Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Kung Fu Panda and blah blah. I own Leo, Vikki and Snow. Personas are owned by ATLUS and they are not mine unfortunately.
Thank you so very very much Luna Goldsun for betaing this story. I love you. Cookies!! Not forgettting also all those who have reviewed this story. I love you guys. Now, on with it. The battle haven't even begun. Personas shall come upon the characters.
Chapter 17
A storm rumbled and thundered through the night sky, echoing off the mountains surrounding the valley that reached to the heavens. Lightning struck through the sky and in that brief moment, Snow's ghostly image looked like a monster out of the darkest recesses of a nightmarish mind.
I don't have time for this! Leo mind spoke and quickly grabbed the scroll on the ground.
"Where are you going, Leo?" Snow's voice cackled with disdain. "Leaving so soon? You only just got here."
Leo ignored him and headed towards the Hall of Warriors as fast as possible. Just a little bit more. The scroll is active but just one more step. He looked at the shining Dragon Scroll.
Apparently, Snow didn't even try to chase or hunt down Leo. Though it worried him, Leo had more important things to think about. Once he had reached the entrance of the Hall of Warriors, he saw Vikki and the real Tai Lung.
--
Vikki staggered and dropped on the ground after the huge collision she had with something hard. The mist that Byakko had made started to dissipate and the white tiger stood beside Tai Lung who slowly opened his eyes to see the end result.
"Could you be a little bit earlier?" Tai Lung said sarcastically to his persona.
"Excitement," it casually replied.
Tai Lung made a death stare upon Byakko but the serene white tiger just smiled away cheekily as he bared all of its white teeth at him with excitement.
"Stop ignoring me!" the tigress shouted. Vikki was back up on her feet and her legs were shaking terribly. "I will not lose. I will—" she was cut off by a hard kick from behind and slammed through the wall face first.
Her face made a huge spider's web-like crack on the wall and Leo smiled with satisfaction. "I've wanted to do that for such a long, long time."
"Leo!" Tai Lung screamed at him. "What the hell is going on?"
"Tai Lung," he ran to his direction and gave him a hug, again. "You're alive."
"Get off me!" he struggled free.
Leo let go of him and looked at him in the eyes. "I thought those facial features looked quite familiar, and I was right all along."
Tai Lung shoves him away and glared. "What trick is this?"
"I'll explain later. For now, trust me for once."
"Why should I?" Tai Lung snapped in.
Leo showed him the glistering golden scroll. "Make a wish now. Kohryu is activated. You and I can finish this. Just wish for Vikki's persona to disappear and Snow to never exist. Simple as that."
"No!" Byakko shot in. "It doesn't work that way. Kohryu do not take lives of others nor does it take personas away. Only the true owner can do that. We are not the Hierophant Arcana, Shifu is."
"Then let's have Shifu do it." Leo said.
Byakko pointed his right paws at Shifu's unconscious body which lay on the ground with Monkey, Mantis and Viper. "How?"
Leo's mind was racing with so many horrible thoughts and he panicked. Dammit, what can the Emperor do in this situation?
"Let me." Crane suggested as he slowly walked towards the two big cats. "I'll try my best to wake Shifu up but no guarantees. I'll try."
Suddenly, Byakko roared. "The scroll!"
Vikki stood up and in her right paw lay the Dragon Scroll. "Fools! Now, power is mine!"
"You still can't summon it!" Leo snapped in but all hopes were lost when a black mist emerged in the air. The mighty lion couldn't take it anymore and charged at Vikki's direction. He let out a fury of rage but eight shields blocked and protected her. Leo roared and clawed at the shields. Scratch marks were visible on it and Leo continued to attack them. "Fight me. Fight! You coward!"
Leo has nearly lost all sense of sanity as he continued to unleash his foolish rage.
"Leo! Stop it!" Tai Lung screamed at him.
Thanatos spread its shields with great force and landed its blade on Leo's shoulder. He roared in agony as the blade pierced right through his shoulder and it pulled back out with enough force to throw him to the ground.
Snow, who wielded the blade, kicked him and he flew towards Tai Lung and Crane.
"Leo!" Tai Lung came to his aide. "What has gotten into you?"
Byakko turned to Crane. "Master Crane, to your duties. Go."
Crane nodded and headed towards Shifu.
"Finally!" Vikki held the scroll in the air, laughing hysterically, her voice shrill with excitement. "Power. After all these years; the scale of Kohryu, is mine. Come Snow, your paws."
