Chapter 15

Recovered

Shifu was thrown painfully through the air by Sorus. While in mid-air, he breathed out, looked at his surroundings, and saw he was headed towards a building. Blinking, he spun so that his feet were facing the wall of the home. Once his feet touched the building ever so slightly, he bended his knees, and rapidly pounced back off of it. He was headed for the ground, as he soon landed. Sprinting for Sky, he twisted his step, and did a quick back flip over Tai Lung, and nailed the barking wolf hard in the neck, in a specialized pressure point.

Sky gasped, as he stumbled back. Breathing hard, he looked back at Tai lung, who was running for him. He growled, as he soon closed his eyes.

Tai Lung stopped running, along with Shifu. The wolf disappeared!

Thump! Thailaan kicked Tai Lung hard in the leg as he fell over, shocked. Looking up at her, he forced his elbow into the ground, bounced up from the ricochet, spun, and attempted to kick her in the head. She dodged it.

Master Shifu ran over to the polar bear, deflecting Miraji's staff with his left arm. He stuck out his two fingers, and struck Sorus hard in the side of the stomach. The polar bear grunted and stumbled a little, as he soon looked in Shifu's direction. He was gone, for he was now on the polar bears back. Grabbing Sorus' black shirt, Master Shifu spun him around powerfully, as he soon threw him into the same building he himself was thrown into just a couple seconds ago. The bear crashed painfully into the wall, as pigs and rabbits all over the place started screaming and scattering. Shifu looked at Sorus, grinned, and rushed back over to the battle Tai Lung was fighting.

Po read aloud the scroll, as his eyes bolted from left to right. "'...to find the one who killed my fellow friend, and restore hope, redemption, and peace to the valley. Let this fox: Song, rest in peace, as I possibly will too, when I go back to the place I was once banished from: The Jade Palace. -Tai Lung'"

The panda gasped, as he dropped the scroll. "So that's why he came... to... to protect us? The valley?" He crouched down, as he read the scroll that once was buried in the ground over and over again. "Song? The fox?" He sighed forcefully. "An innocent animal... dead?" He got on his knees, as he looked at the ground, finding it was a grave for her. A chill went down his back, as he realized how desperately that wolf wanted the scroll, due to this animal's death... but he couldn't have it! He could never have it! Soon enough, he'll just figure out it's the reflection of his own face, just as Tai Lung did.

Po reached into his back pocket, and withdrew the scratched and discolored scroll that he took from the Jade Palace. Staring at it, while holding it with his two paws, he realized what he caused. When he ran away... it would cause more innocent beings to be slaughtered, just as this one was already. Only... Tai Lung knew this fox. The panda sighed, as he withdrew the scroll once again, unrolled it, and looked at himself, searching for a reflection. His eyes quivered, as he desperately wanted to go back, and defeat Sky before it was too late. Maybe it was already too late. He left his master, the furious five are dead, and now that stupid wolf is killing all his friends down in the Valley of Peace... and... and....

Po sighed, as he closed his eyes. And his father. His eyes blurred. The effect wasn't because he was tearing up, no... but it was because of something forming on the scroll, that made him twitch. It was of a polar bear, holding a massive sword, swinging it at nobody, along with a turtle, a snow leopard, and... Sky.

He looked closer, as they were swinging their weapons around, and saw Tai Lung was there. Po gasped. He woke up! He was alive! A grin grew on Po's face. Something then went flying across his vision, as he followed it with his eyes. It was Master Shifu. How did he make it to the Jade Palace... Po didn't know. He did know that Master Shifu was the best kung fu teacher and master... so it could be possible.

Yes, nothing is impossible.

Po blinked, and looked around. "Weird..." He turned back to the scroll, finding the animals stopped fighting, as Shifu and Tai Lung were both on the ground, but not passed out. The panda went into major shock, because he knew those two could definitely take on Sky, along with his trusty mates. Po already knew who they were, because of all the information the Dragon Scroll already gave off to him. He peered closer and closer to the reflection, begging for nothing bad to happen to them.

