Disclaimer: I don't own any characters of Kung Fu Panda and yadda yadda yadda. I promised that the next chapter will be out very soon but apparently, FF was having a problem with the mails. So, I decided to prolong this important chapter till the system is running back up like normal.
Once again, thank you Luna for betaing this chapter and everything. I love it. To corset, I hope you like the itty bit of reference in between this chapter. So, here it is, chapter 18.
Chapter 18
Crane tried to do everything he could to wake Shifu up from his unconsciousness.
"Shifu! Master Shifu," He slapped his master hard and stopped as he raised an eyebrow inquisitively. "Is it okay to slap your master?"
He pondered a moment and shrugged his shoulders. "Oh what the heck." He continued to attempt waking the old master.
"Crane." He heard a voice coming from the opposite side of the great hall and saw Tigress running towards him.
Crane squeaked in fear—quite a feat for a bird—and quipped, "Oh, hi Tigress…welcome back to the land of the living!"
She answered him with a sharp jab at Crane's right wing. The avian yelped and massaged his injured wing.
"That's for knocking me unconscious," Tigress said and attended to Shifu. "Anything?"
"None," Crane answered with disappointment. "I even tried water, slapping, punching, everything."
"Try kissing." A lion approached them and held on to his wounded shoulder. The blood that flowed out from Leo's shoulder was disgusting and his whole orange t-shirt was covered with red bloody colour.
Tigress glared at Leo and spoke, "You are one of the evil ones, why should we trust you? You're working for Vikki."
"WASworking with her," Leo emphasized and suddenly dropped down on his knees and his body trembled.
"You've lost so much blood," Crane quickly tore off the lion's orange shirt and wrapped it around his shoulder. Leo tore off the remaining fabric, revealing his well-defined torso.
"Not much but it'll help suppress the blood flow." Leo said.
"I'm sorry but I'm not much of a healer either. Apparently our healer is down." Crane skillfully bandaged Leo's shoulder and blood flowed less.
"Tigress," Leo looked at her. "Try kissing."
"Kissing!" Tigress eyes widen with disbelief, and she gave him a disgusted expression. "I'm not kissing my master! Are you crazy?"
"Do you have any other suggestions?" the lion countered her.
Tigress bit her lips and sighed, "No."
"So?"
"Okay, okay." She gave up and slowly approached her master. I feel like a princess kissing an old frog. She finally closed in her mouth to Shifu's and kissed. It lasted for a good ten seconds and she backed off, licking her lips.
"Nothing." She answered.
Shifu suddenly coughed and opened his eyes, "What? Where am I?"
"Shifu!" Crane and Tigress looked at their master.
Shifu rubbed his head and looked at Tigress, Crane and at Leo. "Why are you here? You are our enemy."
"Not anymore. I'm here to help but for now, I'm useless," Leo answered and looked at his severely injured shoulder. "Vikki has gotten her wish."
"Damn right I have!" The female tiger casually stood at the entrance of the hall, a sadistic grin on her lips. Twenty-two cards floated and twisted in arcs around her curved body and her sash that held two broadswords was still inclined to it.
"The Arcanas are mine, Leo," she stifled a hysterical laugh. "Now, all of you shall bow down to me. The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed, the twenty-two major Arcanas are mine! Let's start shall we? The fool: Susano-o!"
A loud sound of a glass breaking echoed the hall and an unknown image of a creature charged at them.
"Move!" Leo shouted and all of them did as they were told. A big explosion erupted on the spot they had been moments before and chunks of debris flew around the hall.
"Odin!" Leo summoned his persona and so did Vikki. "Devil: Beelzebub!" a loud sound of a glass breaking echoed once again and a huge fly holding a devil staff appeared and shrieked at Odin. The Emperor suddenly disappeared and Leo coughed out blood.
Vikki laughed with delight as the helpless lion tried to stop her. "Fool! You're no match. Everyone's Arcana shall bow down to me. All of them," She pointed at Crane. "You shall be the first."
Crane did not show any fear but instead flew around the place. "Try me, lady!"
Vikki locked her eyes at the avian and slowly spoke, "The bird: the Hermit Arcana. Very well."
She pulled out one of the cards that were circling around her and threw it up in the air, "Arabahaki."
Before anything happened, Crane threw three poison daggers at her and it struck at her body.
"Brave," she causally said. "The Hermit shall die by the hands of his own daggers."
Three daggers faded and appeared at the card that was in the air. Crane's eyes widen and slowly lost momentum. He crash landed on the ground and three daggers appeared at his chest.
