What's going to happen to Shifu and Mian? *the suspense is killing me...*

Shifu's ear flicked as he rested a hand on his student's shoulder, as he caught the tired but determined gleam in his student's eye. One part of him noted to make note of increasing Po's stamina, but then he added to it, "If we make it out of here."

Shifu wanted to hit himself in denial, for he knew he could beat one lame sheep with a knife. He was no match for the skilled Shaolin master who faced the hundred warriors of Lingshu alone!

Sure enough, Shifu could hear Lianzhong (or he thought) racing through the undergrowth behind Po, and he then realized that his student must have been faster than he was to come before him, with time to spare.

Shifu placed himself before Po and Mian, who were placed behind Shifu and crouched beside him. Po felt a fierce protectiveness over his master, and Shifu felt the same way about his student, and in that, they would protect each other at all costs.

Lianzhong raced to the both of them and skidded to a stop, holding his knife and slowing down his heart rate, letting out soft breaths.

"All of you….in one place." Lianzhong huffed, and Shifu felt amused at how tired the sheep was. "How interesting."

Po held his master's shoulder for the moment, crouching beside him but still glaring at Lianzhong.

"I knew I shouldn't have trusted you," Shifu took a step forward and pulled his ears back behind him. "You had ulterior motives."

"Ah, Grandmaster, you always think the best of others," Lianzhong cracked a smile, which made Shifu's anger rise. It wasn't just the action that made him more furious…it was some of the
words, too. "Perhaps that's one of your biggest faults when you're a Shaolin Master."

Shifu tensed. "You really think you're going to beat me, Lianzhong?" Shifu averted the attention away from HIS subject matter and focused it on Lianzhong's. "You're a fool if you think that."
"Am I, though?" Lianzhong snorted. "Now it seems I have gotten my student on your side, and I know that my student will follow my orders, much like yours will follow yours."

Shifu flicked his ear and narrowed his eyes at Lianzhong. "I know the things you have done to him, Lianzhong.

Lianzhong's gaze flickered, and Mian hung his head.

"I am telling you, you are treading the wrong path."
LIanzhong snorted again. "Stop telling me what I CAN and CAN'T do, Shifu." Lianzhong snapped, pulling back his small ears. "He's my student, and he's my own authority. This province will soon be my land. And you will soon meet your own demise."

Shifu sighed, and shook his head. Po watched from behind Shifu with wide eyes as he saw what was taking place between Lianzhong, his master, and Lianzhong's own student.

"Mian," Lianzhong sharply instructed his student, "Stand up and fight!"
Mian lifted his head to meet his master's, but he didn't respond or stand up.

Lianzhong tensed. "Get UP!"
Mian hung his head once again and shook it, never standing up, and never responding.

"Ugh, you insolent idiot!" Lianzhong yelled, his voice on fire, "I said, STAND UP AND FIGHT!"

Mian DID stand up eventually, but he never took a step towards his master or followed his orders. Instead of that, he bravely raised up his head. For the first time in a while, a soft flame began to shine in his eyes.

"Master.." Mian's voice was a bit shaky, and he was trembling, but he kept his words straight and continued speaking to his master. "I no longer….w-wish to be your student."

With those words, there was a fallen silence. Lianzhong took a step back, as if he was hurt. Shifu turned to Mian, as if he wasn't expecting that fierce revolt from that shy, little student. Po blinked, and put his head to one side.

"All you've done….all you've made me do…" Mian shook his head. "I don't want to live like that, I don't want to….I don't want to fight by your side anymore…." Mian's voice was a bit hoarse. "Not anymore…"

Lianzhong let out a fierce yowl of disapproval. "WHAT?!" Lianzhong's head snapped back towards Shifu and Po. "What have you told him? H-how could you do this, I gave you a LIFE!"
"A terrible life." Mian spoke, his tone in his voice becoming deeper, stronger, and braver. As much as Shifu hated students that spoke out against their masters and left them, he felt a rush of pride in this student for leaving his tyrannical master where he was beaten upon time and time again. No wonder he doesn't like you, Lianzhong, Shifu thought, He's afraid of you. If you truly care about him, let him follow his own path to perhaps a rightful master, or just change.

Mian stepped forward to Shifu's side now and glanced back at Po, then at Shifu.

"Watching and talking to the-the two of them made me realize just how bad we are inside," Mian was starting to cry a bit now, but he held it together. He knew Lianzhong from when he was around nine years old, but his master had always been rather abusive. His parents wanted him to be with this master, but you know how Lianzhong is on the outside….

He's NEVER the same on the inside…

"I..I don't want that."

Shifu rested his hand on Mian's shoulder as his heart cried out to him. Well said, young student.

Shifu could tell that Lianzhong himself was inwardly fuming. Lianzhong tried his hardest not to reveal his emotions to Shifu and Po, and even his former-student himself, but he couldn't stop himself from sighing.