Tai Lung rolled his head over to Shifu, as he breathed hard. He couldn't take it anymore... they were too powerful! They were too much for him...

Shifu slowly got up with his weak arms, and staggered up onto his feet. The bear ran for him, pulled out his massive sword and swung at him. The sword was near the ground, but Shifu managed to bend over backwards to dodge it. When the dull part of the sword was right above the Shifu, he brought his foot up in a split second, and kicked the huge sword out of Sorus' hand. It went flying. Behind the fallen snow leopard, Sky shot Kuwon powerfully in the nerves, as he was healed fairly quickly.

Master Shifu jumped for the polar bear, as he spun and attempted to kick him in the stomach. Sorus caught his foot, and launched him across the ground, causing dirt to fly. At first touch with the ground, Shifu automatically got knocked out.

Sorus walked slowly over to Tai Lung. He turned to Sky, and the snow leopard could hear him say, "Can I have a piece of him now?"

"Yes." He heard a chuckle from the wolf.

The polar bear smiled, as he turned back to Tai Lung, brought his fist back, and-

Po gasped, as he dropped the scroll in fear. "He wouldn't kill Tai Lung! That's not how it goes! In... in most stories Tai Lung would stay alive the whole time!"

"Who is this one that talking about, the killer of my friend, Tai Lung?" Po could hear a feminine voice coming from right in front of him.

The panda picked his head up, soon finding a foggy mist... no, a cloud shaped like a fox. It... was a fox. A red fox. He squinted, soon backing away at the thought of it being a ghost. "You're a ghost!"

"A spirit, you should say. Ghosts are lost spirits who cannot be renewed again." The fox, Song, said.

Po got up, as he stared at the spirit. "You can... you can talk to me?"

"Well of course I can! If you're the Dragon Warrior, then you can do almost anything! You can see into the future, you can talk to spirits, you can-"

"Can I... Can I fly?" Po perked up, as a childish grin took his face.

Song thought, as she looked at him with her white pupils. "I think you learn that in one of your one-thousand scrolls, the art of the Crane?"

Po looked at her and agreed. Awkwardly, he found she was very attractive, just as the scroll showed. "What did you say about... ghosts being lost spirits that cannot be renewed again?"

"I meant, ghosts are dead beings, they cannot come back to life. They're... gone forever." She looked away.

Po looked at her grave. "And... you're not a ghost?"

"I am a spirit. I can come back to life."

"Woah, really?! So you can like... come back to life?"

Song blinked, didn't I just say that? "...It is possible, but it takes much strength and sacrifice." She floated towards him.

A chill swept through Po's body. "Do I have to sacrifice a goat or something? I don't like doing stuff like that.."

"No, no... you simply have to believe in what you're doing, but it also takes much strength, like mind, and power."

"Well my mind is already lost."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means someone cut down the Peace Tree of Heavenly Wisdom, and my master said that it takes away a third of kung fu: The Mind." He paused, and looked at Song, who was staring at him in confusion now. He rethought. "You know... Mind, Body, Spirit?"

"Isn't that karate?"

"Eh, they both start with K's. What's the difference."

Song laughed. "You're a funny one."

Po smiled and looked up, as he tried to imitate the stance of a brave hero. "And attractive."

The fox stared at him with pitiful eyes, while many awkward seconds passed.

The panda looked back down to her, and finally spoke something serious. "So, how does this whole reviving thing work? Do you think I could bring you back to life?"

"Like I said, it is possible, but it will take part of your own life away. That's why I said you need strength, for if you try this trick once, you're likely to pass out, even when you have such strength as... lets say Tai Lung. He would fall to the ground if he tried something like this, because it's taking some of his own life away. But he's not the Dragon Warrior now is he?" She blinked at Po, who was staring at her in wonder. "Where... where is Tai Lung? What happened to him? Is... is he alright?" She stuttered.

