Chapter 05: Rise from the Ashes
"Where... am I?"
His own voiced echoed in his ears. It was dark. But as the panda opened his eyes after getting up with a yawn, the very first thing that gleamed into his eyes was pure golden light coming from behind the pink peach tree standing all alone in the golden ocean!
"What! The Spirit Realm?!"
It was the Spirit Realm enriched with golden Chi, the same place where Po had once a gossip with the creator of Kung Fu; Master Oogway, but now, he was nowhere to be found. Just as before, Po was in a boat wandering around near the tree.
"Just what am I doing here?!"
"It's good to see you again here, Dragon Warrior!" An old, wise voice came out of nowhere.
"Master Oogway?!" The panda really cheered on watching the great grand master meditating alongside the tree. Po was welcomed with a smile.
"Son, you look really nice in that 'Dragon Warrior' outfit!" Two voices at once from behind! It really surprised the panda before he slowly turned around, expecting his both dads. But as he turned, there were not only his dads but the whole panda village, the valley of peace, the Furious Four standing beside their master Shifu as well with a grin on their faces!
Watching everyone gathered around, the Dragon Warrior was frozen out of wonder with those gazes perceiving everyone. But suddenly, that wonder-stricken panda hugged his both dads with a cheerful giggle, but what was that?! His cheerful giggles turned suddenly into sorrowful tears! Those tears changed the whole scene; from a cheerful and happy environment to a grief-filled one.
While the panda was sobbing, those gentle hands of his both dads tapped and rubbed their son's back with affection. As sobbing Po got a little comfortable, his dad Ping wiped those hanging tears away, asking with affection, "What happened, son?"
"Why are you so sad?" cupping his cheeks, asked his other dad.
"I've seen it..." Po sniveled. "Everyone's death... I've seen it! I can't still forget how cruelly you two were... you two were..." but how would poor, tortured Po burst into tears again, hugging his both dads. How would explain such a tragedy to them?! It was impossible. The ill guy had no more strength to bear those tragic memories again. Looking at each other with those painful eyes, his both dads comforted him again, not leaving till their son was recovered to a certain extent.
"There is one thing that's confusing me." The curious grand master Shifu spoke. "If everyone is dead then where is Tigress? She must be here."
"She... was with him." Po replied in a sorrowful tone, wiping those tears.
Shifu got even more curious as he heard that. "Him?" but as he realized the truth, a thunder fell on him. "You don't mean..."
"Yes, she is with Tai Lung, fighting by his side!" cried the concerned panda. Giving a gasp of astonishment, everyone was pretty much shocked, just as Shifu.
"What do you mean 'Fighting by his side'?!" Shifu was annoyed for her daughter. He though it was all a lie. He couldn't believe it at all.
Po explained in a nutshell, "Tai Lung wiped her memories after reviving her back, telling her that I was the one who killed his parents... It was not Tai Lung who killed me. It was... It was Tigress!"
Such a heavy truth led everyone into astonishment, even the great grand master Oogway as well. But the most astounded one was her father. Shifu knew well than anyone that Tigress would never do such a horrible thing. Dying for her friends was what she had learnt, but killing her own friends... the grand master had a hard time believing that.
Fighting those negative thoughts, Shifu asked Oogway, "What are we supposed to do now, Master?"
Pointing at Po, the wise master replied, "The Dragon Warrior will have to go back and defeat him."
"Go back?!" asked the confused panda. "Defeat him?! How?! There's just no way I can go back! I don't even have that jade staff you gave me. And even if I go back, there's just no way I can defeat him! He's too... He's too powerful. There is... There's just no way... I'm not the Dragon Warrior... not anymore." Poor Po had lost all his spirit. There was no hope. Although wearing that Dragon Warrior outfit, he didn't believe that he was the Dragon Warrior. The last dying flame of the hope was long quenched. The only thing remained was the darkness of despair.
Everything was gloomy... Everything was bleak. But in that desperation of darkness, a flame sparked, showing a new hope! "You are the master of Chi, right?" spoke Oogway.