"Well, if that's really your choice, then go ahead." Lianzhong growled. "You always were an insolent student to me, anyways."

Now it was Mian's turn to feel remorse. The young student hung his head in disappointing his master, and he felt like he should bow or hug him or something.

Although….Mian and Lianzhong's relationship wasn't the same and it wasn't mutual respect. Lianzhong didn't necessarily LOVE Mian the way Shifu loves Po, per-say. Mian was afraid of Lianzhong, in a bad way, and Lianzhong was by no means a totally peaceful, kind, or gentle master.

In fact, being with Shifu and Po opened Mian's eyes to how masters and students should really be.

They should really be respectful, open, and kind.

That was NOT the case here, however.

Mian sighed, but he didn't say anything except turn his back on Lianzhong. Lianzhong, himself, was planning to kill his worthless student, but he felt the better of it, and out of a slight kindness in his heart, perhaps, he decided against it. All he did was watch as his student walked away into the forest and disappeared from his sight.

There was no sigh of remorse from Lianzhong, for he really didn't absolutely care if his student left.

Part of him did, part of him didn't.

Shifu flicked his ear as he watched Lianzhong's gaze follow his student, and he inwardly held back a sigh.

It was a terrible thing, but truthfully, it may have been the right choice for the both of them.

Shifu was also quite surprised by the fact that Lianzhong gave up on trying to go after his student and (as Po said) trying to kill him.

It was Po who said he was after Shifu and Mian themselves.

Now, with Mian gone….

Lianzhong has to go after Shifu alone.

Lianzhong lifted up his head, his gaze flickering in the sunlit sky.

"You may have taken my student, Shifu," Lianzhong let out a small but faint growl, "but that will be the last thing you ever do."

Shifu took a step back. "Let us not fight, Lianzhong." Shifu warned. "You know this is pointless."
"Is it, though?" Lianzhong put his head to one side as he neared the grandmaster. "It won't be all that pointless when I defeat you and take over your entire province, will it?"

Shifu tensed, and behind him Po flinched, as if he had hit a nerve. Shifu's skill was practically FAR beyond comparison than Lianzhong's, and even IF Lianzhong had managed to pin him to the ground long enough to strike him, Shifu would move faster and counter his attack.

"I'm giving you this chance to back down." Shifu warned again. "That would be the wise choice."

Po watched as Lianzhong and Shifu faced off against each other again, the seemingly fierce competitors beaming with fury at the other. Shifu's was more controlled, whereas Lianzhong seemed to be a boiling tea kettle that was about to burst at any time and fall all over.

Within moments of staring, Lianzhong let out a loud yowl of a battle cry and swung forward, diving for the grandmaster in a puffy figure of fury. With that, Shifu easily swung to the side and deflected his attack, sending Lianzhong flailing down to the ground with a heavy thud.

As Lianzhong eventually regained his balance, he took a swing at Shifu again with his left arm, which Shifu deflected with his right and delivered a series of moves on him that sent the burly sheep crashing down onto the ground below. Po watched from a spot in the forest, where he glanced at the both of them fighting it out, and it was obvious to Po himself who was the victor.

Sure enough, Shifu had tired the lethargic sheep out, and with a loud sigh, the sheep was hit onto the ground again, and Shifu managed to take out the knife he held and point it at the sheep's throat again, which was much like earlier in the day when that had happened.

Lianzhong blinked in alarm, and when Shifu leaned in closer to him he tried his best to back away.

"Because I'm merciful and honorable," Shifu said, whispering to the sheep. "I'll let you have one last chance to get out of this province."

"Or what?" Lianzhong spat in his face.

"Or I will find you." Shifu warned. "And it will be most unpleasant for you."

Po narrowed his eyes at the both of them, and when he looked around for any signs of anyone else around, his gaze landed on a particular goat that had just left the premises.

"Mian?" Po whispered, glancing at him once before turning away. It was sad that he had to witness the downfall of his master, if he hadn't already.

Shifu was now slowly releasing the knife off of Lianzhong's throat once again before letting him completely stand up. Lianzhong growled and launched a fierce glance at the grandmaster once more.

"I'll…I'll take your warning," Lianzhong growled, apparently worn out from his and Shifu's skirmish. "...but I WILL return."

"If you return," Shifu folded his hands behind his back as if he was not completely fazed. "Then mark my previous words, Lianzhong."

Lianzhong flinched and flinched his eye as he turned his back on Shifu. He stopped for a moment as if conflicted and not really understanding why he was following this red panda's orders, but eventually he let out a long sigh and continued walking into the undergrowth into the forest.

Shifu let out a sigh as well, but he was confused. At least he listened to his warning, or at least Shifu hoped, but still…

He came to kill me, then he fought me, then he just left.

At least he left, but I can't help but still be wary of this whole situation.

Yeah, I know, Lianzhong's whole character thing was so bad, but you've got to give it to Mian for sticking up against his master!

Please review, only one chapter left!