Po snapped out of it, and looked at her. "Wouldn't you know? You know my name... and-"

"No more acting funny, just tell me!" She grew impatient.

"Okay, okay! He left to go take revenge on Sky."

Song was in deep thought, as she squinted at Po. She knew Tai Lung would never turn to such a thing as revenge... A thought then popped up in her head. "Who's Sky?"

Po picked up the letter, and handed it to her. She didn't even try to grasp it, as it dropped right in front of her. "Oh yeah, sorry, you're a ghost." He unrolled the scroll and held it up to let her read, as he stood there awkwardly. A bird, possibly on her daily fly, flew past him, and gave him a weird look. He smiled kindly, but didn't bring the scroll down.

Miraji stepped forward. "Master Skyler, what shall I do with these untrusted beings?" He stared the two knocked out animals that attempted to stop their rein.

Sky walked off, not caring to think twice about his thoughts. "Just ah... bring them to the palace. Tie them up with..." He turned around, knowing that rope would do no good. He breathed in quickly. "Tie them up with chains. Make sure their feet, hands, and waist are bound. We do not want them to escape once again." He turned to Thailaan, and Kuwon. "Guard them, and make sure they have no hope in escaping. Sorus, Mirror, come with me." He tended to call Miraji Mirror, because for one; it sounded simpler, and two; it sounded much better, because Miraji sounded too much of a mouthful for a sturdy wolf like him. Sky and the two others walked off, while the other two dragged Tai Lung and Shifu back up the steps to the Jade Palace. The long... everlasting steps.

"Go ahead, Po. Just try it. No no." Song looked up at him. "Do it." She smiled, as she disappeared back into her grave.

"Wait wait! What if-" He paused, finding she was no where to be found. After reading the scroll, she seemed a little crushed by its words. Was she... in love with Tai Lung?

Po sighed, as he stepped back, and picked up the Dragon Scroll. "I can't believe I'm doing this..." He closed his eyes, and clenched his fists. Tensing up, he thought about Song really being alive, and how she will be standing over him just... in...

The panda collapsed to the ground with a big thump. He was still breathing... yes. He was indeed still alive, as a white cloud slowly withdrew from his mouth from each exhale.

Song stood over him, just as he predicted, and blinked over and over from the sight of life. Never has she seen so much... color! It was a beautiful sight, as she returned to life. She was revived! And he... he was also still alive. Yes, it worked! She didn't think he would do such a thing, but he did! Tears fell down her face, as she laughed with joy. "I'm... I'm alive!" She fell to the ground, sobbing with joy.

A pigeon flew over her, as he quickly stopped. He landed gracefully, as he waddled over to her, somewhat afraid looking. "Song! Are you alright?" He cocked his head to the side.

The red fox wiped her tears, as she looked up at the pigeon. "Yes..." She smiled greatly. "Yes! I'm... perfect! I'm alive! I'm living! I can see, I can smell, I can touch..." She slowly went to pet the pigeon.

"Woah, woah, okay I get it! I'm not... your type though, I'm sorry." He backed away, as he was about to take flight once again.

Song blinked in confusion, as she ignored him. She rushed over to the panda who was laid out on the ground. "Po?" She softly slapped his face. "Po! Wake up!" She slapped his face harder.

Po awoke in a heap. "Oh, Tigress! I had this horrible dream... Sky took over the Jade Palace, and, and cut down the peach tree... and you were dead and I left Master Shifu and..." He opened his eyes, to see Song. "Wait..." He looked around, as he soon gasped in happiness. "It worked! It worked!"

"Yes! It worked! Thank you, Po! Thank you!" She hugged him tightly, while the confused pigeon flew off quickly. In excitement, they laughed and cried for a couple minutes, before calming down.

Po smiled at Song. "You're not dead..." He closed his eyes, as he slowly drifted off to sleep.

