"So what's the plan?" asked her beloved friend solemnly, now fully aware of herself about who she was, what her past was, and who her relatives were.
"The plan… uh…" replied back the panda, who was completely healed with the chi of her beloved friend, who was not that much sure of his idea. "I'm thinking of attacking them all at once with the army of our jombies, and then bringing Tai Lung back on his knees!"
On hearing such an uncertain answer, she knew herself that Po had no idea about his plan. "You're not even sure what to do next, right?" The panda, with a nervous giggle, nodded. A weird silence took place for a while in which the only thing heard was the charming whistle of the cold breeze with a slight taste of rain in it.
Sitting somewhere on a cliff, far away from all the blood and gore that happened in the valley, the two were planning what to do next but they could find no solid idea!
"Hey, Tigress?" spoke the panda sadly. Looking at him, those orange eyes enquired for the question. The panda continued, looking at gold amulet of his both dads, "Do you think we'll able to bring them back?" The fact was that Po had told her everything-everything since the moment the very first tragedy happened. At first, listening to all of the tragedies following one after another, the hard-core master really felt grief for the poor panda, thinking how his friend managed on going through such violence and mental torture on his own, but soon as she knew about how he then met everyone in the Spirit Realm and how everyone was happy to have their chi taken by him, she was then sure enough that they will be brought back again!
"Well, when they were glad about their chi taken by you, they also believed that you have the capability to bring them back. That's what I belief." A paw of reassurance was lent by Tigress to his shoulder. "You can do it!" and those words empowered his belief furthermore that he can actually bring everyone back and settle everything back to how happy it was.
A gentle smirk crossed that chubby face that supported making the hardcore's face smile as well! The chubby panda now remembered something important as his eyes grew wider. "Uh... there's something I have to... tell you."
"And what's that?"
"I-I... I... had a dream... about you!" answered the panda nervously, having his mind being constantly hit with the thoughts of what her friend would say about the beautiful dream that the panda had.
"A dream...? About me?" Tigress asked doubtfully.
"Yyy...eahh!" Po slowly rolled his eyes all the way around with the word.
"Aaaand... what happened in that dream?"
"I... was-" before the panda could take a start, some sort of explosion happened out of nowhere, right behind the two, throwing the two suddenly down the cliff, along with some dust that fell on both! Out of nowhere... an explosion?! Luckily, both were alive and very much in good condition!
"What the...!" The panda got up and then eagerly hurried to her friend. "Tigress, are you okay?!"
"Yes, I'm fine." boldly stood the hardcore, with the fluffy paw supporting her. "What was that?"
"I'm surprised that this big, fat panda managed to bring you back!" An old roar from an old enemy standing at the same cliff where sat the two together. As the dark figure flashed in those raging eyes, with a furious roar was he then welcomed!
"Do you avenge your dead family, huh?"
Outrageous Tigress was going to attack but the Dragon Warrior, covered in clothes torn and pierced from places, stopped his friend and spoke in her stead, "You're not gonna get away with this!"
"In order to get me," added the dark warrior, "you've got to be able to reach me first!" and then he suddenly escaped, jumping high behind that cliff, disappearing from the sight!
"What do you say?" asked Tigress without wasting a moment.
"Well," replied the panda, "we, follow him and kick his butt!" and then both rushed at the enemy, following him up to the cliff where now remained nothing more than sand, unlike before enriched with bamboo trees.
As the two climbed, the upcoming landscape gave nothing less than a huge shock to them. It was as of some huge bomb full of surprises exploded on them! They cannot believe what they saw! Their mind was fighting against their eyes, shouting out loudly that it was all an illusion! But if their eyes were showing them the lie, how come were their ears telling them the truth as a huge rumble echoed across the sky! Their eyes widened and widened further as the horrible landscape reflected in the eyes!
While the sky was white, the ground was dark, unlike its normal mixture brown and green! That huge, limitless, dark wave, that covered the land as far as the eye could see, was actually the army of the dark warrior filled with growling hyenas whose threatening growl would combine at once, forming roars of a mighty ocean that pierced the sky above! Every one of them - every single one of them was fully drenched with armor of different types!
Clearly, this was the biggest challenge that the two had to face! Till now, Po had defeated Tai Lung on his own, Lord Shen with using inner peace, even banished Kai from the Spirit Realm forever using his chi, but this time… what was he going to do? Even his army of gold jombies was nothing more than a drop of water in a mighty ocean!
The two had their mouths handing down out of wonderment. Tigress was going to ask something – something probably like 'How're we going to fight them all?' or 'Does there stand any chance for us to win?' but before those words could be uttered, the solemn and rigid words of the panda were hear, "Let's fight them all."
His friend, Tigress, hearing those suicidal words, looked at Po, but what reflected from that chubby face and those jade eyes was firm resolve! His resolve and that solemn face even gave strength to his friend as well and she said mildly, "If that is what you think, guess I have no choice then!"
Among those bloodthirsty hyenas covered in black, just like their dark master who they all obeyed on his fingertips, none of the lusty warrior could be distinguished from the other standing beside! They all even seemed so parallel to their master that in the ocean of those dark masses, that white leopard vanished already!
Now, against the two was the army of thousands! There appeared no chance of winning from the pure ones! The battle seemed already decided! Resistance was useless! But it was just hope… a belief that the tables could be turned on somehow! That's what the two hearts of a complete Yin Yang believed in! Soon, Armageddon was going to take place in the valley where once existed peace!
At once, among those groans floating on the surface, a screeching cry from the leader hyena, with a spear pointing at the two, pierced through that might ocean, and then the whole ocean charged, soon going to cause tsunami!
On the other side, standing above all on the cliff, the Dragon Warrior nodded to his comrade, and his comrade knew what he meant, replying back with the same silent nod. The two together, the black and white of a complete balance, jumped high in the air, blowing the dust behind.
While the Dragon Warrior was I the midair, he suddenly, rolling around, shot all the gold structures tied to him, at the enemies, on the ground that soon grew into their respective characters and joined the battle at once, fighting violently with their Kung Fu against the vicious army, showing no mercy!
As both the dragon and the tiger landed together, their landing caused a huge explosion and wreaked havoc, blowing off a hundred of the dark ones like the leaves! As the mists of the dust settled after a while, the silhouette revealed the two gold figures standing in their own stance, side by side.
