"You know…" Ping started conversationally as he stared across the rooftops. "It's possible that this isn't the best idea I've ever had."

"Really? You can't be suggesting we went for a plan that didn't involve using an injured boy as bait for the rest of the Hun army. That part of the plan is pretty much-" Mushu's sarcastic comments were cut off as Ping wrapped his hand around the dragon.

"I just mean that it's a little unnerving sitting here on my own… and I ache all over before we've even done anything." He glanced around again, eyes shifting over to the darkest shadows. "You do suppose it was definitely them, right? I'm not getting everyone worked up over a couple of kids who were there to cause a bit of bother…"

But before Mushu could answer, they spotted someone creeping across the roof. He was a large man, but surprisingly quiet, focussing on the main roof that covered the throne room.

"That answers that." Muttered Mushu as Ping straightened up.

"He's not looking over here, Mushu. What do I do? Shout?"

"Chuck something at him." The guardian replied. "You're a good shot."

Ping nodded his head and looked about for something to throw. There was nothing within reach, but by another ruined part of the roof, Ping could see a room with spare timber in. He set off, nimbly navigating the sloping rooftops and getting a chance for a decent look around; there was only a handful of men up here with Shan-Yu, six at the most. He crouched in the shadows to avoid one of them before scurrying quickly up.

The plan was already going to struggle, he realised. If he had shouted, he would have been able to lead Shan-Yu into the trap, but he would have been unable to stop the other men. Now he was aware of the other men, but not in a position to single the leader out. He watched them from the cover of the room and thought quickly. Something needed to be done before they went for the Emperor.

"Mushu?" He whispered softly. "Can you throw something at them from over there?"

"Near the market? I guess." The guardian gave him a curious stare.

"I want to split them up. Shang, Chien-Po and the others should be able to take out two or three of them, then we can double back to get the ones that you pulled away."

"You got it." And with that the dragon slipped off Ping and disappeared.

The young man collected a few bits of wood for throwing before sliding back to where he had been in silence, moving with confidence over the roof as he waited for some sign that the others were moving off.

It came soon enough; a yelp, followed by an angry shout. Ping watched four men hurry off, but he stood up and threw a small block of wood at one of the others before quickly hiding on the other side of the roof, out of sight. He hurried further around as the soft steps drew closer and chucked another piece of wood, hoping it would give the impression that there were more of them up here.

Abandoning grace in favour of speed, Ping scrambled back to his starting place, but he didn't reach it. Shan-Yu grinned down at him, his unhealthy yellow eyes taking in the small wood chocks as Ping dropped them in his haste to get away.

"Now now, boy. I just want to talk." He hissed, the wrath in his voice making Ping's whole body tremble as he moved.

"Now would be a good time to turn up, Mushu!" Ping half-pleaded as he swung himself off the roof and dropped down into a corridor. His leg jolted painfully on landing, but he didn't stop; he couldn't stop! Adrenaline pumping through him, the soldier fled into another room; mostly empty, except for the cabinet against the far wall, and the low table in the middle of the room. There were no doors leading out.

"I'll crush you, and then I'll take the life of your Emperor." Shan-Yu whispered, his voice thick with blood lust.

"You can try!" Ping responded, trying to hide the gasps he was taking as edged towards the small window. "But I decimated most of your army earlier on this week and I have a few left to take care of."

The enemy's face became an epitaph of rage as Ping bit his own lip, silently cursing the bravado that had burst forth. Still, it was called 'blind anger' for a reason, he reasoned as he slipped closer to the window. Perhaps it would make the man clumsy.

He had no sword, apparently unwilling to use another's weapon, even when his own was unavailable, but the Hun leader still had a dagger. Ping drew his own sword, his arms trembling as he held it before him. Shan-Yu chuckled darkly at this, his expression indicating that he found Ping no more threatening than a puppy; capable of taking a bite, but not lethal.

"Perhaps I'll skin you alive in front of your countrymen then." He growled, a smirk still sat on his face. "Show them the fate of those who would defy me."

Ping was at the window though, he swung his sword at the frame once, twice, thrice before it gave way enough for Ping to slip through. Shan-Yu grabbed his ankle though, the young man not quite quick enough in actually making a gap.

For one terrifying moment, Ping hung upside down, his stomach jolting as his mind raced through different options. He reached a decision without consciously making it though when Shan-Yu began to pull him back up; the young man stabbed his sword upwards, slicing into man's wrist. Blood began to pour from his wrist and Ping fell a distance to the hard ground of another rooftop.

Whimpering as fresh pain exploded in his ribcage, Ping lay dazed for a moment, before more wood dropped beside him. Lancing up, he could see a strong arm forcing a larger gap through the window that he'd fallen from.

"Time to move." He moaned, but quickly realised he couldn't put his foot down; his ankle had been crushed in that merciless grip. "Shit."

Across the roof, he could see the place he was supposed to be, though now he was a fair bit lower down, at least he had an idea of where the others were. Scurrying on his knees, he managed to get to the right part of the palace, into another corridor. No one was here… all the guards would have tightened security around the Emperor and the other soldiers were waiting several floors up and Ping rather hoped that they had taken out the two of Shan-Yu's men that he gone that way. Mushu was somewhere else, with any luck taking care of the other four…

And Ping jerked as he heard a loud thump; Shan-Yu had now jumped from the window and would be making his way over. Gritting his teeth against the pain, Ping crawled as quickly as he could to the end of the corridor.

