Chapter 11: An Ill-Fated Rescue


Crane shivered. The night had gotten significantly colder is mere hours. Much colder than anything he had ever experienced on the mainland this time of year, but he was unsure why. The thick fog remained, but it had lightened. He stuck his beak out from one of the few shrubs that littered the island and looked out at the mass of land just a mile or so away.

It stretched across the horizon like a black mass of evil omens. Something about it made him sick to his stomach. It wasn't right. It was not natural. He was so close to the edge of the world. He had decided he would get close. He would scout the island where he could, no matter what. He had observed the activities closely. Every so often, he would see the water split as the whale, or sea panda as Po called it, returned into the open water. Its mass blackened the water as it swam just below the surface, but it was not Crane's main concern. The whale mattered little compared to the eyes in the sky. Vultures, or some other bird of prey, roamed high in the darkened fog. Their beady eyes scanned the sea and the shores of the island for anything out of place.

Crane was happy he had decided against the fire. They would have surely spotted him if he had started one. It would've acted like a beacon, and that would be it. It would be over, or so he assumed. Crane watched as another cluster of birds took to the sky. He was quick to dip back into the safety of the light brush that surrounded the campsite. He sighed, then shivered once again. This time, it was not the cold. It was fear. Fear of being caught and fear for his friends.

With a deep breath, he fluttered his wings and pressed himself through the shrubs. He took another look around, raised his head, then took off. He flew low. Dangerously close to the water if the whale was still around. Still, he knew he would rather risk capture by the whale than being spotted by the hundreds of birds that littered the sky.

The water split beneath him as he tore mere inches from the top of the water. With the wind at his wings, he felt alive. This, he thought, was his chance to shine. It was his chance to be the hero. He flew to the cliff, which was even taller than it appeared through the fog. He was quick to perch himself on a small rock that stuck from the vertical mass. He hugged the wall of rocks and looked up. His eyes scanned the skies, but from what he could see, there were no enemies in sight.

He flapped his wings slowly, gaining height with each motion. The pure rock became granite and marble as he reached the lower end of the wall that had been built directly above the cliff. This is a fortress! Crane was in awe as he continued to fly higher and higher. The manmade wall was like a mountain itself, but it did not deter Crane. Nothing would. He made it to the top, quickly poking his head over the edge. He looked left. He looked right. Then he looked up. To his surprise, there wasn't a soul in sight. Nobody to guard the wall. Nobody within the compound. Oddly quiet for such a fortress, Crane thought.

Just as he was about to pull himself over the wall, he saw them. A hundred or more. A cloud of black headed straight for him. They were vultures, and they were flying at speeds Crane thought impossible with such a great cluster. Crane dipped and scurried along the white marble wall. He landed hard on the rocky ground.

Panic set in. He looked up. The moon had vanished behind the mass. His legs shook. A quick, sudden, and all to frightful realization flooded him. He was outmatched. That quickly became obvious. He looked once more at the towering wall. Now, it seemed to mock him. An obstacle that somehow seemed to rise higher than he could fly.

The screeches of the birds echoed through the sky, but it was clear they were not after him. The mass of birds flew over the wall and into the compound. Some continued to patrol high above. Crane turned his hat low and raced to the nearest tree line. Luckily, it happened to be less than a hundred feet away. A distance he quickly passed with a single, mighty flap of his wings. He reached the forest but did not stop.

He continued through, racing past branches and shrubs, some containing thorns that tore at his feathers. Far above, the screeching continued. Had they seen me? Crane feared. The bids hovered high above the trees. The screeches of the birds tore down Crane's back like a cold wind.

The sound became ear piercing. His foot hit an exposed root and he tumbled down a muddy bank. He slid towards the bottom, choosing to remain still and awaited his fate. Luckily, the birds passed. He waited a few more moments, expecting them to return. He expected the silence to be nothing more than a cruel joke. The sounds didn't return. Crane stood upright. Everything was silent and still, and he was alone.

He looked up and saw running water. Blue, running water. He nearly jumped with joy. His only water since leaving the mainland had been salt water. Once he reached the creek, it was clearly fresh. He plunged himself into the crystal blue creek, shaking the mud from his feathers and taking a mighty sip.

"You're an odd one." A figure asked. "Who are you?" Crane froze and looked up. Across the creek was a small bird. Far smaller than Crane, yet his voice was comically deep and elderly. He only had one eye.

"Me?" Crane spoke softly.

The little bird looked left, then right. "Yep. Looks like I'm talking to you."

"Uh… Crane. And you are?"

"Just a simple bird living a simple life. Out picking herbs for medicine."

Crane was immediately uncomfortable with the situation. He was already knee deep in a mess he didn't understand. He felt like the edge into insanity was just a step or two away. Crane shuffled out of the water, but the little bird noticed his caution.

"You're not local. What are you doing here?"

He chuckled awkwardly. "Must've gotten lost. What is this place?"

The bird laughed. "Not sure what you'd call it. As far as I know, it doesn't have a name. The locals in my village call it Bixan Island, but there's another village a few miles north. Haven't a clue what they call it." The bird eyed Crane up and down. "Why are you really here? No bird worth his rice gets lost in the ocean."

Crane swallowed the knot in his throat. He looked around, hoping for an immediate escape from the conversation. He was sorely disappointed. "I'm a tourist."