"You take the front. I'll take the rear." murmured the Dragon Warrior, receiving an expected murmur, "Okay." and then the Dragon Warrior, sprinting at one giant tide, thrust against the ground, jumping above the heads, and then started running, like a ninja, on those heads and shoulders, not only tapping his legs but knocking the enemy with his move as well! That was his strange, improvised move that he just thought of and applied, and that greatly worked out for him!
Now, Tigress was left alone, but with a smirk on watching the improvised action of her beloved. But soon, that smirk turned into a roar as another tide flowed towards, with fierce blades shining! She too thrust towards that mighty tide, delivering such a heavy blow to the front row that hurled on the previous ones, blowing them away, and like that, the ripple continued for a while. Making her way through those floating bodies, she managed to reach in the middle from where she could not see a thing except darkness around. The fact was that she was now stuck in the middle of that might ocean.
Unluckily, those around thought the same but her trying to reach in the middle, she was actually being an optimist who grabbed the chance at the moment. Standing fixed in her own stance, she glared here and there with a threatening roar at the dark ocean with the gleam of the weapons, each reflecting her image. Everyone wanted to attack but was afraid by that fierce warning. Looking at each other as if they talked with their eyes, everyone lunged at that single body with their growl!
Their wild fighting style, their only way of fighting, was no match for those keen eyes that could predict easily those slow moves. As everyone from every side was about to slash the keen blade through, everything appeared to slow down around the female warrior! Or more like to the future-predicting eyes of that warrior, the surrounding seemed to slow down as she started grabbing her enemies, rushing her heavy, iron-hard blows, and then shooting her enemies back at those tides.
It was difficult – way too much difficult for those wild hyenas to even touch her because before that, each one of them would have received three constant blows at the face and one kick on the stomach that would definitely shoot them far away, causing severe harm to those behind as well! From every side was rushing jet-black stream but soon it would be thrown back with double speed! Those behind who could only see their comrades thrown back at them, only wondered what kind of monstrosity lied after the tide that was so furious to fight mountain load of army! Some of them were now even scared themselves of fighting that unknown monstrosity as among their growls could also be heard the cold shivers of their weapons and armor.
Soon, before those rushing hearts could comprehend a thing, everything was revealed to them just a few moments before their butt getting kicked as the goddess of war arose, shining unique from the streams of the glorious sun above while the rest below remained dark as ever. That majestic figure gleamed at once in those deep eyes now lost in amazement of the beauty! But who knew that the beauty – the goddess so appreciated by those eyes would fall upon them as a death god, unleashing the ultimate strength that was kept hidden in those furry paws!
She rose like an angel and fell like a death god! None of them escaped her fury, and finally got themselves knocked out by those violent claws, and those overwhelmingly strong blows. In a few minutes, she had wiped out almost half of that dark army but still she kept fighting on and on. Before the tragedy that happened with her days ago, she was not that strong. She could fight to a great extent before but wiping out half of the ocean so easily… it was something impossible with her normal strength!
At the very moment, what she felt inside was some sort of strange strength – power that she had never realized in herself before! But going further, as she knocked a few more out, the blur curtain faded as she remembered that the same guy who killed her was the one who trained her to the extreme after her revival! That's right! She could remember every last bit of the moments she spent training with Tai Lung who revealed to her a new level of Kung Fu! The one who trained her to fight an army bare-handedly at once! And along with all of those memories of her dead past, she also remembered that Tai Lung called her Meimei (Sister) while giving her the lectures on fighting stances and also during their spars. Now she had found the real reason behind her ultimate strength.
With each blink of memory, she would have violently injured around 10 hyenas at once! Her fight turned more and more intense as those memories kept popping up in her mind. One after another, one after another… it constantly happened, making her uncomfortable with herself that at last, annoyed by all of those memories and the word 'Meimei' resonating in her ears, she jumped higher and landed down with a thundering roar, dealing an extremely powerful blow with her foot that caused a dusty, golden wave of chi to spread in a large area, blowing every last thing away!
By then, all the memories had returned back to her while she was on her knees, looking at her paws with anguish. She realized that Tai Lung was the only reason she had became so much powerful, and that's why she felt intense pain! She was fighting against the one who granted her mighty power. It was strange and unbelievable but the hardcore was now in pain! While suffering through pain, the memories from both sides clashed together - the one from before her revival with Shifu, his father, and the other after her revival with Tai Lung, his brother. Now, she had to choose between the two but which one? The frown disappeared soon from the face as she clinched tightly her paw, showing that she had finally decided something!
After her decision, she stood and found out that she had done a great job around her. All that was left around her was nothing more than clouds of dust, with ground silent as if death crawled over. But soon from a distance she heard again the same growls of rage that showed that another tide was on its way. Again, with her fists tightly closed, she was ready to take down another tide with bare hands…
By then, the Dragon Warrior had crossed that never-ending ocean and had now reached finally the horizon where the ocean ended (and began as well). The flabby figure standing fixed, with face solemn and cold like never before, head tilted down a little, and the torn cloak flapping gently with the breeze; the whole scenery, along with the dust flowing behind, showed him as a true warrior whose legends echo in every corner of the world.
He appeared solemn so much that it could actually be felt emitting from him, and that is why the army of darkness was afraid to step towards the light. They all were just looking at each other, as if asking others to step forward first. But the shiver of cold fear was far greater than their desire to pierce and eat that panda again.
So solemnly, those steps moved onwards with the enemies backing cowardly though filled with sharp blades. The trembling souls could not comprehend the strength of the lone warrior. They were confused with the options whether to attack or run away. None among them could decide that a wavering growl, that sounded more like from a leader, enraged them to move onwards and destroy that lone warrior.
At once, that dark tide lunged high at the lone warrior and had its keen-edged blades on the verge of slashing the one but still, the warrior remained calm and solemn as ever; moving gradually as if he didn't care about what was going to happen next but that expression so unique told some different story about him. Before the tide could fall down forcefully, the panda had crossed it with the same calm and quiet footstep that out of the blue, the tide crashed into drops now raining down behind the lone warrior.