"Crane!" Tigress cried.
"Family value…." Byakko repeated his words from before.
"Family?!" Tai Lung looked at his persona. "Kinda late to say that isn't it?"
"You are the Temperance Arcana. Everything must be balanced. You have already achieved friendship and love. The remaining two is much harder to get. Family value and…" Byakko stopped.
"And what?" Tai Lung asked impatiently. "What!"
"You have to find that out by yourself," Byakko looked down. "The Temperance does not give answer for every single conundrum."
"Enough talk," Thanatos boomed. "Prepare to die: Die for me!"
"Look out!" Byakko pushed Tai Lung aside and ten blades pierce through the white tiger.
"Byakko!" Tai Lung screamed and lay unconscious on the ground.
Light…light…light…
Tai Lung……
"Oh…" He moaned and opened his eyes. Total darkness engulfed the snow leopard as he heard a distant voice calling out his name. "Hello? Where am I? Byakko?"
Tai Lung…a bright light appeared in front of him and there stood, another snow leopard. "Tai Lung."
"Who are you?" Tai Lung questioned the spirit.
The spirit just smiled, "I'm your father."
Tai Lung gasped and touched the spirit's face but went right through it. He was lost for words and didn't know what to do. "How?"
It smiled generously, "Listen son, there isn't much time. I'll tell you the more important things. Leo is your brother. Both of are fraternal twins and that's all I can say. Hoong Long is your real name that I and Mama have given you. However, Shifu's name of suggestion is also good. You can go on using your latter name or the former. It's up to you."
The spirit placed its paws on Tai Lung's heart and looked at him. "You always have a family. It's just a matter of whether you want to find them, or not. The next fulfillment is your own. That's all I can give."
Tai Lung was so confused that he clamped his head hard. "What's going on? Why is this happening? You just dumped me with this information all at one go and you expect me to believe the crap you're saying?"
The utterly confused snow leopard backed up and stared at the spirit. "How can I believe?"
"Yourself. Your choice. What have you lost for over twenty years in prison? What have you gained? You now know that having the Dragon Scroll and mastering all thousand kung fu scrolls isn't your reason for living. So, is running away from the truth a solution?" the spirit asked.
Tai Lung didn't respond but instead screamed. A big paw suddenly smacked at his face and he turned.
"Enough of this nonsense," it was Byakko. "You have a family now. Remember when Leo showed compassion to you after hugging you? Do you think that he would have done that after knowing you were his brother? What has he done? He suffered for you, getting the scroll just for you. He may not have shown how good a brother he is but he has a second chance."
Byakko climbed on Tai Lung's shoulder and both of their faces stared at each other. The white tiger finally spoke, "Everyone has given you a second chance, a third, maybe even a fourth. How about you give others a second chance. The world do not revolves around you."
Tai Lung closed his eyes and sighed away. He hugged his persona hard and said, "Thank you."
Byakko smiled and lick at his face with its soft tongue. Tai Lung ignored it and he finally stopped. "Thanatos is in front. Show him that you are fulfilled. Go."
He gave Byakko one last final hug and walked in the direction where Thanatos stood.
At the end of the darkness, a six foot tall image of a dark creature floated in the air as it held up its murderous blade towards Tai Lung. "What do you propose?"
Tai Lung held his head up.
"To kill you."
With that final statement, Tai Lung jumped up in the air above Thanatos and plunged down towards it.
Thanatos spreads out its seven shields, with one missing, to block the attack but to its surprise, Tai Lung broke through the shield with force and kicked at its face. It roared and slashed at Tai Lung, who managed to dodge in time. He valiantly retaliated with a punch to the gut and a back hook kick to the head. It rolled on the ground and spoke. "Such power, I must have. So agile and strong."
Tai Lung sprinted towards it to deliver another jab but Thanatos evaded and once again, slashed at him.
That sword is a real pain in the neck! He thought. He drew back as the sword swiped at his throat. Okay, literally…
Tai Lung carefully evaded every slash that Thanatos had delivered until he found an opening. The blade stopped in mid air abruptly and at the tip of the blade, a snow leopard's paw was on it.
It surprised Thanatos and tried to pull away but it seemed like it was stuck to the snow leopard's thumb and index finger. "My blade…" it echoed.
"Is broken." Tai Lung finished, and flexed his pinky, the blade instantly shattered into pieces.
"No!" It cried.
This gave Tai Lung a chance to move in and slash at the Lord of Death's face. It cried out with agony and Tai Lung did one final blow with his claws to Thanatos's face.