"Well, yeah. I am."
"And you can give Chi."
"Yeah, but what's the connection of this Chi with Tai Lung."
"There is one. Just the way Kai took the Chi, became stronger and escaped, why don't you do the same?"
Such a wise suggestion amazed not only Po but Shifu and other warriors as well. Po's amazement was filled with a deep, prolonged gasp that he suddenly birat all at once, "I never thought about that way. But... is it really right for me? Y'know, taking everyone's chi and stuff."
"Well," Oogway replied with a smirk, "I don't think anyone would mind here."
The Dragon Warrior then turned around and what he found was a gentle smile on everyone's face showing that they all were very happily approving of that suggestion. All those smiles added another smile on that heroic panda's face as well.
"You're not the one made to give up on the Dragon Warrior's job, Po." Shifu stated.
"Yeah!" replied the hopeful panda with his face all glorious and a smile shining the most with a new hope. In the midst of the darkness of despair, the spark shined so bright that it lit up everything!
Soon, the Dragon Warrior, moving around his hands smoothly making a Yin Yang symbol, started taking chi from everyone. The very first persons were his two dads, then Shifu, then the four warriors, and then the rest of the valley and the panda village. Those bodies would start glowing and then would smoothly turn into the golden amulets sticking by his waist, around his limbs, and his torso as well, giving him a complete new look that surprised Po to another level!
Everyone's chi was taken except from Oogway for he was a great grand master. The panda turned and gave him a hopeful smile that the great grand master reflected back at him too.
"Aren't you going to take my chi?"
"Well... if I did that, the fight would no longer be fair and square." Oogway chuckled on such reply. "I guess," added Po. "It's time to go and kick some butts!"
"Yes. You may proceed, Dragon Warrior."
"Dragon Warrior..." Po mumbled. "Suits me well." and then finally making another Yin Yang symbol in that golden ocean that spread over, Po finally reached where he was meant to. The whole scene glimmered in his eyes with Oogway having a bright smile as if he already watched the brilliant outcome.
Soon, the Dragon Warrior was there, shining all golden and bright in the bleak and dark city where blood reigned everywhere. Everything was still like that; blood and blood everywhere with unlimited destruction. By now, there were only some murmuring clouds left while the rest remained silent, causing dribble now instead of the heavy rain of despair.
Watching all the bloodshed, murder, and wreckage around, those eyes turned solemn, planning on taking everything back what was taken. Among the darkness of despair, the warrior was glowing golden. Finally, from the death of the old was born something new!
The Dragon Warrior took a view around but no one was there, no sign of life. It appeared that everyone had left already. He then started walking, searching for his enemy with those cold gazes. He looked here and there but nothing could be found! In his way came a mountain not so large but a little time consuming. The panda started climbing it, wishing for something to be sighted from the top.
As he climbed and took a view again over the valley cupped into the mountains, he saw nothing. But at the moment, some dying shouts touched his ears with the gentle breeze from behind with which those little, furry ears twitched at once. A little more he climbed and then he finally found what he desired for; the Dark Warrior along with his pack of bloodthirsty hyenas, but Tigress was not there! Tai Lung, reflecting the same pride that he had, was preparing his gang for the next attack on the neighboring valley full of weapons. On this, the panda turned even more solemn, waiting of the moment to charge a heavy attack.
Down there, the warrior in black was walking among the rows and columns of those loads of hyenas, with his hands on his back and the bosom extended in pride, speaking loudly in his prideful voice. His well-trained gang would shout at once where it found it reasonable to do so.
Just as Tai Lung came in the middle, Po grabbed the moment and then jumped from that certain height, landing down with such a heavy blow that shook the earth, throwing everyone away from its place.
There was a state of confusion where everyone was wondering how it all happened! Clouds of dust so-formed were blowing up and spreading. After a while, those eyes glowing golden broadened as the silhouette of a fat figure with a flapping cloak and a hat appeared in the dust, taking a stance.