Just what happened…?! He was supposed to get slaughtered by those fierce blades but he was still alive, fine as ever! Every soul that clashed in those cold eyes was thinking the same. He was just simply walking and then…! None of them could believe their own eyes. The reality appeared to be a lie – to be some sort of delusion but it never was to start with.
It was too late before the disbelievers could separate their illusion from reality that another gigantic tide was now floating in the midair as the panda made his way to the next one. Just what has he become?! His power… his strength… it was overwhelming! Now, this was the real power he had achieved by taking the chi of the whole Panda Village and the Valley of Peace! He had become the legendary warrior only heard in fairytales but this one; it was real – very very real!
Now, every soul would quiver with fear just by hearing his footsteps! The glimmer of their quivering blades was now twinkling over his body. None of them had the courage to step forward and swing the blade or shoot an arrow because before that, the person was already butt-kicked badly. They all have no option left besides escaping, and so they did! But the Dragon Warrior was not going to leave them that easily. As they all were about to flee away shouting, those calm footsteps halted with those jade eye sliding here and there to judge every slight movement where the enemy could be knocked out with just a blow. That cold, keen gaze contained the spine of a person, the throat, the eyes, the tenders, and every delicate place he could remember because he had already practiced acupuncture with Shifu a long time ago.
As every acupuncture point was taken into account, the Dragon Warrior again took a step and vanished at the moment! After a while, one fleeing warrior was thrown in the air by someone as he got severely damaged on the limbs. Another was hurled away by the gold breeze, with his tenders and other organs badly injured.
It was not happening to one or two but many at the same time! From where that breeze passed, it definitely tossed a few, injuring them at several spots. In fact, that unforeseen breeze, appearing to be some gold glowing dust, was the Dragon Warrior moving so swiftly that his actions could no longer be perceived with normal eyes! He was fast – incredibly fast! He'd be handling four or five opponents at the same time; hitting one in the throat with one hand, the other two behind with his feet shooting into the stomach, and the other with the remaining fist hitting many shots!
Different opponents were being hit at different spots! And while the rest would be watching their people getting beaten by nothing, they'd start randomly waving their blades here and there in order to protect themselves but they never learn that in front of those unpredictable moves, nothing held an equal match.
Meanwhile, the Dragon Warrior, to whom everything seemed to be floating pretty gradually whether the dust or the leave or an arrow coming straight ahead and whom every acupuncture point, appeared to be sort of glowing golden, was now noticing each and every last acupuncture point on the dark figures with his keen eyes. At once, he moved, and as he moved, from that whole furry figure, half covered in shredded clothes, started leaving the golden glitter, as if some fairy dust, telling about how much powerful he had become. It actually was his overwhelming chi that was constantly leaving his body in the form of golden dust that would soon vanish, just like a broken star.
So, the Dragon Warrior had realized this ability as he was revived back and so did he use it. Firstly, he kicked an approaching arrow out of his way up to the sky and then just dealt a heavy knee blow on one's back. Thirdly, as swiftly he moved, with his glitter following him, another heavy blow was forced under one's jaw and after that, some combo punches in another's torso. Now sprinting to another, he low-kicked that guy with a sharp spear, soon going to bash the ground with his head. And at the end, the furious panda butterfly-kicked many around on their faces, soon going to blow everyone to a side, with the panda rolling in the middle of all the danger.
Now when the panda landed gently on the knee, the arrow went up disappearing, and the one dealing that furry fist in the back was thrown upon many, resulting in shooting a group. The third and forth knocked out at the moment as their body flew high and fell back. Onwards, the one having the spear also kissed the ground as he fell, with his spear shooting into his own bottom that screeched a cry out of his mouth. And now finally, the whole group surrounding the panda that was butterfly-kicked all fell to one side.
Now, the panda smirked and then got up. "Is this enough…" and then got excited at once, just as his weird nature, "or do you intend on eating more of my fists filled with awesome destruction!" The warriors around, after glaring at their weaklings, rushed at the panda but his sudden stance put a halt to their movements on the spot–introducing shivers in their bodies as the weapons they held strongly startled shivering.
The result was in front of their eyes. Every quivering soul which had not yet seen the bodacious fighting of the Dragon Warrior was now trying to avoid the panda as indicated by their threatening growl that no longer held any rage or threat in it. But how come would the panda leave them like that? There was a shine in his plum face that held a smile brightest enough to surpass the darkness around! Among the dark ones, he shined the brightest because of his uniqueness – because he was the pure one; the Dragon Warrior.
In order to persuade the dark warriors to fight, the panda taunted them that led the flames of rage burst out of them, ending in taking the same foolish actions again; attacking on the most powerful one. Soon, judging everyone's move, the panda again swooshed among those lanes, rows, and columns, delivering his hits and strikes one after another, throwing one from here and shooting the other from there, missing the sea of arrows and spears just by inches and deflecting them straight into air as well!
From up above, what could be seen was just the golden glow passing through the darkness, removing it away bit by bit as more and more bodies were tossed. From where the glow whistled, nothing remained but the traces of the glow itself. In just a few minutes, among the army of those thousands, only a few hundreds were left that were now on the verge of going berserk as they all watched such unbelievable downfall that they had never faced before.
Again, after sweeping many out of his way, the warrior stood boldly in his usual battle stance, with the same glorious smirk that surpassed all the evil. But unfortunately, that smirk faded away and he was astounded a little to find himself encircled with almost every last hyena glaring at him with those eyes having fire in them! It was a clear sign showing that none of them were now going to leave the panda alive at any cost. And the same happened what the Dragon Warrior thought as the very first circle jumped high with the second one following it behind and then the third one and so on…
One circle after another each followed the same pattern. The drops joined together soon taking the form of many huge tides all around. Those were the most gigantic tides jumping high from all around, soon going to crash one lonely panda that seemed nothing more than a star in the dark sky. In front of those jade eyes, the white, peaceful sky disappeared, taken over by the howling, fiercer, darker one.
Every last living life, as it saw that huge tide, rushed towards it from far away and became a part of it. Even the ones facing great Master Tigress during the fight left the place at the instant and then sprinted at those fiercer tides that even crossed the height of the mountains and hills around! Never had those orange eyes ever sighted such a horrible view before! She had her mind taken over by just one question, 'Why were they acting in such a way?' but soon, the answer was found as those eyes saw the light on earth inside the darkness on the sky.