Snow did as he was told and placed them on the scroll. "Thanatos."
Vikki followed suit. "Isis."
The storm in the sky could no longer contain the hellish impending downpour. Pelting rain was accompanied by loud cracks of thunder as lightning streaked white-hot across the sky.
Kohryu was released from its sleep.
The mighty dragon roared through the night sky together with the heavy boom of thunder. Its long body of shining scales wafted through the sky and the mighty dragon flew around the valley.
Vikki and Snow ran out to watch the spectacular show of the mighty dragon.
"Kohryu!" Vikki screamed with delight. The mighty golden dragon heard the voice and approached to her.
"You," it boomed. "You have released me. What do you wish for? The Arcana of Love, and the Arcana of Death."
"I—" Vikki was cut off when a long blade pierced right through her heart. Thanatos had landed its blade in her and blood trickled down the sharpened weapon. "You-you betrayed…"
"I'm the bringer of death; its kind of my thing," Snow replied with a sneer. Thanatos pulled out the weapon and Vikki's body fell, dead before it hit the ground, blood mingling with the rainwater in the mud.
"Your wish, Death," Kohryu looked at Snow with golden eyes.
"Tai Lung disappears in me as I become whole with him. Only one snow leopard can exist between us. It's either him or me. I choose to be me; grant me that wish," Snow replied. Finally, he thought, a body that is my own, its so close, I can taste it!
He was to be disappointed.
"I cannot do that," the dragon replied, shaking its great head. "The only way to do that is to battle with Tai Lung in the realm of darkness. Either one will survive. If you win, he disappears in you, but if you lose, it's the other way around."
"WHAT?" Snow screamed at the dragon. "I released you and you can't even grant me a simple wish?"
"Only the true Hierophant can."
"Fine!" Snow relaxed and continued. "Bring me and Tai Lung to this realm and we shall settle the score."
"Very well," the golden dragon's body glowed and the wish was granted.
A strong wind blew through the land but Kohryu ignored it and watched at the fortune teller's lifeless body as it started to enter rigor mortis. The dragon sighed and said, "Samarecarm."
The female tiger gasped and choke profusely. It took her some time to register what had happened and turned to look at Kohryu. "Thank you."
"Your wish, Lovers…" it said, readying itself for her response.
She got up as she examined her soaked fur with rain water and caked with mud. She didn't mind it at all. "Very well Kohryu. I wish," She slowly closed her eyes. "I wish to control the entire world Arcanas, all twenty-two Arcana. I want them, at the tip of my paws."
Kohryu eyed her suspiciously. "Indeed. The moment man devoured the fruit of knowledge, he sealed his fate, entrusting his future to the cards, and man clings to a dim hope. The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed. The Arcanas, shall be yours to control. The Fool, Magician, High Priestess, Empress, Emperor, Hierophant, Lovers, Chariot, Strength, Hermit, Wheel of Fortune, Justice, the Hanged Man, Death, Temperance, Devil, Tower, Star, Moon, Sun, Judgement and finally, The World."
Po groaned on the muddy ground as he was drenched form head to toe over his monochromatic fur. His whole body was caked with brown mud and soaked through from the rain.
"Oh…my head." He groaned, and looked up at the Jade Palace and saw the dragon. "The dragon…oh no, Tai Lung!"
He got to his feet and ran up the stairs as quick as he could. "Tai Lung, buddy, I'm coming. Don't die on me."
"Tai Lung, wake up..." A soft and serene voice spoke, then chuckled maliciously. "Your adversary is here."
The snow leopard slowly opened his eyes and was already standing on his own two feet. He sniffed in the musky air and choked. "What is this foul smell?"
Once settled, he looked around and what a surprise he got. "Chor-Gom prison?!"
The familiar prison that he had been chained down for over 20 years had the same scenery, smell, taste and horrible memories. From where Tai Lung stood, he was standing on the same particular spot where he was pulled down from by chains and the one stone island that floated above nothingness. "This place… Why am I here?"
"To settle the score," an image slowly appeared and once again, he saw his mirrored self. "Hello, Tai Lung. We meet again."
"What the bloody hell is going on?" Tai Lung asked.
"Easy explanation," Snow slowly walked with arrogant bravado towards the middle of the circle and stopped. "Either one of us must die, either one of us becomes full, and only one of us can leave this unholy place."
What's he talking about? Tai Lung spoke through his mind.
