What Now?
About four days after the Killers got trapped in the cave, the Six had a secret meeting again. "My friends, there is a matter of discussion to be made concerning the Killers," Tong Fo announced.
"Those dogs were supposed to already kill that panda by now," Li-Dong said.
"No doubt they've run into problems with the panda like we all did," Fenghuang replied.
"I thought they would have finished him by now," Junjie grumbled.
"They will, which is why I've called you here," Tong Fo said. "It's obvious that the Killers are a well-trained team. When they finish off the Dragon Warrior, we'll rule the Valley of Peace, even all of China."
"I like it already," Temuti commented, thinking about the world he would rule.
"We will have collected a large sum of money individually," Tong Fo continued. "Where it took six of us to pay the Killers' fee, one could easily do."
"You're saying that we could be so powerful we could order them to kill each other," Fenghuang finished.
"If that's so, I'm destroying you guys first," Taotie mentioned. They started to make a fuss about it until Tong Fo called their attention.
"In order to avoid that happening, I propose that after the Killers destroy the panda, we destroy them. Two against six and our gangs," Tong Fo explained.
"I like it. After we kill them, no one will be able to conquer us," Temuti said. "And the Killers have a code that doesn't allow them to kill their employers, right?"
"Correct," Tong Fo smiled evilly. "They won't know what hit them." They all laughed evilly into the dark sky.
The next day, word of the Killers being sighted reached the Jade Palace. "They're the top assassins in the world," Shifu explained. "No one who gets on their hit list is alive the next day. It's amazing how Po has lasted this long."
"I'm actually surprised myself," Po sighed.
"What's the next step," Tigress asked.
"I stay next to you as much as possible. They won't take a shot if I'm next to someone. They don't kill anyone other than the target."
"You believe them," Tigress questioned.
"They haven't harmed you yet," Po reasoned.
"Nevertheless, we must make sure that you are safe," Master Shifu said. "From now on, you are confined to the Jade Palace. Understand?"
"I understand, Master Shifu," Po bowed. "Tigress, I have something to show you."
"Please tell me it's not another Kung Fu technique that you'll do horribly wrong again," Tigress murmured. Po looked at her with a fallen face. "I mean I'm interested," She smirked. Po rolled his eyes. He led Tigress to his room where he showed her a plain gray robe with a straw hat and a pair of black pants. "Those are for you?"
"Yep, I made them special," Po said, putting them on. "This will make the Killers so angry."
"Why are you trying to make them angry?"
"Because they said I was an easy kill. I'm going to show them that I'm not," Po grunted, pulling out a lingering string from the robe. Tigress was concerned.
"Why are you worried about being easy kill?"
"Because I'm not!" Po shouted a bit at Tigress. She flinched back. "It's like being called useless all over again."
"What do you mean again?" Po was silent. "You've been called that not only by me?" Po looked at her.
"No, no. You've never called me useless," Po assured her. Tigress wasn't convinced as she started walking to the courtyard.
"I might as well have with all the nasty things I've said to you," Tigress said remorsefully. Po rested his hand on her shoulder.
"It's all in the past. I'm sorry for shouting. I keep forgetting you've had it worse than me. But we have to look past that." Po smiled. Meanwhile, the Killers were finishing up with their weapons.
"I have a new weapon to present you," Liexing said.
"What is it," Sheng asked.
"It's a smaller arrow. It's virtually silent," Liexing smiled delightfully. Sheng smiled back.
"I knew I loved you for a reason," Sheng laughed. "Come on, let's get to the panda." So they made their way to the Jade Palace. There in the courtyard, they saw Po, Tigress, and Crane in the open. They stayed low out of sight from the wall. "I'll have our backs. This place is bound to be on high alert." So Liexing would take the shot. Po's back was facing the Killers, and Tigress and Crane didn't see them until they heard a faint noise. When they looked, there were two arrows sticking out of Po's back and hat.
"PO!" They screamed.