"Po?" she murmured his friend's name and soon ran, calling his name again, going to save him but Po stopped her at once, "No! Don't come here!" In that clamor, the two could hardly hear each other so they had to shout.
"I'm not leaving you alone like this!" yelled Tigress, her heart worried for her friend clearly visible from her frown.
"You'll have to trust me Tigress!" Po shouted back, along with a grin indicating that the Dragon Warrior had something up his mind. "You'll have to—"but what was that…?! The glory that appeared unique was suddenly overshadowed by those furious tides, vanishing in an instant! That glorious grin… gone…! No matter how hard one would try, nothing could be seen except those hyenas running their claws constantly over something! So… was he gone…?
How couldn't a view that horrible shock his friend? She just galloped at once, calling for him, but no reply…! Almost near to grab a few of them and throw them away that what happened in front of those keen eyes just surprised her more than before. From deep within that darkness, where the light even died, appeared the stream of golden light following one after another, becoming more and more intense! She did not understand what it was.
At once, from that gigantic dark mountain that was actually the result of those tides appeared the light so bright that it enlightened each and every place on earth, leaving no corner. It was in fact the same panda bursting out from that monstrosity high up in the sky, shooting most of those dark figures far away, hitting those dark tides head-on!
None of the tide could bring him down any further! No force was any match for him! The real power that rested inside… was now unleashed! No more shadows… no more silhouettes… as the light took over every dark path…!
"Po?" Watching such majestic view could bring out no more than that one word, but that name so gentle also brought up a gentle smile on that questioning face. She had now her believe stronger than her iron-hard fists. In those eyes so hopeful shined the brightest her best friend, the Dragon Warrior, reaching higher and higher above all, kicking, punching, climbing over them as the golden dust of chi left his body, lifting him the highest from where the light of his glory fell upon everyone.
Down from earth, the warriors merely able to stand were astounded on watching the real power of the Dragon Warrior. The power he possessed at the moment… was something never witnessed before! He was totally on another different level.
So higher and higher he went, and more and more gazes he got on himself. At the very peak, from where he could finally see both the earth and the sky meeting each other, he was wowed by the influence of his own power as he boomed, "AWESOME!" and then thrust down at the earth with the same speed and with an increasing smirk on that chubby face of his.
The one on the ground knew that they were not going to get alive after such gigantic bomb so they started running away that led to turmoil and clamor all over the place. Being closest to him and aware of his every single move, Tigress too crawled far away to a safer distance, earlier than anyone else for she was a tiger of course!
Now, all in his awesomeness, the smirking panda rushed downward with even greater force, coming closer, more closer, and even more closer that suddenly… a huge blast of golden chi occurred with an incredible boom that spread everywhere across that battlefield, taking everyone inside golden light, filling that huge ground with nothing more than those denser clouds of dust.
While Tigress, waiting at certain distance for his friend with those anxious eyes, felt a light jolt of the breeze as the end result of that blast, she at once ran in search of him but soon came to a stop with a smirk taking place of her anxiety instead as the plump silhouette was perceived coming slowly and calmly towards her, just as before, with the same torn cloak fighting the breeze.
"Just drop the act, Po." calmly said Tigress, now reassured of her friend. "I know you're alive." His panda friend then soon appeared from within those clouds, giggling nervously, "I thought it looked cool!" "Let's say, it did." And the panda cheerfully giggled once again on that reply, but how unlucky he was that in an instant, that sheer moment of happiness was snatched from him as the black mask of the Warrior of Death crossed the two eyes and what Po saw next was the same Dark Warrior with the jade staff, the same Yin Yang Staff gifted to Po by the Grant Master Oogway, piercing Tigress' back, stuck in the ground with Tai Lung's feet on her head, forcing it inward. It requires just one moment for the world to change… and it did!
Poor panda could not comprehend the scene in front of his eyes while frozen for a few moments but as he heard that prideful voice, "Yes, it indeed looks good on you, panda." then Po just roared, "YOU!" Suddenly, that devil pulled out the jade staff, with blood on in, leaving a suppressed groan behind, and then swung it at the panda but the panda crouched down on the spot. After a while, as he got up and looked behind over his shoulder, what was found… was astonishing!
As the dust blew away, those jade eyes, now almost popping out, witnessed the lives of those thousands, that were only defeated, all lost as the whole ground was filled with an ocean of blood now! Not a single person was alive. Everyone was gone. Tai Lung… even his own army…! How tyrant act was that! The view almost took the soul out of his mouth.
"I'm glad it was not you..." uttered that villain, looking at that shiny staff with those piercing eyes. "Or your head would be tossing somewhere far away. I don't want to kill you so easily."
"Tigress is none of your concern! Keep her out of this!"
"You think so?" Tai Lung added as he pressed her head even more against earth. "She too has played a good role here. She betrayed me as well, just like Shifu did! And that's why I'm not going to leave her alive as well! Both of you will meet the same fate as everyone did!"
"As if we'll allow you to do that!" Tigress interfered and then bashed the dark one on the ground with her low-kick! Now the panda was about to jump on him, with his giant tummy, that the Dark Warrior kicked him out of the place, throwing him somewhere in the battlefield that turned the panda red as well! Tigress, on watching that, was about to land a powerful kick in his face that stopping her iron-hard kick with just a bare hand, he tossed her up and then jumped at her, bashing her with such a huge force in his one kick that Tigress knocked out on the spot as she dealt that blow on her head!
The panda, using his ultimate power, rushed at her with that intense speed but in the middle interfered Tai Lung, the Warrior of Death, with his fierce claw grabbing Po's chubby face, even though Po was using his ultimate ability, and then smacked him right down with such drastic force that blew the sand and blood around meters high! Tai Lung said, as the mixture of sand and blood rained down upon the two, "You are not the only one with such abilities. I have the overwhelming strength of these thousands of warriors. How do you think I get it?"
The panda was led into curiosity but couldn't find the answer himself so Tai Lung told him. "It was just the way you became this powerful. You only took chi while I… I was given chi and revived by all of these warriors that I took to death!" Po was surprised by that fact. Tai Lung continued, "It was actually one of them who watched you pathetic fools giving chi. They all learned it and soon, they brought me back to life. I don't use the way of taking chi because my own strength is enough to take life. This is my way of becoming strong; BY CRUSHING THE WEAK! And as for this staff… I found it attractive in the palace and wondered what it can do but as I touched it, I felt my strength growing immensely."