He means that he wants to be one with you, but only one personality can conquer the other, Byakko answered. It is either Death, or you, Temperance.
Tai Lung smirked and let's out a derisive laugh. "You? I AM you. It's easy to defeat myself. I have tried that numerous times."
Snow snarled, "Don't get cocky. Come, let's battle."
Tai Lung stood his ground and crouched low. "Bring it."
"Aarghh!" Snow let out a fearsome battle cry and pounced at Tai Lung. A simple dodge and a light hook kick did the trick to Snow but he retaliated with a round house kick to Tai Lung's jaw. He staggered a moment and prepared for the next move. Snow delivered a low swipe kick and somersaulted behind before Tai Lung can reach him.
Not a smart move. Tai Lung grinned and shuffled front as agile as he can and jumped to do a seven-twenty double turning kick; one to the gut and another to the jaw. Snow flew from the kick force that he had encountered and landed near the edge of the rock island.
"Why?" Snow got up quickly, blood trickled down his jaw. "Why can't I beat you? I am you. We have the same strength and weakness."
"No," Tai Lung said. "We don't have the same traits. I know what I want, and I know what I need to be fulfilled. You, on the other hand, lack what I have, love and friendship."
"I don't need them!" Snow roared back.
Tai Lung looked at him with disbelief and spoke. "That's me, when I was unfulfilled. I guess what Vikki said is true. I have moved on. I now know, how important it is, to have a friend and to be loved, from a mate. I get it now."
Tai Lung pointed at him. "You are my past. No more shall I dwell in it and bring forth. I'm stronger than you, my old self."
Snow nearly lost it and fumed with anger and rage and attacked without thinking. Tai Lung dodged easily for every move that Snow had delivered; he bet he could have done this blindfolded.
"Aaarghh!" Snow bellowed and struck at Tai Lung. The new and improved snow leopard simply grabbed his paws and twisted them sharply. A loud crack echoed the hallowed place together with a sharp cry of pain. Snow dropped down on his knees while Tai Lung was still holding his arm.
"Let…go of me…" Snow growled.
"You're worthless," Tai Lung spat at him. "I didn't realize how pathetic I was in the past twenty years until now." He let go and backed off.
An image slowly emerged from his soul and Tai Lung recognized it at once. "Thanatos."
My turn… Byakko muttered in his mind.
"Byakko." A cool breeze wafted through the whole cavernous prison and out came the white tiger beside Tai Lung.
"Thanatos." Byakko spoke, no empathy in his greeting.
"Byakko." Thanatos answered, with just as little affection.
Byakko roared and pounced at it. Thanatos unsheathed its blade and slashed at the white tiger but it faded and appeared behind the Lord of Death. Byakko grabbed one of its shields from behind with its bare teeth and yanked hard. The shield broke out of place from its eighth placing and Thanatos let out a deafening scream. Snow did the same and a deep gash appeared on his left bicep. Blood flowed like a red river down his arm.
So, you get hurt, I do too huh? Tai Lung confided.
Byakko faded and stood next to Tai Lung. "Yes, it's a horrible curse and you must deal with it. If I die, you die too."
"Nice concept," he said with sarcasm.
Thanatos cried out aloud with a horribly piercing scream that Tai Lung had to cover his ears to drown out the sound. He felt like his ears were bleeding from the cry. Once the scream had subsided, Thanatos made the next move that shocked Byakko.
"Impossible."
Thanatos had joined souls with Snow and the two floated in the air. This time, Thanatos wasn't the one holding the death blade, it was Snow.
"They have merged together! Snow gave his soul to Death itself and Thanatos can't be controlled anymore." Byakko slowly backed up. Tai Lung saw fear in the white tiger's eyes.
"This is bad isn't it?" Tai Lung asked, worry in his eyes.
"Of course it's bad!" Byakko snapped. "We're dead. So, very, very dead."
Tai Lung locked his eyes at Thanatos. "Not yet we're not. Byakko, true friendship and love can beat anything, am I right?"
Byakko hesitated and answered, "You are missing one more link: Family value."
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Ah, another cliffhanger like the previous chapter. Sorry guys but I want to make this as believable as possible. Next chapter will be coming very soon, and I mean very very soon. Thank you all reviewers for reading this story: corset-rebellion-follower, Lucius Ferus, Awerewolf, Luna Goldsun(thanks), and an anonymous reader whom I have no idea who you are. Thanks you anyways and I hope that you'll find what you needed to know. If you have any questions on this story or the personas, don't hesitate to ask.