Chapter Seven- Hope, Threats, and Explanations
"Junjie?" Shifu was shocked. The last time he saw Junjie, he was heading to Chorh-Gom. Yet here he was, standing before him as a general of his own army. And all these people who Shifu considered enemies, working together.
"Surprised?" Junjie asked. "So was I, when I realized how well this worked."
Shifu found his voice. "What do you want?"
"To stop Jiao-long." Junjie stated firmly. "Just like you and Chao. Except I've known of Jiao-long's plan for a while now."
"What makes you think I'd believe that?" Shifu scoffed.
"Listen to the reasons, not the person talking." Junjie replied. "And maybe you'll trust us a bit more. We don't want Jiao-long to destroy China because he might destroy us or make us slaves. We saved your life; don't try and protest against it, you would've been dead without us. Instead of killing you ourselves, we are keeping you safe and asking for your help." Junjie stared at Shifu. "Now, do you trust us?"
Shifu had been listening, like Junjie asked. The reasons were valid, but Shifu wasn't completely sure he could trust Junjie. Then again, here were his enemies, not causing him harm and actually asking for his help. He sighed and relaxed from his fighting stance.
"If you try anything, I'll tear you in half." Shifu threatened.
Junjie seemed satisfied nonetheless. He turned to the group. "All of you get to sleep. We'll be discussing our plans for tomorrow." The members of the group nodded and walked off to their tents to sleep. Junjie turned back to Shifu. "Why don't you join Fenghuang and me in our tent? We have much to talk about tomorrow." Junjie and Fenghuang walked over to the largest tent. Shifu hesitated and looked out into the woods. He could run now. He could find Chao and warn him about Junjie. But something held him back. Junjie's words were sincere. So were the words of the others. Perhaps they really did need his help. Shifu was torn between the feeling to stay and his loyalty for his own army, who surely thought he was dead.
"You coming?" Fenghuang called from the tent. Shifu turned and nodded, walking over to her. The inside of the main tent was considerably larger than the others, but all that was in there were some hammocks and a low table. Fenghuang flew up to the highest hammock and settled down to sleep. Junjie jumped up and landed softly into the hammock below it.
"Make yourself comfortable." He told Shifu as he pulled a blanket over him. "It's not the best place for a good night's sleep." Shifu looked down at the lowest hammock, which was really just a fish net. He awkwardly climbed in and pulled the blanket over him. But he suddenly sat up straight and felt underneath him. He pulled out a piece of seaweed and groaned. He tossed it aside and buried himself in the blanket.
It was going to be a long night.
Back at the Jade Palace Army base, everyone else was also settling down to sleep. Everyone was still recovering from the news Chao had delivered and it was hard to not think about what had happened to Shifu. Tigress could get no sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she kept seeing Shifu, hurt, dead, or being killed. Finally, she stood and snuck out of the tent, careful not to wake anyone. A snore made her jump, but she realized it was only Po and the Mongolian Fist Demon, which had long since shrunk and was sleeping on the panda's stomach.
Tigress walked off to the edge of the camp, settled down into a lotus position, and closed her eyes, mentally chanting "Inner peace…inner peace….." Chao could see Tigress from where he was. It was clear that she was taking the loss harder than anyone else. Chao remembered how Shifu had adopted Tigress himself. So, in a way, it was like Chao and Siren's relationship.
Chao sighed. He had realized with horror earlier that, if Shifu really was gone, then he couldn't keep his promise to bring Siren home. But he still had her locket. Chao regretted giving him the locket then, but there was nothing that could be done. Still, Chao loved that locket dearly. It was the only thing he had left of his wife and Siren. He did still have Siren's old panda doll, but the locket belonged to his wife. Chao had given Siren the name Ren because it was her mother's name. Ren and Siren were so much alike: strong, wise, caring, and so much more.
Chao looked back at Tigress and walked up behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder. The tiger master looked up wearily to Chao.
"Shouldn't you be asleep?" Chao suggested.
"Can't." Tigress replied simply. "I close my eyes and…." She sighed. "How could I let this happen?"
"Don't you dare blame yourself." Chao said sternly. "Anything could've happened. I blame myself, personally. But we can't dwell on that. We need to focus on what to do next."
Tigress nodded. She looked off into the distance. "Master Oogway said that nothing is impossible. Is it possible Shifu really did live?"
Chao shrugged. "Hard to say. Jiao-long is ruthless. But Shifu is smart and strong. I've known him for years; I'm sure he'll think of something."