The white leopard covered in black then moved that staff over Po's neck, saying, "If I want to, I can end you with just a single blow. Just one blow is enough to take you back to that realm but this time, I'll make sure you never return." and then that leopard held high that staff, soon going to slash the panda's neck with it but Po suddenly kicked that guy in the face and freed himself somehow!
Clutching his own face, the furious leopard roared, "You'll pay for this, you ugly, fat panda!" and then lunged at once, moving that staff around here and there to slay the panda but Po would dodge those deadly attacks just by a few inches. The staff now had the power never seen before! As it moved over a place, it would shoot a single pitch-black, crescent-shaped wave that would turn mountains and terrains to plain in a wide area! It was so dangerous that dealing with only one shot head-on would mean dealing with death! And the panda here was doing almost the same but instead of dealing with those drastic waves, using his speed; he'd try to avoid them.
Just a few steps back were taken to avoid death that the panda vanished at once! Where was he gone at a time like this?! IT was unlike his nature to flee from the battlefield! Tai Lung sort of read Po's mind and that's why he had a smirk on his face when he just randomly swung that overwhelmingly powerful staff that blasted off the sand in the air but when the dust settled down, from it appeared the panda lying down, covered with a few injuries caused by that dark wave.
While Po was staggering, trying to stand on his feet again, that eagle-eyed warrior then reached at the spot in an instant that made the panda gasp out of astonishment, wondering that Tai Lung too could use the same technique that he himself did?! Just how was that even possible?! Those interrogative eyes were a clear sign of these questions that were crawling all over his face.
A heavy blow the panda dealt in the stomach as Tai Lung uttered, "I can easily judge that you're thinking how come I can use the same power. It is because…" and then whispered in his face, "I'm still far more powerful than you!" and then a direct hit with a knee in the face of the kneeling panda that shot him far behind. It hurt him so much that even his nose started to bleed but the Dragon Warrior dealt with the pain somehow as he halted himself with his paws dug in the ground, leaving its traces.
The two opposites facing each other; one glaring while the other snarling that both the opposites thrust at each other, with that dark and gold chi leaving behind, showing their traces. Nearer as they reached, their fists clenched, ready to take down the opponent that both charged simultaneously, when the eyes clashed, both hitting each other in the faces again, thrown back with a violent speed but rolling in the midair, both landed gently, eyes still set on the enemy.
This time, Tai Lung was the one who bled from the lips as the taste fell on his tongue. Wiping the blood with the wrist, he spit on the ground, becoming more wrathful. At once, both launched and charged but before Po's kick could even touch slightly that dark leopard, Tai Lung grasped his neck, taking Po with himself and then shot him somewhere in the distance again, with the panda's body getting rough injuries and scratches.
Before the panda could stop again, just like earlier, the cruel one suddenly reappeared before him, charging another kick on his back that rolled the panda roughly somewhere again! Again did that cruel one appear and again did he bash him with another kick… and then the same happened… and a thundering fist in the chest that almost blocked his breath…!
The process of the panda being shot from one place to another with those dirty blows and hits was constantly being repeated. He was getting hurt from everywhere! And soon, his previous closed wounds; along with the ones he was getting right now, opened and now he was drenched in his own blood. Now, those weak eyes could only see that dark dust-like chi hitting him from every side, taking him from place to place.
There was just no stop to that. From up above, that dark gust of chi was kicking and rolling the white panda across the blood-red ocean. Hardly would that poor guy had stood on those weak limbs that another blow rolled him to another corner! Heart rushing wildly, breaths colliding, and the white furry body turned into some dark red mass of blood but still, the Dragon Warrior refused to give up once again and stood on those trembling feet, with that weak focus trying to get that dark figure in the view as it approached nearer.
"I'll have to say that you're one tough guy!" The Dark Warrior applauded for the Dragon Warrior's incredible strength to endure each and every single one of his attacks. "But I still have a question: Why are you trying to go on with facing my attacks and saving everyone so bad? Why are you trying so hard?"
On that face so exhausted appeared a grin that killed all the pain. "It's because… It's because… I had those around who cared for me and loved me…" The reply surely surprised that leopard. Po continued,"those who raised me… fed me… trained me… made me who I am today! If I don't return that favor by bringing all of them back… I'll… I'll then never be able to face myself!"
An answer - a reason so real for one… was just annoyance for the other! Tai Lung, after murmuring, "You surely are annoying!" delivered a destructive knee-blow under the jaw that not only thrust the poor one up high but also blew away the ocean of blood from the ground, leaving a dent inside! The poor panda was going up high, totally unconscious!
From below the ground, those gazes set upon him watched the same, with a satisfied smirk. But it seemed that he was not satisfied enough so he then flew, with the same dark chi following him, and arrived up high where the unconscious body of the panda was supposed to. Before that could have happened, the Warrior of Death rushed towards Po, soon grasping his neck, taking him down again. But unlike the thoughts of just simply smacking him down from that extremely damaging height, the pitch-black chi, unlike a stagnant drop of water falling down, started quivering, showing some severe actions taking place at the moment.
The fact was that those quivers in the chi were actually Tai Lung shelling those life-threatening blows at ultra-high speed that even Po himself could not reach. That bloody body was constantly getting damaged at an insane level! It was just like the giant rocks constantly launched from a machine gun.
As the mind was unaware, the poor guy could do no harm but face everything instead. Not even an ounce of strength was left within him. Poor did he seem and poor had he become! The savior now… was the one to be saved..! All the power - all the strength… turned to dust and went away…
After beating the heck out of that poor panda, the Dark Warrior, now almost about to reach the ground, bashed the unconscious Po with a final leg-blow that shot the damaged guy on the ground so forcefully that it formed a giant dent in the ground and soon, the streams of blood started filling it slowly from all sides.