It bellowed and instantly disappeared into nothingness. Tai Lung breathed in heavily and allowed a few tears to fall. "That was hard."
"You've done well," Byakko appeared and hugged the tired snow leopard. "Do not dwell in the past anymore. You can't change it, no matter how much you wish to. Remember, yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today, is a gift. That is why it is called the present. Come, we must go and meet your brother."
Po quickly ran up those ridiculously long and tiring stairs as he fought with the elements of the earth. "I've…got to….build….stamina….on these…..dumb stairs….." The panda breathe and took in a huge amount of air, then exhaled it out. "Buddy, where are you?"
Po frantically ran towards the Hall of Warriors and suddenly met with a mighty dragon. The dragon turned its head to face Po and the big bear squeaked. It stared menacingly at him.
"I, um, ah, just passing by…" Po stammered and move side ways to avoid the dragon. The dragon was still looking at Po's funny antics as he slowly walked past it.
The dragon spoke, "What are you doing?"
"Gah!!" Po screamed and covered his head. "Please don't eat me! I'll do anything! Please don't eat me! Please! Please! Please!"
The dragon rolled its eyes at the fat panda. "I'm on a diet. I have no intention of eating a bucket full of lard at all; especially a fat panda. Do you know how many calories a panda has?"
Po looked up and breath a sigh of relief, "No, and I do not intend to know."
The dragon was still looking at Po. "Where's the Hierophant?"
"Ah, I have no idea what that is," Po replied.
"Find him, or else you'll never live to see daylight. Go, now!" the dragon boomed.
"Okay!" Po ran away towards the Hall of Warriors.
"Crane!" Tigress cried. "No!"
"Shut up," Vikki pointed at her. "You're next."
"Over my dead body," Shifu stood in front of Tigress and took a battle stance.
"Why so—" she was cut off when Tai Lung suddenly appeared in front of her.
It took a total of three seconds for the snow leopard and fortune teller to register what had happened and they backed off.
"Tai Lung!" Tigress ran towards him and hugged him hard. "I thought I've lost you."
"Not yet," Tai Lung patted his beautiful mate. "We'll get through this."
"You lied. You said I'll get a fair share on Snow," Tigress sniffed.
He scoffed at her cute face. "You'll get your chance. Look in front."
She did and gasped. Snow once again stood next to Vikki but this time, the evil snow leopard was in a seriously battered state. A long gash ran through his left bicep and his disheveled fur looked like a cart had run over it. Scratch marks were visible on his face and fresh blood still trickled down the wound.
Vikki looked at him and floated away in the air with all twenty-two cards of the Arcana still circling around her. "Your show, I'm watching for your time of death."
The battered snow leopard took a step forward and eyed at the couple. "I'm…not….finished…."
Tigress pushed Tai Lung away and approached him. "Yes, you are."
She back flipped and kicked snow at the jaw and the snow leopard used his tail to grab Tigress's right leg. She stumbled but yanked her leg hard and Snow followed suit. Tigress unsheathed her claws and clawed at Snow's stomach but he didn't care. Snow released his grasp but Tigress stomped at it and he let out a kitten-like yelp and cried.
Tigress let out a battle cry and swung her legs towards Snow's face; he staggered a little. The master of the tiger style delivered a double turning kick to his gut and one last final blow to his head. Snow coughed out blood profusely and lay on the ground with blood trickling down his mouth and stomach.
Tigress breathed in heavily and spat at him, "Not much of a tough guy now are you? That's for what you did to me. No mercy."
Snow closed his eyes slowly and breathed out one last final sentence before his life was gone. "You've won. The Temperance….. is more powerful than Death itself….."
"Bravo Tigress," Vikki clapped dispassionately. "Unexpected anger you have. You do kill when you're angry."
"That was awesome!!" Po shouted suddenly from behind and everybody turned their eyes towards Po. He ran over to Tigress and hugged her. "Thank goodness you're alive."
"What am I? Chopped liver?" Tai Lung jumped in. "I had worse than that."
"Not really buddy." He then hugged him. "But I'm still glad you're okay."
Shifu looked at them with content as they did a group hug. So much as changed between them; Tigress has finally accepted Po as her friend and Tai Lung too, even though he treated her so poorly. Tai Lung has changed from before and I'm so proud of him…so proud.
"You should be," Leo crawled to Shifu. The old master looked at the helpless lion as he smiled at him.
"Change is nature," Leo coughed. "Temperance is about change. Tai Lung has shown that. So, you should be proud of him."
"Yes, yes I am," Shifu nodded.