"Where are you?" taunted a soft voice, sending shudders up Ping's spine as he spotted a staircase further down the next corridor.

"Go, go, go, go." Ping chanted to himself and he moved.

"Come out, come out!" the voice was singing, the light tone nearly enough to make the soldier cry. It was his plan and he was not going to be the reason this failed.

He got up only a few stair when Shan-Yu's voice entered the corridor he was in, still calling out mocking taunts, as though this was nothing more than a game.

"I can do this." Ping whispered, the first of his tears now falling. "I can do this."

"There you are."

Ping was at the top of the stairs, with his backside on the next floor up, but Shan-Yu was faster than he was. Within seconds Ping let out a loud scream as he scrambled back against a wall, only to have it reduced to rumble as Shan-Yu swung Ping's own sword through it, timber and mortar giving way to the impressive strength.

The man dropped Ping's sword and wrapped a large hand around the boy's neck.

"You should know better than to defy me." He growled.

"Ping!" came a strangled yell from inside, and the young man realised that his scream must have carried enough for his friends to hear.

Their presence gave him courage, and Ping looked deep into the cold eyes before him.

"I will kill you here." Shan-Yu continued, unbothered by the new threat. "I will destroy you so completely that every one of you pathetic ants shall bow down before me."

"We… won't" Hissed Ping, spotting the dagger that had been tucked into the aggressor's belt.

"You already tremble with fear. Those who are granted their lives will continue to tremble every time they hear my name."

"Nevermore!" he gasped, his own hands coming to rest on Shan-Yu's, helping him regain some control of his own body. "People will scoff when-"

He didn't have enough breath to finish the thought, but Ping swung his feet up planted the soles either side of it, tugging the weapon free. Dropping one hand, he just managed to twist himself enough to grab it and he swung it up to slice through Shan-Yu's already injured arm.

The man let go, releasing Ping, who dropped down again, this time falling onto the hard floor of a balcony. Eyes clenched shut and the dagger still tightly in his grip, Ping lay still for a moment, unable to move.

There was a loud cry above him as his friends had apparently charged at Shan-Yu, but he remained where he was, the threat above him to enough to make him stir.

"Ping? Ping!"

Mushu's hot paws pressed onto his face, and Ping's eyes fluttered as he forced them open.

"'m alive." He slurred softly as he rolled onto his back, vision drifting towards the place he had fallen from… There were sounds of a fight coming from up there.

"How badly you hurt?"

"My ankle… my ribs… throat… face… everything…" it was hard to narrow it down, he hurt so much that he just wanted to curl up and go to sleep.

There was a yell, a crash and a body thumped onto the balcony beside him. Though the man was groaning, still alive, Mushu didn't hide away this time. Ling probably wouldn't believe what he was seeing, if he was aware enough to take anything in.

"No!" Shang's voice was recognisable as he let out a cry.

Shan-Yu had jumped down and landed on the balcony.

"I can't do this." Whispered Ping as he pulled himself to his feet, the dagger held within his shaky grasp.

"You can, buddy. You got this."

"I really don't think I can."

"Not on your own, maybe. But you and me, pretty boy? We're a team. We've got this." Mushu curled around his neck, a comforting weight as he looked into the cold, yellow gaze once more.

"Together." He breathed, widening his stance and forcing calm over himself.

"See? He's been injured too. We just need to finish him off. Get him close and I'll help."

Pin nodded, before pushing himself forwards at speed. Mushu was right, Shan-Yu's right arm was hanging useless by his side, and there was a stain on his side that was growing. It was possible.

As they two men tangled, Mushu flew over the enemy's skin, biting everywhere he could reach, and breathing flame over the thicker clothing to set it alight. Ping grinned a cold, brittle smile as he sliced the blade through the skin of the other's left arm; he had no idea what he others were doing. His world had narrowed down to this; himself and Mushu against Shan-Yu.

He ducked an attack, and finding himself unable to get back up in a spritely fashion, he thrust the dagger into the tight before him. It was only because the other man froze with shock and pain that Ping was able to drag the dagger back out… and when Shan-Yu faltered and dropped to one knee, Ping put all of his weight behind sinking the dagger firmly into his chest.

Shan-Yu backhanded him, knocking him back to the ground, but the damage was done. Mushu scrambled from the falling body over to his charge as Shan-Yu curled on the balcony, the life rapidly draining from him.

"Ping!" a panicked shout came, and Shang had made his way down safely with Yao and Chien-Po.

"There… six men... more." He gasped, eyes already too heavy to open again, even as he forced his mouth to keep moving.

"We got two. Jian and Lei went with some of the palace guards to some commotion elsewhere."

"That may have been me and the Cricket. I took down two and the guards took down the others." His guardian's reassurances could have been a lullaby.

As Shang continued to worry by his side, Ping relaxed into the embrace, content to let fate play out as it would now that Shan-Yu would no longer threaten them.