Those barely opened weak eyes could see things all blurred to them and still could he hear the surrounding. So the panda still had some life left in him?! Soon, that black figure appeared, all blurred though, with the same jade staff and the same grin of satisfaction. "So, what now? Don't you want to save all those who fed you and trained you? Huh?!" but the panda so injured could not reply. "Now get up and save them all! GET UP!" but no response! "You surely did give me a lot of fun but I'm done with you." and then finally came the moment when that villain again touched that staff on his neck and was about to blow that poor guy into pieces! There was no one to stop him from doing that! The staff was held high and was about to be moved any moment now!
What odd thing was that the panda, with that blurred vision watching his own death, had a small smirk on those bleeding lips that Tai Lung never noticed! What did that even mean?! Soon, the vague meaning became clear when the Warrior of Death was about to swing that Yin Yang staff but unexpectedly, a blade out of nowhere pierced his back, peeking at his face from the sternum!
The questions like 'How did that happen?!' and 'Who did that?!' simply started echoing in his mind! He could just simply not understand the situation! It was impossible for anyone except the panda to even touch him then how…?! When the sword was pulled out and the jade staff fell from his claws, along with the rushing stream of blood, all answers became clear.
Just as Po did, Tai lung suffered the same betrayal. It was no other person than the one he called Meimei, that is Tigress, with the sword holding firmly but sadness clouding her face as if she never wanted to do that to him. "I'm sorry, brother! I had to…" Tai Lung had no words left to say on such act of betrayal, except for getting astounded more and even more every second, the same way Po had, but that face so full of regret, instead of melting that stoned heart, burnt it even more as Tai Lung turned, going to grab her as well that a call stopped him at once!
Turning gradually, those glowing eyes turned wider as they beheld the same panda, who was on the edge of defeat again, now standing back all fine on those two feet with those gold amulets surrounding his body along with that jade staff that belonged to him! He was returned back to the same Dragon Warrior again! So the whole thing of Tigress stabbing Tai lung and taking back the staff and the amulets, it was his plan!
"That staff!" roared the white leopard, wrapped in the flames of wrath. "Give it back to me!" and then stepped ahead that a kick of fury was charged on by the panda that sent him back. Before Tai Lung could manage to put a halt to his rolling body, the concerned panda, with the same chi dust following him, reappeared right behind him and then kicked him again to the other corner, like a football. Again did he roll with his body scratching on the rough surface and again did the same panda gallop, delivering a shot with a yell, "TAKE THIS!" Now, the same that happened with Po was now happening with Tai Lung. He was constantly being thrown from one place to another with that body now drenched in his own blood. Finally, it all ended with the last blow that bashed Tai Lung on the ground with him severely panting.
Defeated leopard had now the same condition that Po had earlier; all injured and damaged, but he was still good enough to see and hear clearly and even move. "That's enough." solemnly said the panda. "I don't want to go far then this. Give up and join us. You still have the option to go back and fix everything." but the warrior now damaged said nothing in return. Feeling some pity over his enemy, the panda moved his hand to him in order to pick him up. Tigress too was now there and Tai Lung could see her expressions still sad and miserable as before, as if asking him to join them once and for all.
As those gold eyes found the face of a sister again in that hardcore face so miserable, with a few pants, the claw moved onwards slowly to grab the paw of the Dragon Warrior. Watching that brought a gentle smile on the faces of both best friends but nothing expected happened as soon the paw was grasped and the panda was thrown away from the place, leaving Po in wonderment!
Tigress could not tolerate that so without a second thought, she lunged at his brother, shooting a fist at him but it was caught at the instant as when Tai Lung murmured, "Asking me to join you? It won't even happen in your dreams!" and then a side-kick hit those iron-tough claws, blocking Tigress' face that threw her up spinning but she landed safely with her keen balance. Now the white leopard charged many punches but she either avoided them somehow or blocked them. Those punches were so fast that she could hardly see through them but could not even imagine lending a blow from her side! It was almost impossible now!
"If you come back even now…" Tigress yelled as she dodged a kick, "Master Shifu will still accept you. He still thinks of you as his own son!"
Landing a heavy blow from above that was halted with those heavy claws, Tai Lung bellowed, "He never did! He betrayed me…" forcing his foot against her claws, "and so did you!" That answer shocked her to a great extent. She turned owl-eyed! "That panda… He is responsible for all of this! AND HE MUST PAY FOR WHAT HE DID! HE MUST SUFFER!" Inside that burning wrath for revenge rested grief, misery and gloom he never had faced before.
"I will not allow that to happen." replied Tigress solemnly, but she soon got the reply with a devilish sneer, "Only if I will let you!" and then pulled back that sharp-edged claw as he lent a gentle blow with the same foot, pushing her back, now going to do the same what he did before; pierce that sharp claw through her heart! "This time, you die for real… just like Shifu!"
The surprised tiger appeared to be frozen completely! She was just constantly questioning herself how the one who called her his sister could do something like that to her! She was once again about to die! Lost in her question, she could not do a single thing that the claw suddenly rushed to her but what glimpsed in those tiger-eyes was golden chi but no Dark Warrior! Soon did she realize that he was already taken away by that panda! She took a deep breath as she come to that realization. Now, the Dragon Warrior and the Dark Warrior were fighting each other.
"I… will not let that happen." spoke the solemn panda as he bashed a kick into Tai Lung's stomach that pushed him a few steps back. "This time… I'm going to bring everyone back no matter what it takes!" and then both the leopard and the panda clashed at once, forcing each other back with those arms that Po, after hurling the dark one up with that low-kick, called her friend, "Tigress, now!" and on the call appeared Tigress rushing from behind. The thing reflected in those golden eyes was her furious figure with her leg moving forward that suddenly hit the sternum so hard that he went far away, bouncing a few times on the ground.
The white leopard, before he could restore back to normal, was covered by those two warriors already! There was no other option besides fighting… and so he took that only remaining option. Po attacked first as he jumped with a yell, bringing down that kick of his onto the ground that was dodged, shattering it violently. From behind came Tigress with her with those violent, iron-tough fists trying to hit the target but every single one was blocked by the Dark Warrior along with managing to fight the Dragon Warrior simultaneously with those kicks of his!