"Who is that?!" he cried. "Who is that?!" but how would his inferiors answer for they were lying injured on the ground. He got up and saw himself the person. As the dust vanished with the cold, gentle breeze, the silhouette was the Dragon Warrior, with those jade eyes filled with revenge in them.
Tai Lung, on the other side, was wonder-stricken, completely shocked! He could not believe his eyes! His eyes were constantly widening! "How is it possible?! How is it even possible?! This cannot be! You were dead!" Poor Tai Lung had no idea how that all happened! That guy was just sinking into his own questions!
"You…" spoke the Dragon Warrior, shining with glory, "should have never left the Jade Palace. You could have done the impossible."
"The impossible?!" snorted the white leopard. "I can do it on my finger tips!" and then ordered his gang to attack the panda. From all the sides lunged the hyenas with their most brutal weapons, while the Dragon Warrior, he remained still! A devilish smirk appeared on the dark warrior's face as if he knew the upcoming result. But who knew the whole pack of those merciless hyenas was no match for the Dragon Warrior who was born again from the ashes!
As everyone lunged at once, the Dragon Warrior gently tapped his foot on the ground, making a golden chi shockwave so powerful that blew away everyone, causing severe injury! Watching such a scene enraged Tai Lung but with a snort, he fought his own anger, not letting it consume him. "Do you think you are powerful enough to fight all of them alone?! This is not even the one-third of my army."
That sentence led Po to think what Tai Lung actually had in the palm of his hand! From every corner, every direction appeared mountain loads of hyenas, even more than the citizens of both the valley and the panda village altogether as a calling roar of the one echoed in the sky, spreading everywhere! Those bloodthirsty gazes were stuck on their enemy, with their mouths watering, and their razor-sharp canines which would reflect the figure of the one.
Watching incredibly large army with those violent gazes fixed at him, Po was surprised! "Now this" stated the leopard "is how the impossible looks like! I have this whole army obey me at my fingertips!" and then the dark warrior roared to his army, "FINISH HIM!" with which everyone at once rushed at the panda!
While that enormous army of those homicidal hyenas was charging at Po, the lonely panda was trying to find a way while looking at that huge army with those fear-filled eyes! "What should I do?! What should I do?!..." He kept murmuring it until an idea hit his mind as he startled. "Yes! I can do this!"
The gold amulets tied to his body, he picked a few of them; probably that of the masters of the valley, and then held them tight. As he tossed them on the ground, the shining amulets changed to the gold statue of the furious four and his grand master Shifu, what Po called the Jombies!
Once again, a trick that was something really new to Tai Lung surprised him greatly! "What is this?! How did you just do that?! Shifu never taught me that!"
"I told you, didn't I? You should have never left the Jade Palace! There's so much I've learnt through all these years!"
Standing by his side, the jombies were now waiting for his order! "It really feels weird to order you, Master. Please, forgive me!" mumbled Po to that golden statue of his Master. No matter how much Po learnt and became the Dragon Warrior, there was just no way that he could order someone elder than him especially the one who was even his master that taught Po everything! But Po had to go along with this! With a sigh to get himself ready, the panda ordered, "Guys, attack!" and at once, all the warriors thrust forward at the enemies. For the five warriors were nothing in front of that mountain loads of howling hyenas, Po realized that he had to use all of the amulets to protect himself, and he surely did, throwing all the gold amulets to the ground that turned into the inhabitants of both the valley and the village that rushed at the enemies at once.
"What is all this?!" Tai lung, totally wonder-stricken, mumbled in frustration. "How did he get such a huge army?!" but then his eyes fell on the panda who had a smirk on the face. At the moment, Po winked that suddenly enraged Tai Lung to go and beat the panda to death again!
The two forces, gold and black, good and evil, clashed violently, both beating each other and both getting beaten as well! But the golden army went really fell heavy on the black one for it was invincible... undefeatable!