"Yes," Po said, perfectly fine.
"He's still standing," Sheng marveled.
"But how" Liexing questioned. Po took off the robe to let the Killers see the densely sown robe he made.
"Inpentratable to arrows," He smirked.
"OH COME ON!" Sheng exclaimed, giving away their hiding spot. "That's cheating!" Liexing quickly shot her poison arrow, which did hit Po in the arm.
"Po's hit!" Tigress exclaimed, managing to get Po quickly out of the way. She looked back at the Killers with a menacing look. Sheng was ready to shoot if she came. Liexing kept shooting arrows. This time, they were exploding ones. Tigress and Crane quickly moved Po inside.
"I need to rest," Po panted. "She shot me with one of her poison arrows."
"What do we do?" Crane asked.
"Just give me a minute," Po grunted. Then Po breathed deeply and made a couple of hand gestures. He then put his hands together and he started to glow for a minute and then breathed out. "Okay, I'm fine."
"How did you do that," Tigress asked.
"There's an ancient scroll about curing poisons in the body. Not bad for the first time doing it," Po nervously joked. He slowly got back up. He quickly grabbed a bow and arrow and went outside.
"You think he's dead yet," Sheng asked.
"He should be," Liexing cautiously said. "But I don't hear any crying yet." Then the panda stormed out the courtyard with the arrow drawn.
"Hey, Killers!" Po called. He released the arrow as it nearly hit Sheng. Tigress and Crane came out as well and started to chase the Killers.
"Run!" Sheng shouted. The Killers retreated back down the mountain.
"Why are we running? We can take these guys," Liexing said.
"I don't want to use more arrows on the others and we need to regroup in order to find out a way to take out Po," Sheng explained.
"Crane, go back to Po. I'll take these guys," Tigress said to the bird. Crane knew she didn't stand a chance, but he did as he was told. The Killers made it down the mountain with Tigress on their tails.
"Why is she still chasing us?"
"You would be upset too if someone hurt me, right?" Sheng said. Liexing remained quiet, pretending to think about it. "Right?" She still remained quiet. "Liexing!"
"I'm kidding. Come on, let's vanish and attack," Liexing said. They hid behind the houses and shops as Tigress came down the mountain. She carefully looked around. She suddenly felt a hand on her. She grabbed the person's hand and threw him down on the ground.
"OW!"
"Po?" Tigress exclaimed. She helped him up. "You're supposed to be at the Jade Palace."
"I'm also supposed to make sure that you're okay," Po reasoned. Po dodged and ducked two arrows aimed at him. Liexing shot the first two, but Sheng sneezed and accidentally hit Tigress's ankle.
"AGH!" She screamed.
"You're hurt," Po exclaimed. He deflected the arrows while dragging Tigress to safety. He quickly assessed the injury. "Okay, it's not a poison arrow. They just hit you. So Liexing has the poison arrows."
"Nice of you to notice," Tigress grunted in pain.
"I thought you couldn't feel anything."
"That's mainly in my hands," Tigress explained. An arrow zipped past Po.
"Come on, we have to get you to the palace," Po said.
"Po!" Tigress said in a warning voice as Po lifted her up like a bride. She stumbled for words.
"You're hurt and you need help. Just let me do the hard work for once," Po said. So, Po rushed towards the beginning step of the Jade Palace.
"Sheng," Liexing called. "Get the explosive arrows." Sheng readied his shot. Po looked up the mountain.
"There's no way I'm going to make it in time." He looked back and saw Sheng taking aim. Po quickly grabbed a nearby shop's old wok and sat on it, right as Sheng made the shot. The explosion catapulted Po and Tigress up the entire Jade Mountain.
"How? Just freaking how?" Sheng laughed.
"Should we catch up with them?"
"No, we need to save our arrows. I'm beginning to think I'm a lousy shot," Sheng said as they went to the camp.
"You're not. Po's just very hard to kill." Liexing replied. Sheng laughed.
to be continued.