From both sides were constant hits but that keen vision of those prideful eyes would help in dodging and blocking those attacks at the very least. Tai Lung was more concerned towards her sister than at his real enemy, the panda. He would be trying to land a hit but those two warriors were not letting him to do so. Those consistent heavy blows and hits finally invited his wrath once again that he, in a moment, shoved both of them back with those furious claws, leaving a giant circular wave. His severe pants were indication that he was at his limit and could no longer fight.
Again, the two friends rushed but Tai lung was now prepared for both sides but Po, who appeared to be sprinting from his left, now, appeared at once from the front that surprised the leopard to a great extent and now that he was about to land a high-kick on that chubby face, that furious kick of Tigress came from behind, hitting his back that shot Tai Lung forward at the panda. Po then started rushing all of his moves on him with that unimaginable speed that he used to move. Soon, no dark fists but only the glow from those fists could be seen hitting the body.
There were loads of hits being taken by that poor warrior, and Po then ended the show with a charged high-punch under the chin, with his fist glowing all gold because of the stored chi in it, putting all of the effort into it, shooting exhausted Tai lung up so high that he even disappeared for a few moments! That final punch was so powerful that as a result, it shattered the ground below into pieces, sending him up high with a boom! The show finally ended as the curtains fell down.
There was no sign of him in those clouds above. Those curious eyes from below were trying to seek the enemy but nothing could be found! The chi glow from those paws now slowly vanished. After a while, from above the clouds fell down the same severely injured Tai Lung, making a huge dent in the ground, with some bones broken and many wounds bleeding. The two then moved towards him again.
Severely wounded leopard was poorly breathing. Hardly could he move but with those few ounces of strength left, his quivering limbs ascended the figure after a few tumbles. That pitch-black covering all torn. Breaths irregular. Blood mixed into the red ocean. Vision all blurred and darkening. And limbs poor quivering. All of those were the signs of his defeat. Even a single movement would drain out most of his energy and the pain would be intolerable and yet… those quivering and stumbling steps took him towards the two as those depressed eyes looked at his condition. Those two couldn't move or didn't want to move, even they both never knew but looking at his poor state, they questioned themselves whether to help or not.
The stumbling Tai lung, as those steps took him to nowhere, remembered the past where, in the Jade Palace, he had killed the two masters; Crane and Mantis, and now had defeated Shifu, holding him up high against the Moon Pool. Those eyes were satisfied watching his own father in that defeated state.
"Look..." murmured the Dark Soul, "what I have done to these weaklings. The same I'll do to you, and then this whole valley… and then that so-called Dragon Warrior! I'll do the same what he did to me!" He roared.
"Why…" the broken voice of the Jade master, "Why are you… doing this?"
"Because I want my revenge!" his roar echoed throughout the hall. "I'll show him how it feels when there's nothing left. When the one you love the most… are taken away." and suddenly, the rage turned into despair. "When you become nothing more… nothing more than a name scared to be called." but those flames of revenge took place again.
"Forget… the p-past. There's always a choice. And you still have that."
"Forget the past?!" Those flames rose at once. "How am I supposed to forget that past that was never even mine! HOW?!"
"I know how you're… feeling." The father gently spoke. "I still regret what I did to you. What you became today… is all my fault." but those humble words could not turn that cruel heart. "Please, forgive me." Tai Lung showed no warm emotions. "That is true that Po is the Dragon Warrior…" and that leopard gritted his teeth. Shifu continued, "But that is true as well that you are my son… and I will always love you more than anything else… more than anyone else…"
What strange thing happened that those gold eyes so prideful turned wet, but something darker still remained inside that the Dark Soul, without facing his father, threw him in that pool and ordered those hyenas around, "Kill him!"
Enough memory reflected and now, the broken Tai Lung was almost near the panda, still walking. "You… You took my place from me! You took Shifu… from… m-me! You took… even my sister from me!" and a solitary tear trickled down those cheeks! It was something impossible! Po and Tigress, both were wonder-stricken, but Po was more surprised to hear the word 'Sister' from those lips for Tigress. He suddenly looked at Tigress but she couldn't meet the eyes. Only sadness and sorrow ran down her face.
"How much…" the poor guy groaned. "Just… how much will you… take from me?!" and then landed a weak blow that slightly even touched that panda's chest, and then he collapsed on his knees, with his face bowing down. One after another, those tears dripped into the blood with his face completely wet.
"Brother…" Tigress bowed to his face. "There's still an option. Everything can turn normal! You can start a new – wonderful beginning! Just lent us your hand!"
"She's right." supported Po as he bowed down as well. "We'll turn everything back to how it was." But after listening to both of them, he merely giggled with those tears in his eyes. "I've caused enough bad. Who knows if I turned against you once more? I am done with my life. He is waiting there for me. I have to… go." The warrior so pitch-black… had finally been defeated… but with his own hands.
Those gold eyes looked straight at nothing. Both the tiger and the panda followed where his eyes looked but normally, they too found nothing! After getting up again, he started moving again as he bled constantly. His eyes were still stuck on nothing! Tears in the eyes but a smile on the face… what appeared in front of him was no one else but his own father, Master Shifu glowing all golden as if reflecting all the light, only Tai Lung could perceive. What could be seen was a gentle smile on his face as if telling his son that the option he took now; turning his back to his evil past and accepting his own faults was a great deed that Shifu was so proud for! In that warm heart, which was once filled with darkness down to its core, Tai Lung could feel the same as well!
"Master…" his hand moved on its own towards his father while the two behind watched in surprise. "Let me tell you this: Nothing was taken from me! Nothing! Not my place, not my sister… and not even you! I too love you more than anything else… more than anyone else…" The two souls behind turned even sadder on that tragic ending. They just kept listening to those grief-filled words. That poor soul kept moving towards the mirage of his father. "What I wanted was just to be noticed a little more… What I wanted was just to be loved a little more… If I ask you now, will you… will you forgive me, father? Will you…" and those words remained unspoken – incomplete as the body splashed in blood, and the soul quietly left the body… Over the remaining shined brightly the sun, showing its respect to that warrior and taking peacefully his soul up in the skies.
Though that person had wreaked havoc – caused drastic destruction and limitless bloodshed, the only remaining souls there suffered a great deal of sorrow! "We should burry his body." solemnly spoke the Dragon Warrior, and supporting him, Tigress nodded sadly. Soon, in the Jade grounds, his body was buried with respect with the name on the gravestone 'The Undefeatable Warrior'.