While the two forces were thundering, both the dark leopard and the white panda rushed to each other. Among them, the final battle was going to take place but what's that?! A sudden appearance from above the sky, landing on the ground stopped both of them on their places! On one face appeared a smirk while the other was left hanging! In both eyes reflected the dead one! The Chess turns one-sided as the Queen steps into the battlefield!
The dark warrior, on his four limbs and his claws pierced into the ground, now stood and left with a devilish giggle, turning his neck around as he usually did. "He's all yours." Soon, he was on a cliff ruling over every soul there. "We retreat for now!" He ordered. And then his whole army, in the middle of the battle, started sprinting back to where it came from. But Po... He was not concerned with what was happening there 'cuz the battle he had to fight now, he already had this one lost! His fate was written already, and there appeared no way to change it!
Just in a few moments, there remained no other soul in the battlefield except the two. In the atmosphere was nothing more than the gentle, cold breeze that was constantly flapping their clothes. Standing firmly, eyes stoned, the panda closed tightly his fist even knowing that he was not going to fight her... he had not enough courage to even shout at her best friend in anger but... he had to do something...
Opposite to him, those orange eyes barely opened, with nothing inside them, gazed coldly at the panda. Her face reflected nothing! No warmth of love, no smile of friendship, no frown of sadness... Her heart was but hollow... completely hollow with no emotions; a heart that was needed to be refilled again!
"You... are still alive?" From those lips that once smiled but now stoned, came a cold voice.
"Yes. I AM." said boldly the panda.
"Why did you kill them... my family?"
"Tigress," Po now turned a little warm. "You'll have to believe me. I'm not the one who did that! Don't you remember how Shifu adopted you?!"
"Lie." That one word shocked Po to an extent. Tigress thought it was all a mere lie because in her thoughts, Po was the murderer of her whole family! "You lie. Your death will be by my hands no matter how much you lie." And then in an instant, Tigress lunged at Po, charging her razor-edged claw at him but the panda dodged it just by an inch, moving back a few steps. Suddenly, she attacked again with those fierce claws but the panda dodged that again, just like the previous one! The third time, piercing the air, her claw swooshed so swiftly that the panda couldn't even see that, and the claw passed by, tearing those white clothes from the Spirit Realm, revealing his furry chest now.
"Tigress!" Po cried in anger. "You ruined these clothes! I can't get another one like that!" but the Tigress fighting him at the moment was not the one who used to sigh over pathetic jokes of Po so why would she care? The only reason for a joke at that moment was to bring Tigress back but sadly, that didn't work. She didn't even flinch a little from that joke but charged another attack instead!
Now, she grew even more cruel and faster than before! Her carnivore instincts had now taken place! She would now jump high, and then land down with a fierce roar, slashing her claws through the furry skin on the panda! Using both her Kung Fu and her animal instincts, she had now turned into a monster! And Po found no way to bring her back! She appeared from one spot and hit the panda violently on the face with her iron-solid fist, and then appeared from the other spot and then slashed her diamond-sharp claw through his body, bringing painful and blood-curdling cries out of him!
All his clothes, which were sort of gifted from the Spirit Realm, were not mostly torn, and now he was left with his torn pants and his half shirt covering his right chest ending up to the right sleeve only, along with his severely damaged cloak painted red with his blood! His hat had already been sliced into two at the beginning of the fight!
Just like his clothes, damaged and torn, the panda was facing the same condition! Poor Po shouting and calling out the real Tigress, her best friend that was sitting somewhere in a corner, in that darkness inside! "Tigress!" Po shouted with all his might! "This is not you! You cannot hurt your friend like that, right?" but Tigress charged a violent kick on the chest, hurling him far away. His words, his actions… they couldn't bring her back…!
After two or three coughs and restoring his breaths that were closed with the earlier kick, the Dragon Warrior got up again, continuing, "You think I was the one who killed your family? You're totally wrong about this!" and another sharp blow with that iron-hard leg that threw him, floating in the air for a while but before damaged Po would fall down, what those jade eyes sighted was that iron-hard leg swooshing from above that suddenly hit his face! A huge boom occurred as the body bashed, blowing up sand… loads of sand up many yards high! The blow was so furious that it could easily kill a normal person at the spot! But Po, how could he die 'cuz he was a Kung Fu master himself but more than that, he had a huge responsibility to take care of!
