Wow okay, that was not fast at all, I'm a horrible person I'm sorry. You guys were so great too, and left nice reviews to motivate me and I still took like 3 goddamn months. My main excuses/reasons boil down to "school tired me out" and "writer's block" but I won't go any further on that. Anyhow, as promised, here's the double header climax! Po's segment is a lot longer than Shen's, but I really couldn't make Shen's longer without forcing it, and I'm satisfied enough by it to post.
Hope you like! Thanks for your patience!
Chapter 15.
Po.
The ship thudded to a halt as it drove into the muddy shores of the river that cut through the abandoned panda village. Po vaulted over the side of the boat and landed with a splash in the damp moss that covered the old rice paddies. The rest of the crew dropped the gangplank and disembarked farther up shore. The thick, moist air pressed on Po from all sides, leaving a slick coat of dew on his fur.
"It's quiet here," a rabbit muttered.
"There is a spirit of sadness that lingers in this place," Master Shifu said quietly, tucking his hands into his sleeves. "Terrible things were done here."
Po closed his eyes, breathing in the scent of greenery and rain. Sadness, yes, but that wasn't the only thing there was. He waded up the hill, wondering if the Soothsayer were still there in one of the abandoned houses. At the top of the hill, his little doll caught his eye, sitting right where he had left it.
"Are you alright, Po?" Shifu had come up behind him and laid his hand on Po's arm gently.
"I'm fine, really," Po said with a smile. It was in this spot that he had first confronted the truth of his past. His emotions had been as raw and sharp as his injuries from the cannon shot. The sprout he had leaned the doll up against had grown by several inches. New leaves had unfurled and were reaching skyward. "You're right, Master Shifu, there is a lot of sadness here, but there's also life." Po gestured at the green land, which had once burned red with fire in his memories. Patches of moss stuck out of the decomposing beams of the houses and new shoots of bamboo lined the drier areas around the village.
This time, Shifu smiled back. Together, they stood in silence side by side as two people who had navigated the mire of grief and touched the shores of inner peace.
"I wonder if the Soothsayer is here," Po said, breaking his reverie and peering into the derelict houses.
"Oh yeah, the old goat who spoke in mumbo-jumbo," Wing said, though he was quickly hushed by Lien who was coiled around his shoulder.
"I think we're the only ones here," Master Shifu said. His ears twitched as he listened for any sign of life outside of the rescue party.
"Agh, really? She's gone now? Why couldn't she use her fortune-telling to see us coming?" Po said.
"And to that, I'm sure she'd say that she only sees the future and doesn't create it—something she only told us every five seconds when we last spoke to her," Wing said.
"Recall she was not part of our plan," Shifu said. "Are we done with the preparations?" he asked the rest of the crew who had been tending to the ship. They nodded their assent. "Good, then we shall waste no more time."
The group trudged up the muddy slope and followed Master Shifu through the village. Po let them hurry past, gazing back at the panda doll that sat in the grass before slowly turning away to join the others.
The streets of Gongmen City were quiet. A tension hung in the air like a taut string, and everyone crept along on the tips of their toes, every accidental sound strumming on their nerves like a dissonant note.
"Where is everyone?" Po whispered, and all his companions flinched at the sound of his voice breaking like a wave upon the silence.
"That is exactly what concerns me, and no doubt the rest of you as well," Master Shifu said. "Entering the city was no trouble whatsoever. Something is happening, and I have a feeling it isn't good. Perhaps this might explain the Soothsayer's absence in the village."
"What should we do then? Stick with the plan? If something is going wrong, I want to know what. Remember, Min is still in the heart of danger. I have to know if she's okay," Wing said harshly.
"So do I," Lien said.
"I understand, however we have to stay organized and not panic. Poor communication will get people killed, so make sure you stick to your job and don't try anything fancy," Shifu said. He pointed at the ox, a group of pigs, and a pair of rabbits who had volunteered ahead of time to take care of the fireworks factory. "Peng and Wing both know the way to the factory since they've scouted here before. The rest of you will follow them. Light that place up, but be careful. From what I know of gunpowder, there's no controlling its destructive force." Peng, one of the rabbits, nodded with a quiver of his nose, and Wing grimaced at having to separate, but nodded as well before parting ways.
"The rest of us will head over to the prison. Then, we wait for the diversion before breaking in. After that, we have to hurry out to the back gates. Only fight if your life is in danger. You know the plan," Shifu said. They hurried down the darkened alleyways under the cover of the night.
Po realized he had no idea how to get to the prison from where they were. I did spend most of my time running around in a dragon costume and being rolled there in a barrel. Perhaps it was a good thing after all that Master Shifu had sent out his scouts before making the attack. Otherwise, even with empty streets, they would have found themselves entirely lost.