Tigress smiled a little at this. "I just have a feeling he's alive. But….I don't know. It's complicated."
Chao sat down next to Tigress. "Can you keep a secret?" Tigress turned curiously and nodded. "I understand how you feel. Someone I care for very much disappeared almost a year ago; taken from me. I searched for her for a long time." Chao stared into the star-laden sky. "I haven't given up. I can't. If I do, I won't keep my promise I made to her."
"What was that?" Tigress asked.
Chao looked down at her. "I promised her that, no matter where I go, I'll always return to her." Chao stood and patted Tigress's shoulder. "Keep your chin up." He walked off to his tent. Tigress stared after him until he disappeared and looked up at the stars. Somehow, they seemed a little brighter. Tigress smiled, a newfound hope growing inside. She stood and went back to her tent to sleep peacefully.
STAR STAR STAR STAR STAR
The morning after the battle, Jiao-long was found tapping his claws on his desk, pondering the prophecy in front of him. It made about as much sense as pickles in a barrel of wombats. Jiao-long groaned and rubbed his head to rid himself of the headache he was getting. A knock from the door jarred him from his thoughts.
"Master!" a guard called from the other side of the door. "We've brought the soothsayer, like you asked!"
"Send him in alone and guard the door!" Jiao-long called back. The door opened and Jien the lynx was thrown inside before it slammed shut again. Jien shook terribly as he stood up. His arms and shoulders were covered in wounds inflicted by a whip. His shirt was torn to show his back, and numerous other lashing wounds. Jiao-long smiled smugly as he stood and walked over to Jien.
"So, how is our guest?" Jiao-long asked mockingly.
"Go to hell." Jien seethed.
Jiao-long almost jumped at the cat's language; since when did a kind old man like Jien say things like that? But Jiao-long shook it off and put a smile on again. "Oh, come now. Is that really a nice way to speak?"
"What do you want?" Jien hissed. "I've given you the prophecy. I have nothing more to say to you."
"I think you do." Jiao-long said. "For example, you can say what this blasted prophecy means."
"You know what it means." Jien said. "You built your army and your machine and you know your plan. What do you need me for?"
Jiao-long walked up to Jien and leaned in close. "There's more to it. Another part of the prophecy, perhaps, or a whole new prophecy that ties in with this one. I want to know what it is; tell me now, or die where you stand."
Without warning, Jien unsheathed his claws and swiped them across Jiao-long's face. The Komodo dragon reared back and screamed in pain, clutching his bleeding face. Jien lunged and tackled Jiao-long. For such an old man, he had incredible strength. He punched and kicked Jiao-long with little sense of any kung fu. Jiao-long finally snapped and kicked Jiao-long hard in the chest. The lynx went flying into the easy chair, which slammed into the wall. Jiao-long ran up and thrust his fist into Jien's stomach. Jien coughed up blood. Jiao-long grabbed Jien by the throat and hoisted him to eye-level.
"You will dearly regret that." Jiao-long hissed. Jien, though weak, snarled menacingly. Jiao-long threw Jien to the ground and called for the guard. A gorilla squeezed through the door, and elephant standing outside the door. "Take the soothsayer to the death chamber. He is to be held on Death Row until his execution this afternoon at dusk." The gorilla nodded and pulled Jien to the door by his shirt. At the last minute, Jien grabbed the doorway and stared at Jiao-long with his piercing golden eyes.
"Beware, Jiao-long." Jien smirked. "If I were you, I'd surrender now before the masters take you." He let himself be dragged down the hallway.
Jiao-long scoffed. "Senile old cat. Nothing can defeat me. Not with the Siren's Gem in my possession."
STAR STAR STAR STAR STAR
"Junjie!"
The fox kit jumped up and kicked his opponent in the face. He frantically searched for his friend.
"Junjie!"
There! Over the cliff edge! Junjie ran to the edge and got to his knees, staring down the cliff edge. The young kit saw his friend, a young red panda cub, clinging to the rock side.
"Junjie!" the cub called. "Please help!"
"I'm coming!" Junjie yelped. "Hold on, Shifu!" Junjie reached his hand down as far as he could without falling, but he couldn't reach. Shifu tried to climb up and reached as far as he could to grab Junjie's outstretched paw. But they only got as far brushing their fingertips.
"Shifu, jump!" Junjie ordered. "Jump and I'll catch you!" Shifu nodded and shifted his weight a little. He crouched as far as he could on the tiny ledge and jumped. Junjie reached out to grab his friend's hand.