As all the dust and sand rained down, from it appeared the panda on the verge of death, all severely damaged, especially the face with his fur all rose-red along with those eyes poorly exhausted, losing focus.
"Get up." an echo touched his furry ears. It was solemn and cold but to Po, to his ears it felt warmer as if instead of that cold Tigress who betrayed his best friend, Master Tigress who could not watch her die, was the one who said that, giving him hope! "Don't tell me you cannot stand now. Stand up... Fight... Stand up..."
With those cold echoes that seemed gentle and warm, as a request, a dying voice came out from those lips as a gentle smile appeared, "Y-Yes, T-Tigress... I will... I-I will..."
Cruel Tigress, who had her memories manipulated, was surprised as she twitched her head back and saw that growing smile brighter than ever! He had his own resolve hard as iron now! "I will... take you there." The panda uttered those words warmly, gently, and affectionately… but where was he going to take her?!
At once, both the tiger and the dragon, the Yin and the Yang thrust towards each other, blowing dust behind, soon going to clash after a few steps. The stone-heart Tigress drew out her jet-black claws while Po closed strongly his fist, just as his will. Both the black and the white finally clashes... and the end result...?!
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Previously, as Po was lying on the death bed with that ultimate blow dealt by her only friend alive, but captured, the panda woke up in a place very beautiful. As far as the eye could see, it was green with different ups and downs, decorated delicately with colorful flowers of different kinds, playing with the green blades long enough to massage the ankles soothingly. Those steep hills had their faces hidden behind those cotton-like clouds swooshing around while some heads were peeking from above. A paper-thin, soft layer of those cotton-like clouds was stretched across the sky till the horizon, letting the white globe enlighten the whole place bright. it was cold in there, but an enjoyable one. Added to that, it smelled like rain and it seemed to be so for those little blades and flowers were playing, passing those water droplets to each other, cheering as well! Everything was so fresh, so pure and so soul-calming that one would wish to live the rest of the life there. The place appeared not to be a part of the world but the smallest piece of Heaven!
The panda took a full view of that little piece of heaven, with face full of happiness and eyes full of surprise. His happiness had no boundaries! He couldn't understand how to suppress his excitement! But like his nature, he let out his exploding excitement in one word that he usually used to say. "AWESOME!" and then a normal question appeared to his mind, "But... what is this place? This doesn't seem like the panda village or the valley! Where am I?"
The panda, unlike the real world where he was on the rope between the life and death, was all fine! No injuries, no damage, no nothing! He was as pure, white and fluffy as the cotton-like clouds above! He had no idea was but the excited panda started running for no apparent reason! A bird was set free from its cage!
After running through the fields here and there, touching gently those flowers that sprinkled even more after the touch, the panda halted at a certain place as those jade eyes found a white figure standing at the top of a cliff wrapped in white! Eager to know who that was, furry panda, white as angel, rushed at the figure with the clothes playing along with the breeze.
Soon, he reached, breathing quickly, and with a gasp he called it. The figure turned around and what reflected in those jade eyes… was something beyond beauty that surprised the panda more than the beauty around! Something where the peak of the beauty lies! It was Tigress, with a smile beautiful and soul-soothing than ever! Standing on the top, in the middle of the whole view that focused on her, she was looking like a warrior of peace… a gentle, white feather swooshing through the skies… like a pearl found from the depths of the seas… like a daisy feeling the air, and like an angel sent from the heavens above! Such beauty was nowhere to be found!
"Tigress!" Po asked, "What're you… doing here?!" staring at her whole body from bottom to top with those unbelieving eyes!
"Po…" she called him warmly as her long silk scarf flapped at once with a breeze and then kept flapping. "Do you love this world?" and then the white angel turned, looking at those cliffs that peeked from above the clouds.