Suddenly, Po and Tigress were lifted up by and invisible force and Vikki spoke, "I don't like to be ignored you know."
"Hey, put us down!" Tigress squirmed.
"I'm scared of heights man," Po trembled.
"Enough of this nonsense," Vikki shouted. "My main priority after getting my wish was to get rid of the Jade Palace and Tai Lung. Then again, Tai Lung has changed for the better. So, I don't think this will be easy as expected." She lifted her arms higher and Po and Tigress floated up higher.
"Release them and fight me alone. They have nothing to do with this!" Tai Lung said.
"Oh?" Vikki scrutinized at him. "Really? Let's meet at the courtyard. This place bores me to death." In a blink of an eye, Po, Tigress and Vikki disappeared. Tai Lung dashed out of the hall and met eye to eye with the dragon waiting outside.
"The Hierophant." The dragon demanded.
"In there, turn left, next to a big lion that's bleeding all over. Can I go?" Tai Lung crossed his arms over his chest.
"Please do." The dragon gestured and headed towards the entrance of the hall.
Tai Lung continued to head towards the courtyard and he got a shock of his life. The rain had stopped but the ground was till muddy. The rain water scent filled in his nostrils and he started to sweat profusely. "No, Po! Tigress!"
Both of his love, and friend hung in mid air and a sword pointed at each of them near their vital points. The edge of the sword was so near to their hearts that both of them could feel the edge of the weapon when they inhale.
"I love this scene," Vikki slowly walked to Tai Lung and started to circle around him. "I'm feeling generous. So, I'll let one live. You choose."
Tai Lung squint his eyes at her and slowly spoke with gritted teeth. "Why them? Why not me? They are not part of this."
"They are and you know it. Friendship," she pointed at Po, "and love," then at Tigress. "Choose only one and either one can live. Do you cherish friendship or love?"
"You bitch!" Tai Lung lunged at her but was whacked off when her sash whipped at him.
"For each time you delay, the swords will move in nearer and nearer to their deaths," Vikki spoke. "You better choose now, before it's too late."
Tai Lung got up. "I'll never choose between them."
"Very well, you will have none." Vikki snapped her fingers but stopped when Tai Lung screamed at her.
"Wait! Please, no. Please."
"Then choose," Vikki grinned.
Tai Lung looked at Po with concern eyes and the black and white bear looked back. Po….my only friend, the only one who understands me. The only one…
Po's green eyes started to shed tears and he nodded. "Tai, buddy. I'm okay. Save Tigress. You don't need me. You have Tigress. She's your mate and friend. I'm okay."
Tai Lung turned to Tigress. Tigress…I…my love…I didn't…I…I'm sorry..
Tigress beautifully striking eyes stared at Tai Lung's. "Take Po, Tai Lung. I'm not the only one that loves you. There are many others."
"But, our first night," Tai Lung replied.
Tigress nodded and tears ran down her cheeks. "You've changed," she choked. "A lot. I'll never forget the day you told me that a female cannot learn kung fu. See how wrong you are?"
Tai Lung couldn't hold back his tears and sobbed on the ground. He clenched his fist and the muddy ground and shrieked, "Free them, now! Free them!"
"Time is of the essence," Vikki laughed. "I've lost everything to Oogway. So should you."
--
Time is of essences readers. You choose either one. I know I'm cruel but this was what I intended to do when this story came to me. Give me you're answer and reaons as to see who you readers want to see Tai Lung save. I also have a poll in my profile to strengthen your decisions. Choose one.
Meanwhile, I'll stop here for a while so I can gather more feedbacks. Meaning, this story will be on Hiatus for a while, a month maybe. Depends on the feedbacks I get. If you want something to read other than mine. I recommend some great stories all around here in Kung Fu Panda.
Luna Goldsun : That's why they call it present
Awerewolf : The golden mountain. And. Of Tears and Sacredness
Lucius Ferus : The path to forgiveness
Corset-rebellion-follower : My own destiny, Big or Little Ears?, And. A Reminder.
RenkonNairu : Den of iniquity
clanmcg24 : Back on the Set
Tokokono : All of his 'The Question of ??' trilogy. And recent work, 'The answer to me'
Princess of the blood : A second chance
Kippis05 : Hard Habit to Break, And, Elegant, Graceful and Clumsy.
Personally, I think these are great stories, much better than mine to be exact. Heh, having a low self esteem now are we? You can check out my other Kung Fu Panda fic, 'Diary of a Snow Leopard: Chor Gom Prison' if you like. Till then, good luck.