"No, Po." She slapped him hard, as he awoke rapidly. "Don't sleep. I know you're tired now that you renewed me... but we have no time to rest! We..." She breathed out slowly, as she looked down at her wound. "Oh dear god... I'm still hurt..." She put her hand on her chest, finding the blood was dried.

Po curiously looked at her holding her chest."What happened? Wait lemme guess. I broke your heart." He chuckled at himself.

Song glared at him angrily, and removed her hands, revealing a rather large, 3 inch long, 1 inch wide red spot. It didn't look like a bruise, no, it looked somewhat like a red hole in her chest. Po's eyes were wide, as his mouth hung open.

"I... I have to bathe. I need to get this out before I walk around looking like this. And after that, we need to get to Tai Lung." She covered up her massive scar once again with her tiny white paws, as she slowly turned, and walked towards the lake.

"You... you want me to go back there?" He looked around, looking a bit guilty.

Song sighed, as she slowly made her way over to him. She looked up at him, and stared at him with her emerald eyes. "Po, you have to. I know you have much concerned with yourself and others... and the past..." She looked away, and bit her lip. "But you just have to get over the fact that you can't forget what has already gone by. Memories can't leave you, so you can either be tortured by them..." She swiftly turned around, and started walking again to the lake, as she squinted in thought. "Or take them on, so that you can at least try to stop yourself from thinking about it... over... and over..."

Po nodded, as he understood what position she was in also. He finally decided: To go there, and live or die with honor, for-

For honor is what you should live for.

Po looked around again. Yes, for it is honor that you should live for, life or death, just as his friends, the furious five, fought with. Po started to slowly walk towards Song, before a thought popped up in his head. "Wait, what should I do while you bathe?" He stared at the fox, who was wagging her tail a little seductively.

Song kept walking. "Oh, you can bathe, too. I saw you hiked many miles just to get here, that could be an excuse to get into the waters. You look like a sweater." She winked.

"Why would I want to?"

"It's warm!" She turned around. "Don't worry, It's a great lake; a great bathe." She grinned nicely, as she turned to walk down the mountain.

A bit embarrassed, Po went to follow her, as he took one last look at the grave she was brought back to life in. None of it was dug up, so... how did she come back to life like that? Oh well... no one can know what the Dragon Scroll can do, nonetheless, what the Dragon Warrior himself can do.

Thailaan stood beside the doors that led to their two prisoners, Tai Lung, and Shifu, while Kuwon was right next to her. Her hands were behind her back, as she stared forward. Her two swords were laying against the wall. Kuwon was slowly drifting off to sleep, as his arms were crossed. He had a white neck, and a somewhat red-ish looking body. He was very strong, and had very long fur. He was one of those animals who didn't like hair cuts much, so his fur hung over his face a bit. He had orange eyes, as they slowly closed and opened again, as he picked his bobbing head up, over and over agian. His tail was big and bushy, while his bare feet and hands were both brown. His uniform was an orange shirt, with black shorts. Apparently he liked the color orange, for when the day came when he could pick out his uniform style, he picked out orange. His shoulder pads were black, metal, and fairly small, for he had small shoulders, because, well, he was a lynx.

Thailaan thought about Tai Lung, and how he felt about all this ...I mean he's just another warrior looking for safety, right? Why is it that we just come in, and push him around like he's dirt? Thailaan thought to herself. She felt much pity for the snow leopard and red panda. Her blue eyes blinked, as she heard another crash from the Valley of Peace just a couple steps below her; well more like thousands of steps below her. This seemed a bit too much for her though, she knew that this was her destiny: to serve the new dragon warrior, but now, she felt a bit uninspired on it.

Sighing, Thai got off the wall she was leaning on, and opened the doors she was guarding, to find Shifu and Tai Lung chained to the brick wall by their hands, feet, and waist. Tai Lung's arms and legs were dead from the nerve shots Sky gave him, or at least Thai thought. He was still knocked out, so she didn't know.

