yard. Layla shook the pain from her hands. She had to stop Tai Lung and Po from ripping each other to pieces.
Thankfully the bamboo trees cushioned Po's fall and the panda stumbled out of the bushes none the worse for wear. At that moment, Tai Lung landed in the center of the training yard. Whirling around to the panda, Po could see the unnatural fury in the snow leopard's golden eyes. Tai Lung let a furious roar go before he charged at the Dragon Warrior. Po had his back up against the wall, boxed in by bamboo trees. He had nowhere to go!
As he searched for a way out, Po looked up. Layla was on the wall, her hand stretched down to him. Without hesitating, Po grabbed her hand. Layla hauled him upwards as Tai Lung pounced for him. The snow leopard couldn't stop fast enough and his face hit the wall so hard, it cracked the bricks.
The vixen strained under the extra weight of the husky Dragon Warrior. Finally, she pulled him to safety.
"Thanks, Lady Layla." Po grinned coyly at her.
"You know Po, my "Lady" status was terminated after I was banished. It's just "Layla" now." Layla stood on the top of the wall.
Po stood beside her.
"But you're still a master warrior to me." The panda's face grew a little red.
Layla gave him a grateful smile. Then they heard Tai Lung groan as he pulled his head out from the wall. Fear crept onto Layla's face.
"You remember that ancient Indian move I was going to show you? Well, now's the time for you to learn." The silvery vixen voiced.
Po smiled.
"Really? Cool! What's it called?" The panda cheered.
"Nike-ninjitsu." Layla answered.
The panda made a funny face.
""Nike-ninjitsu"? That doesn't even sound Indian. How do you-?" Po was interrupted when Tai Lung hopped onto the wall.
The snow leopard looked fit to be tied and if smoke could come out of his nose, it would have.
"You run! That's the technique, Po. Now run! I'll hold him off!" Layla took a stance in front of Tai Lung.
"Heck NO! I'm not runnin' anywhere!" Po returned. "This is my battle and I'll kick his butt!"
The vixen turned her head to the panda.
"Don't hurt him!" She pleaded.
Po looked at her like she'd grown another head.
""Don't hurt him"?!" The panda repeated. "Have you lost your-?!"
Tai Lung did a high kick, aiming past Layla and toward Po's face. The vixen moved under the snow leopard's extended leg and to the his stabilizing leg, she hit the back of his knee. Before he could touch the panda, Tai Lung toppled like an old table leg and fell to his back, digging his claws into the wall so he didn't fall.
Layla was going to some extremes to care for the panda and that was really starting to grind Tai Lung. She just took him to the floor in defense of the crusty Dragon Warrior! He felt jealousy bubbling and twisting inside of him. Though the snow leopard felt no pain when Layla knocked him to his back, anacute heaviness weighed down on the base of his throat. Did that time in the bamboo forest mean nothing to the silvery vixen? Did he expose the softness of his hardened heart for nothing? Gritting his teeth, Tai Lung was going to rip the panda to pieces for stealing his girl.
The angry snow leopard looked up and saw Po's feet just above his head. With a swipe of his hand across the panda's ankles, Tai Lung took Po's footing away. The panda squeaked in surprise before he went reeling and fell off of the wall.
Layla gasped and dove after the panda. But Tai Lung grabbed the front of her robe, stopping her from preventing the boy's fall. The vixen could only watch as Po fell into a bush. Now she was in danger. Tai Lung pressed his feet to her stomach and gave her a kick. She righted and recovered. Turning her attention back to the snow leopard, Tai Lung was all ready on the ground, hauling Po out of the bush he landed in. Tai Lung pulled the panda to his feet and threw him. Po met the dirt ground of the training yard and Tai Lung pounced on him before he came to a stop. In a twist of fists and fur, the panda and snow leopard traded blows.
"You no good, girl-stealing, black-and-white headache!" Tai Lung snarled, happy to finally get his claws onto the Dragon Warrior. "I'm going to peel your arms off!"
"Oh yeah?!" Po retaliated planting a fist into the snow leopard's gut. "Well, I'd like to see you try!"
The two opponents tumbled around the training yard, both of them too stubborn to give up.
R&R! LONG LIVE ROCK!