Lien led the way, poking her tiny head around each corner before beckoning them forward with the tip of her tail. Finally, Po recognized the entrance to the prison. Wing had been right. Shen had really made a lot of improvements on the security since he was last there. The building had been structurally reinforced and crude watchtowers had been constructed all around it. Walkways extended across from tower to tower where wolves could walk along and have a bird's eye view as they patrolled—if there were any wolves at all. The place was utterly barren.
"Now I'm certain something isn't right," Shifu muttered. "Let's proceed with caution." He darted out from their cover and into the shadow of the watchtowers. The rest of the team followed, and Po attempted a diving roll across the lighted pathway.
Everyone cringed as his legs thudded against the door, his body wedged in the corner between the door and the ground.
"I guess I overestimated that," he said with a sheepish grin. He kicked off the door and flopped down onto his belly, hastily pushing himself up and pressing up against the stone wall with the others. Lien squeezed herself under the crevice, and Po prepared to knock the door off its hinges if he needed to.
The grass snake popped back out, her small frame quivering. "It's empty," she said.
"What?" Po shouted, unable to contain himself. "That's it," he muttered, and threw himself against the door which flung open and he spilled into the prison entryway. Sure enough, it was completely vacant. Po dashed around frantically. "How can the prison be empty? Where are my friends?"
"Time is now very much of the essence," Shifu said, drumming his fingers on his crossed arms. Po had never seen his master so distraught, even since Tai Lung's escape. "If we don't know where they are, everyone could be in danger."
"Should we wait until the others blow the factory?" one of their rabbit companions asked.
"I don't think so. We have to move now. Lien, can you think of any place the prisoners might have been relocated?" Shifu said.
Lien paused for a moment. "No," she began, but then her eyes widened, "Unless Shen moved them to the factory!" Everyone's jaw dropped.
"But if Shen's keeping them in the factory, there's no way our diversion will work at all!" Po said, wringing his hands.
"No time to lose," Shifu said, sprinting back out the door with everyone else close behind.
They charged down the alley, trying to make their way through the twisting pathways and jumping at their flickering shadows that ran beside them, long and distorted in the moonlight.
"Heads up guys!" Another teammate hissed, and everyone ducked back under cover at her warning.
Someone was approaching from the alleyway. The figure drew closer, but just as it was upon them, it stopped moving. Po felt his hands curl into fists, ready for a confrontation. Then they heard a light whistle.
"That's Wing," Lien said suddenly and slithered out into the light. "Wing what happened, what are you—" and then they heard the sound of explosions. Off in the distance fireworks rocketed into the sky, bursting with color. Everyone came out of hiding to see the rat, leaned up against the wall, panting.
Lien turned to look sharply at him. "Why did you come here? I was so worried that Shen had moved the prisoners to the factory. The prison was empty!"
"Oh no, it's much worse," Wing said through harsh breaths. "The factory is practically vacant too. We still blew it up with most of the cannons. Get your butts to the central plaza. Somehow Shen found out ahead of time that Po is alive and on his way. He's trying to execute all of the Kung Fu Masters! Now!" Wing shouted.
There was no time for speaking or shock. Po pushed everyone aside and charged up the alley. "Panda butt coming through!"
Wing sprinted after him, Lien coiled around his shoulders. "Too tired. Take Lien." Po reached his arm out, and Lien slithered up, and he suddenly thought of Viper and how if he didn't hurry, she and the rest of the Five would be…dead. The thought made him run harder than he ever had in his life. He could feel his breathing grow heavier, but he would run up and down the staircase to the Jade Palace a million times if he could only get there fast enough.
Master Shifu was right beside him in a flash as well. "It's just the three of us. The others aren't equipped for fighting and now a fight is inevitable."
"Oh, I welcome it," Po said, glaring hard ahead of him. He didn't give a rip if Shen had every unstoppable weapon in the universe, Po was still going to find a way to stop him.
Lien directed them through the twisting alleys, and Po and Shifu ran hard, no longer concerned with stealth in the deserted streets. The sound of pattering footfalls and shouts had them up against the walls again, crouching and ducking back in the darkness.
"Wolves!" Shifu said, his ears twitching.
The three of them were standing above the streets on the stone walls that lofted the buildings.
"Po, suck it in. Your stomach is casting a shadow," Lien whispered.
"I am sucking it in! This wall is too narrow for walking," he whispered back.
"Quiet, you two. Keep moving," Shifu said, and he started shuffling along the ledge.