Climbing a little high, equal to her friend, Po replied warmly, looking at those cliffs as well, "Sure! This place is like… I just want to stay here my whole life!"
"You know, this place… is actually your world." Po's world?!
"My… WHAT?! MY WORLD?" asked the panda in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"Everyone has an inner world as well, depending on how they want the real world to be! This is what your core is… This is what you want for everyone; happiness and peace."
"WOOOOOOAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" a prolonged gasp he gave, just the same when he saw the panda village for the first time!
Unwillingly ruining his excitement, Tigress continued, "You know what? There is a thing I wish for…"
"A wish? What can that be? I hope I'm able to complete it!"
"I have my world beautiful as this one... It is my wish to see the both worlds together." And then an unexpected, calm hug that surprised panda once again! "I want to show you my world and I want see that third world… our world… with you by my side, holding my hand."
The surprised panda, with those warm and loving words, calmed down bit by bit. Leaning back and looking in those amber eyes, he murmured gently, "So this is all you want?"
"Yes." replied Tigress with a gentle smirk. "Will you take me there?"
"Yes, Tigress… I will… I will…"
As the two lovers bumped their foreheads into each other out of love, a sudden gush of soul-soothing breeze brought all the petals of the flowers with itself, wrapping around, covering the two lovers together! And after that… Love healed all the wounds, all the pains!
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The panda uttered those words warmly, gently, and affectionately… His words had strength now! He was fully assured that he will take her to the world where they both belonged! At once both thrust forward. Now, Tigress had her fierce claws out already while Po had his fist closed, with a belief… belief to bring her back that her claw came swooshing from aside, going to pierce his left ribs out along with the heart that the panda suddenly grabbed it while looking straight into her eyes.
In that moment where everything around seemed floating, whether it was the dust or the leaves of the bamboo trees, Tigress was slowly trying to get away while Po was leaning forward, as if he was going to kiss her and bring her real self back forever! Tigress knew that as well that's why she was afraid!
At the moment, she thought of Po not only as a murderer but a pervert as well who was soon going to reset everything with a gentle, warm kiss! Both were standing in different stances as Po came closer and closer, holding her other claw as well, that he suddenly let go of her both claws and let them piece into his back as the two bosoms touched! Without losing a moment, Tigress dug her canine right in Po's shoulder and soon, a stream a blood gushed out!
This is how brutally the panda was being damaged while he, on the other, was actually hugging her with a warm smile on the face! He indeed was feeling intense pain but he cared more about his love than about his pain!
His warm whispers, while he kept holding her to his heart, then gently hit her ears, "Tigress, I know you can... listen to me. I p-promise that I'll t-take you... I'll take you to the world... that one that b-belongs to us. And it's because... It's because I love you!" and with the last sentence, life returned to her eyes! The truth was finally unraveled! Her nails slowly went in her furry claw, and she let out those canines, now painted red.
Now, all her memories returned back; the one when she hugged Po after Shen's fight, the one where she saw Po on the edge of defeat against Kai, those normal days of training, gazing at the moon at night, sharing happiness at the noodle's shop, and the one in which she was killed with that furious claw that came from behind. All of those dead memories were now finally alive!
The last thing Tigress remembered was Po holding her in his big, fluffy arms, with a bright smile. Before her eyes could completely close, she murmured those words warmly, "Thank you, Po. Thank you..." and peace did she closed her eyes and slept. His loving friend knew that he finally succeeded! So he let her sleep with his last whisper, "Sleep peacefully. I am here!"
The two separated white and black had now finally become one! Po had still that calm smile on his face. Now, he was half way there. The rest was to fight the great army and remove the dead past forever.
From a cliff, the dark warrior saw the whole thing, standing stiff against the wind. Watching the failure with his own hands, he snorted in anger and left the place. As both the Yin and the Yang were together, victory seemed sure! The glorious sun now blew away the clouds of despair, giving the hope that enlightened everything! Now, everyone was waiting for the final moment to arrive! The final battle was now about to take place!