Shifu was awake, but was looking down, as he breathed out, causing white mist to came from his sapped mouth. It was very cold in the Jade Palace, but the animals could stand it, for they had much fur to keep themselves warm.

The red panda looked up at Thailaan, and gave her a weak glare. "What..." He sniffed. "What do you think you'll do to us? Kill us?" He breathed heavily, as he slouched back down.

Thai spoke not a word, for she couldn't talk to the prisoners. She wanted so bad to talk to Tai Lung, and tell him that she's sorry about everything... and how she didn't want to be in any part of Sky's killing-spree. She softly sighed, as she looked over the other snow leopard once again. He seemed to have the same nose, and eyes as Thai herself. This wasn't remarkable, for she saw many animals that had the same face as her, but this one... it seemed more natural. It seemed...

Thailaan thought, as she soon shook her head at the thought. She slowly walked out of the room, and went back to her station, finding Kuwon laying flat on the ground, snoring, and with his pointer finger in his mouth. She shook her head, as she soon went to wake him up with a kick in the leg.

Song rushed down the mountain, along with the panda, and found the lake. Finding a silk towel that the tailors of the town made, she took it. It was laying on a rack, as they were "Guest Towels" for the ones who forgot to bring their own towels. Po ran by it, and picked up one also. It was perfectly white, and was very soft. Silk was not a good fabric to wipe off water from the fur, though.

The red fox rushed over to the lake in a chill, as she covered up her chest. Quickly stripping, she dove into the water. Po stopped and stared at her bravery. He wasn't the kind of animal that would just take off all his clothes and take a bath. In public. Thinking quickly, Po did the same, and jumped in anyways, gasping at the warmth. Once his foot touched the steaming waters, it sent chills up his back, and made him shiver, because of the coldness leaving his chilled body.

When the panda was finally in the warm water, he opened his eyes, to see the fox slowly coming back up, still holding her chest. He opened his mouth in awe of her glorious body, as he thought she was beautiful then, but now...

"Po!" Song yelled from above the water.

Po blinked, and made his way above the water. Once his head was above the water's surface, he shook it, revealing his hair in a gelled-looking state. He looked over at Song again, who was holding a soapy substance, one that looked much like a bar of soap, made from fragrances from ground-up flowers and chemicals. Soap bars were very expensive, and barely anyone used them, but perhaps she was rich, or something?

"What were you doing down there so long?" She glared at him.

Po looked around. "I was... testing my... holding of the breath talents! I mean skills!" The panda then swam to the shore a bit dumbstruck, as he watched the now stained dark-red fox clean her wound in just a couple of minutes.

...

Song got out of the water dripping, as she picked up her towel, and wrapped it around herself, glad that the wound looked decent. She glanced at the panda, who was still in the water, floating, and staring up at the sky. Apparently he didn't notice she left the lake. "Po, would you like to borrow my soap?"

Po blinked, as he swam upward, looking at her. "Naah, I think I will be fine. Oh sorry, I think I'll be fine. Sorry about my language." He began to get out, as he quickly put his towel on.

"What's wrong with your language? You're perfectly fine." She smiled.

"Well, I don't know... I don't usually talk like I did once before. I just feel so..." He thought. "...professional now."

Song dropped her arms to her sides. "You're fine, panda. It's good that you feel professional. You're the Dragon Warrior, remember?" She started on her way back to her house, while the confused panda followed her.

In only a couple seconds of walking, they made it to her massive house. It looked more like a palace, honestly. Po looked up in awe, as he was surprised she lived in a house like this.

Song slowly opened the door to her house. As she took a step into her home, the door creaked as it pulled open. The temperature didn't change, as she soon figured out there was still that hole in the side of her house from the long battle. Letting the panda in, he slowly walked in, soon stopping and staring at something beyond her.

Song turned around at the ambition of her friend staring behind her shocked. Picking up her head, she gasped, and backed up into the panda. She screamed, and ran outside, leaving the panda to stare upon the sight with fearful eyes.