Just then, the road below them filled with wolves hurrying in the direction of the fireworks factory. Looks like the diversion worked, Po thought. But the wolves continued streaming through, and Po edged nervously after Shifu, hoping that they were running too fast to notice them. Geez, is Shen sending the whole army?
One of the wolves skidded to a halt getting pushed forward by the others behind him who slammed into his back.
"The hell is your problem?"
"Shut up! Do you smell that?"
Po held his breath and everyone froze as the wolves slowly began to stop and sniff at the air. Don't look left. Don't look left.
"What do you smell, Han?"
"Something weird. It's like mud and…something foreign," the first wolf said.
Po saw Shifu start moving out of the corner of his eye, and he tried to follow, hoping the wolves would continue moving on.
"Hey you morons up in front! What's the hold up?" someone in the back shouted.
"We've got company here! Smell it!"
"Po, look out," Lien hissed into his ear, barely audible above the arguing of the wolves. Po glanced to his right and saw that there was a large potted plant sitting on the ledge. Aw, come on.
Shifu leaped over it without a sound. Po, for his part, would have killed to be the size of Mantis at the moment. He picked it up cautiously, grimacing as it showered him with fine dirt from the bottom, and set it down carefully on his other side. Shifu beckoned for him to hurry along and he mouthed I'm trying.
Po turned to continue shuffling along, but his arm clipped the pot and sent it tipping over the edge onto the head of the wolf right below him.
"Run!" Shifu ordered, and Po bolted, teetering on the edge of the wall. He could feel his weight tipping over into the road where the wolves were turning toward him and brandishing their weapons. Up ahead, the wall dropped down into the open road, and Po fixed his sight on it while watching the movements of his enemies through his peripheral vision.
"Oh forget it!" Po groaned as he felt himself beginning to fall. He pushed forward and leaped down into the pack of wolves, kicking them out of his way. They sprung on top of him, pulling at Lien and forcing him down. Po thrashed them off, holding a protective hand over the tiny grass snake clinging to his arm. Master Shifu had jumped into the fray, but the stream of wolves was slowly reversing itself and beating against them like a river on a dam.
"We've got to go, Po!" Lien hissed into his ear.
"I've got this," Shifu said, through gritted teeth. He whirled his staff around him, and Po watched in amazement, feeling the air start to whip around them as Shifu struck the nearest incoming wolves with such a force that the blow hummed in the air. The wolves tumbled back into each other in a wave. "Get going!" Shifu commanded.
"Right!" Po turned and hurried out into the open space, heading in the direction of the plaza while his master stayed behind against the platoon of soldiers to buy him time.
Lien guided him over the rooftops and onto the balconies to avoid the prowling wolves and gorillas that were growing numerous as they approached the plaza. They could hear the murmur of a large crowd, and Po hoped that he wasn't too late. Finally, they were close enough to peer over the peak of the roof and look down into the mass of people packed into the space. The rest of Shen's soldiers guarded the periphery, herding nervous people back into the crowd if they tried to get away.
Before them, the wreckage of the Tower loomed, a massive black silhouette against the night sky that glowed with torches. And lined up in the shadow of the wreck, wrapped in chains were the Kung Fu Masters. At the opposing end of the plaza, Po recognized the unmistakable form of Lord Shen.
The peacock stood atop a massive cannon that made up the center of a firing line—one cannon for each warrior. Next to him was that one-eyed wolf and the peahen who he just barely recognized.
"That's Min!" Lien squeaked. "By the gods, that's Min!"
"Don't worry, we'll save them all," Po promised her.
Shen was conferring with the wolf, and then he craned his neck up and began to speak. "People of Gongmen City," he said, his voice ringing across the plaza, "I stand before you with an old way of life one side of this plaza and a new way of life on the other. In the past decades, I fear China has come to a frightful standstill in its progress. I am here to change that. At the far end of this courtyard lie the old traditions that held us back. These are the select few that practice the ancient art of kung fu open only to those who were born physically strong. The strength of kung fu is limited to certain privileged individuals who were graced with the opportunity to become powerful. Those less fortunate are forced to place their lives and safety in the hands of these select few.
"But no longer! For I shall usher in a new era, one that does not depend on what species you are, or how you were born. Power is now free to anyone who has the will to take it. And what a power it is," Shen said, gesturing to the line of cannons. "Kung Fu has had its time. Tonight, you will watch its light be extinguished forever, and a new dawn shall rise from the ashes." He pivoted around, his tail swinging around him.
"And now, warriors," he drawled, "just look at you without your precious Dragon Warrior to lead you. I was content to let you rot in your despair, but I'll tell you why I think it's time for you to leave this world after all." Shen whipped his arm out and pointed down at Min. "It is her fault."