Suddenly, Junjie felt something grab his leg and pull him back. He caught himself, but when he pulled back to the edge of the cliff, he could only stare in horror as Shifu started falling. The cub screamed as he rapidly fell to the sharp rocks below.
"No!" Junjie screamed.
"No!" Junjie shouted. He suddenly flipped over in his hammock and landed right on Shifu below him. The two of them flipped over and over in the hammock. When they stopped flipping, the two of them were nose to nose and completely tangled up in the hammock.
Shifu glared at the elderly fox. "Good morning." He grumbled.
Junjie frowned. "Morning. Now get off!"
"You're the one that's on me!" Shifu snapped.
"You caused this thing to spin!"
"You fell out of yours and right on top of me!"
"You think I meant to?"
"Well, why did you?"
Junjie stopped and his eyes went to the ground. There was no way he was telling Shifu about his dream. Fenghuang suddenly landed in front of them.
"Having fun?" she asked with a smile.
"Just help us." Junjie muttered. Fenghuang laughed and grabbed the edge of the hammock. She pulled hard, making the hammock flip again until it was untangled and dropped the two masters to the floor. They stood and dusted themselves off.
"Well, seeing how you haven't killed me in the middle of the night, care to explain the plan?" Shifu asked. Junjie nodded and led the two outside. Everyone else was already awake. Hundun and Su were currently having an argument about when they were attacking. Junjie clapped for attention.
"Everyone take a seat!" He ordered. The members of the small army sat down in a semi-circle around their generals. Shifu stood beside Fenghuang.
"So, what's the plan?" Bian Zao asked.
"We attack today, this afternoon." Junjie explained. "Jiao-long will expect us to attack at night, when we think he'll least expect it. This way, we'll really have the element of surprise. We will all attack together. As we are fighting, Fenghuang, Shifu, and I will sneak into the castle and find the Siren's Gem. We steal it, retreat, and figure out how to use it to bring down Jiao-long once and for all. All you need to do is fight as hard as you can. If you feel like you need to retreat, do it. Don't wait for us."
"Any questions?" Fenghuang asked. No one said a word. "Good. We move out this afternoon. Go about your business." The group split up.
Shifu raised an eyebrow. "That's your plan?"
"In a nutshell, yes." Fenghuang nodded.
"Interesting." Shifu mused. "What about the Jade Palace army? What will you do if and when Chao arrives with them?"
"We retreat." Fenghuang answered simply. "Because we don't want to be attacked."
Shifu sighed. "This is going to end badly."
"Shifu." Junjie said. "I need to speak to you about something very important. Fenghuang and I, that is." Shifu looked back and forth between the two. He was surprised to see their genuinely concerned faces. He followed them back into the main tent. Junjie walked over to a bag Shifu hadn't noticed and pulled out a large book. He walked to the table and sat down, placing the book on the wood. Shifu and Fenghuang sat at the table as well. Shifu immediately recognized the book.
"Is that…..."
"Yes." Junjie nodded. "The book about the Tri-Dragon of Death."
Shifu stared and smiled a little. "I haven't seen this since we were kids, when we found it in the library."
Junjie nodded, smiling. He opened the book to the first couple pages. "The Tri-Dragon of Death. The legend that told of three dragons with incredible powers. Together, they were undefeatable. When they died of old age, their spirits would posses mortal children who would grow up to carry on their legacy. And so their spirits continued to do just that for centuries." Junjie flipped through the book until he reached the last half of the book. "The last half of this book tells of each Tri-Dragon of Death group and what they accomplished." Junjie sighed.
Shifu sensed something was wrong. "Junjie, why are you showing me this?"
Junjie looked up with tired eyes. "Shifu, we need you. When we first looked at this book, we read about every single Tri-Dragon of Death in history. Remember when we used to have dreams of being like them?" Shifu nodded. "When I found this book again, I found something new. I always thought, 'If the dragons' spirits still posses people to carry on the legend, how did the author of this book find them all and write about them?' Then I realized this isn't just any book; every time a new Tri-Dragon of Death is chosen, the book magically adds their story on its own." Junjie turned to the very last page of the book and showed it to Shifu. The red panda's eyes widened at the sight of the picture.
It was him and Junjie, side by side and in strong fighting stances. Fenghuang was above them, wings spread. The three of them looked ready for battle.
"This is why we need your help." Fenghuang said.
"Shifu." Junjie sighed. "You, Fenghuang, and I are the next Tri-Dragon of Death."