Later on, now was the turn for the two to bring back the Valley and its inhabitants alive. At first, both could not think of a way to undo the destruction as it seemed impossible but soon, Po suggested that as being the 'Dragon' and 'Tiger' – the Yin and the Yang, the two of them can achieve the do the impossible if they become one. So, on Po's untested idiotic experiment, both the Dragon and the Tiger stood in the middle of the valley, back to back, and then moved their hands around, just the way they did in giving chi. With that untested experiment but unbroken will, expectations turned into reality as those paws glowed intense, never like before, and from within the ground appeared a very gigantic Yin Yang symbol filled with gold and white that continued to spread on and on, soon wrapping the whole valley! Such a beautiful scene was never sighted ever before!
Soon, as that symbol vanished, they both found out that the valley was just the way it used to be, along with its citizens lying all around, waking up one by one. Just like a happy ending, they all celebrated, congratulating the two warriors, praising their awesomeness that ended the dark times! Everyone was happy, hugging each other, but none knew of the true story behind except the two who were accepting the praises with fake smile and broken heart.
Days passed. Sun glowed in all its glory over the valley, just like before. The routine was returned again but something changed now… The warrior considered 'Dark' and 'Dreary' by everyone was now known as 'The Undefeatable Warrior' because slowly and gradually, the true story spread across the Valley of Peace and its neighboring valleys. He was now forgiven, accepted, and loved by everyone! His statue was then built along with the rest of the great masters of Kung Fu that reflected his glory and honor.
"…and this is the report about the Musician's valley, Master." Tigress reported the news about the bandits being taken down by their gang, bowing in respect for the grandmaster Shifu, in the Jade hall.
"Excellent! You can go now." said Shifu with the same peaceful smile.
Tigress turned and walked a few steps that she halted, looking at Shifu over her shoulder, "Master, he considered me his sister. And I too considered him as my elder brother for he trained me, just the way you do. I just wanted to know: Do you forgive and accept him?"
"You should go to Po now. He's waiting you at the Peach tree of Heavenly Wisdom." An unexpected answer from him turned Tigress a little sadder. She moved on but the next sentence stopped her. "No matter how bad a child is, he is always forgiven by its parents." She turned and gently smiled. "I have forgiven him already. I hope he too did the same." Master Tigress left with a smile and with some words of gratitude for her father that left Shifu with a bright smile as well.
Out there, under the peach tree was Po impatiently waiting, moving here and there and then here as if he had loads of stuff stored in his tummy to blurt out at once. Tigress appeared from behind. "Po, you called me?" but Po suddenly freaked out!
"Oh! You scared the heck outta me! I thought I was dead for a moment!"
With a giggle, Tigress asked, "So, what did you call me for?"
Those cheeks turned crimson. He wanted to but he couldn't utter some normal words. "Uh… Tigress…uh… I…uh…"
"I've never seen you that nervous." She came closer, putting her paw on his shoulder. "Everything alright?" but that action increased Po's throb and he turned even more red!
That poor guy so blushing had no other choice left but to squeeze tightly his eyes rush it all out, "IWANTEDTOSHAREMYDREAMWITHYOU!"
"Well, that was fast!" Tigress said. "So, what's about this dream of yours?"
Slowly, Po opened his eyes and asked as if she was going to punch her in the face on his question. "Can we sit here if you're free for now?"
"Sure!" and then the two warriors sat all alone, looking at the dying pinkish globe behind those mist-wearing mountains as the cold breeze favored them, adding even more affection between the two best friends.
Glancing at her paw, from sideways, that lay beside Po's, the blushing panda slowly moved his own paw, now almost going to touch it that Tigress interfered that made him suddenly pull back slightly his paw, "So, what did you see in your dream?"
"Uh…" Po was still shying, but he collected all his confidence and then with sigh and a deep breath after, he gently spoke, "okay! You remember that… battle among the two of us?"
"That…" Tigress turned a little down. "Y-Yes."
"During that battle when you AWESOMELY kicked my butt and I was knocked out, I saw a dream!" Po told excitedly.
"A dream… during the battle?" she asked mildly, but with a foolish look on her face that made her look cute.
Po simply nodded. "In that dream, I woke up in the middle of a beautiful place! It was just like the panda village! Or even more beautifuller than that! Cold wind, mountains and hills with mists, the sky all cloudy, the land so fluffy and soft with different colors of flowers! All of a sudden, my eyes fell on an angel!"
"An angel?" Tigress asked.
"Yes." Po warmly spoke. "It was covered in all white. I had never seen a beauty like that before! But when I went there, the one who appeared to be angel… was you."
"M-Me?' It was a sudden attack on her that she could not dodge! She turned crimson red, just as Po earlier was.
"Yes." He continued calmly and peacefully. "It was you."
"And what did I ask for?"
"Well, you hugged me and then you—Wait a sec! How did you know that you asked me something?!" it indeed was a question worth answering, but Tigress, looking aside, hiding both her face and her true feelings, just forced a little more in her question.
"Just tell me what did I ask for, Po?"
"You… You told me that your world was just beautiful as the one I had; the one we both were present into. And then you said that you want to show me your world, and then…" but then Tigress suddenly spoke in the middle, continuing what Po had to say "…and then I wished to see both worlds together." Po was pretty much amazed, with the twitch of those tiny ears, and his eyes too turned wider! Tigress carried on, "I wished to see that third world, with you by my side." She then looked him directly in the eyes, with those cheeks still red, "Will you…? Will you take me there?" The surprised panda turned red as well but then he gently leaned forward and whispered in her face, "I will. I will take you there. Together, we both will see that third world." The two lovers had their true feelings for each other revealed at last!
Now, both the lovers slowly and gradually closed their eyes and their torsos leaned forward on their own, and what the two waited for… happened at the end! Those warm lips gently touched each other as nature favored them with the calm breeze. Their love – their feelings – their emotions, the two could feel each other as if two bodies but one soul. The kiss lasted for a few more moments but they were separated soon as they leaned back and giggled with their eyes hiding from each other.
"Hey, will you marry me?" Po gently asked.
"Y-Yes." gently answered Tigress, putting her paw on that of Po.
Finally, the separated opposites had now become one once and for all!
The End.