"What?" Lien breathed tightening her coils.
Shen continued, "She is a spy from a little uprising in the Valley of Peace. They thought to resist my rule, to oppose my new era. But she has betrayed you. She has betrayed all of you. She revealed herself to me. She sold you out for her personal gain, this peahen who shamed her family and who traded you for my offer to restore them to honor. You are losing your lives, because of her selfishness."
"No! Min would never, ever do that. I hate you! You're lying!" Lien was lashing around on Po's shoulders.
"Lien, stop! You're gonna choke me!" Po said, trying to pull her off. He placed her on the roof that they were watching from.
"You have to do something, Po!" she said.
"I know," Po said. But what? He closed his eyes, recalling the village where he had grown up. Shen was going on about something, but his voice began to fade as Po focused his mind on a solution. Anything is possible when you have inner peace. The wisdom of Master Shifu came back to him, as well as the voice of another.
Yesterday is history. The ripples in his mind began to settle and the truth he had been searching for came to him as clearly as his reflection on the shimmering Dragon Scroll. There was only one path for him. His parents had passed on, and he accepted that. Certainly, there might have been a time where he could have grown up with his true mother and father if it hadn't been for Shen.
Tomorrow is a mystery. The fact was, Shen did exist. He had taken his family. But he hadn't taken everything. Po had no idea how he was going to stop him. He had no idea whether or not he would succeed or fail in his attempt to save his friends, but the possibilities didn't matter. The possibilities, the odds, no matter how much they weren't in his favor, would not stop him from taking action. If he had learned anything in life, the last thing he was meant to do was bow down to the odds.
Today is a gift. That is why they call it the present. What could have been, what could possibly be, none of it mattered in comparison to what he had right now. All the ones he loved were in danger in that very moment, and there was nothing else to think about. Po set a questioning Lien down on the rafters and beckoned for her to stay put. He took a running start and leaped off the rooftops and into the center of the plaza. Po straightened himself up and stared down the barrels of the cannons aimed at his friends.
"Hey Shen, did ya miss me?"
"You…" Shen said, his eyes widening. "So it was true after all. You lived."
"It takes more than a cannon to stop me!" Po said, crouching down, ready for a fight.
"Po, you're alive?" he heard a quiet voice say behind him. He turned slightly, looking Tigress in the eye and smiled.
"You didn't think I forgot about you, did you?" he asked. Tigress returned the smile, and Po could see her inner fire lighting up in her eyes. All of his friends seemed to straighten a little more, even under the weight of their chains.
"No matter," Shen snarled, and he pulled a crank so that the cannon he stood on aimed straight at Po. "You can die for good, first of all!"
"Po! Get out of there!" Monkey shouted.
Time seemed to slow down, and Po turned back to face the cannons, and he looked at Shen, really tried to look at him. Po thought he should be angry at the peacock. He should hate him for all the things he did. But when Po looked at Shen and saw the desperation, fear, hate, insecurity, anger, and sadness all buried deep in the peacock's eyes, Po could only feel compassion. Destruction is not what you need, Shen.
Po shifted his weight back, still watching Shen. He felt his mind start to float, and he felt his body follow the movements of the form he had been trying to recall for so long. He traced out a circle with his foot, sensing the flow of energy around him as though all separation in the universe had vanished, and he was merely a part of that great pool of matter. Shen shifted his weight back ever so slightly, and Po knew what was coming next and knew the last thing that needed to be done.
"I forgive you," Po murmured, just as the peacock flicked his talon and the spark lit beneath his feet.
There was a burst of light as the cannonball shot toward him, and Po reached out toward it. In that moment, there was nothing left in the world but that cannonball drifting toward him like a raindrop through the void. And then it made contact, searing hot and bright with life and flame, and Po spun around, guiding the energy, following its current around him and when it had made its full course, he let it disperse, sending the fiery cannonball flying backwards.
Po grinned at Shen who stared in horrified shock, and he beckoned with a flick of his wrist to bring it on. Then the cannonball he had just tossed crashed down through the roof of one of the houses, setting the roof on fire.
"Ooh…sorry about that," Po said with a grimace.
"KILL HIM!" Shen screamed, and the other cannons in the firing line turned to face him.
"Not today, Shen," Po muttered and turned toward Tigress who raised her handcuffs. He smashed through her bonds and in a chain of swift movements down the line of hostages, the Kung Fu Masters had broken free.
"Let's rock this town!" Po shouted, and with a shared grin with his friends, they charged forward to meet the chaos that charged toward them.