"Tourist?" The bird said, unimpressed.

Crane winced at the horrible attempt at a lie. He knew there was no escape. If he didn't get held, everything was lost anyway. The best he could do was put his faith in this small bird and hope for the best. "I'm tracking my friends. They were eaten by some whale. I'm just here to make sure they're okay, then I'm taking them home."

The small bird nodded with satisfaction at the answer. His nod, however, slowly switched to a shake of his head. "What do you know of Lu Fang?"

"Lu who?"

"No. Lu Fang. Most here call her the mistress of this island."

"I don't know much of anything. My friends and I were tracking somebody from the mainland. We were halfway out to sea when they were taken. I honestly don't know if they're dead or alive, but I'm not leaving until I find out."

"Depending on what Lu Fang wants, they could be either. Tell me honestly, how important are they to you?"

"They mean the world." Crane blurted.

The eyes of the little bird began to wander. Eye contact became rare. He looked around. Left. Right. Up. Down. Back. "Leave them." The nameless bird said. "You don't stand a chance. Just cut your losses, kid. Go home and live the rest of your life thankful you don't know who Lu Fang is and she doesn't know you."

"I'm not afraid."

"That's what they all say." The bird said. "Until you meet her. When she catches you, you'll beg for death."

Dark, Crane thought. "Look, I just can't leave her. I-I mean them."

"Her?" The bird raised his head and watched Crane fumble about awkwardly. His face flushed red around his beak. "Did I hear that right?"

Crane nodded. "You did."

"What would you risk for her?"

"Everything." Crane spat in an instant. "I'm just… scared." He had to admit. He felt weak.

"You said they were eaten by the whale?"

"Yeah."

The bird nodded. "And you followed it all the way here?"

"I did."

"That takes guts. Not everybody has those. Most people here choose to live life under the thumb of Lu Fang. It isn't ease, but they believe it's better than taking the brunt of whatever she has to offer." His voice softened. "If you really want to risk it, and you know for a fact she is alive, then I'd say go for it. Just know that Lu Fang is a whole different beast. She isn't normal, kid." His voice shook.

"I'll be careful. Thank you so much." Crane, with some newfound confidence and hope, began to make his way back up the creek.

"And Crane?" The bird hollered. Crane stopped dead in his tracks. "When you rescue your special friend, run. Don't look back. Don't play the hero. Just run."

Crane nodded, turning around and retracing his footsteps out of the forest. I'm coming, guys. I won't let you down. I'm coming, Viper.


Tigress couldn't believe this was happening. She opened her eyes and looked frantically around the room. She was still laying on the same bed in the same, rotten room. She had felt as though she had closed her eyes and dozed for an hour, but for all she knew, it could've been multiple hours. It could have been minutes. The bed, horrible as it was, had just become much worse. Two chains wrapped around her wrists and two around her feet. Moving became nearly impossible, aside for midsection. If she tried hard enough, she could make it to her side. A muzzle wrapped around her nose with just enough room for her to speak through.

"What do you want?" Tigress let out a grunt as she began to twist and turn.

Tai Tzu returned from his desk at the other end of the room and hovered above her bed. "I already told you. I want to study you."

"Why?"

Tai Tzu's eyes lit up like a thousand suns. Tigress knew, from his reaction, that the vulture loved hearing himself speak. "I am naturally curious. I have spent the better part of my life tortured with a deep fascination with you mysterious tigers. Unfortunately for me, living tigers seem to be a rare find nowadays."

"You're sick." Tigress huffed as she continued to twist and roll her body. "Do you know what Po will do when he realizes what you're up to? You're a dead bird."

"Po?" Tai Tzu laughed. "The panda?" He laughed even harder.

"Every enemy that's laughed at him for being a panda hasn't lived long enough to regret their mistake."

Tai Tzu's smile faded, and he began to shake. Tigress allowed a knowing smirk creep across her lips. They vanished as soon as Tai Tzu began smiling once again. The shaking quickly stopped, like is was some sick prank. A rouse to get her hopes up. "Please. I'm not laughing because he's a panda. If you think that either me or Lu Fang would engage an enemy without knowing them, then unfortunately, you are the one underestimating us. We are not sharing the same level of respect, I fear." He paced around the bed. Tigress followed him the best she could with her eyes. "I have studied Lu Fang quite thoroughly. Being a panda means nothing if you know what you're dealing with. Being this… what was the term? Dragon Warrior, was it? A laughable title, but that means less than nothing. Back on the mainland, your hero might've been something. A god amongst mortals like yourself. Here" His laugh returned. His eyes glanced towards the door. Something had caught his attention for a mere second, but it didn't last. He turned back towards Tigress. "He is nothing more than an insignificant… bug."

Tai Tzu spun around. With a lightning hand, he sent a knife hurling across the room. It stuck the wall, causing the blade to rock back and forth. Tigress thought it was a weird show of force. Was he trying to intimidate me? She thought. It wasn't until she heard a voice did it become obvious it wasn't just for show.

"Ow. Ow. Ow. Dude! That hurts!" Mantis cried out. The knife had torn into his shoulder and pinned him to the wall.

Tai Tzu was quick to cover the distance. He pulled the knife from the wall and yanked the bug from the desk. He held him close to his face and watched with an eager smile as the little master began to squirm. "You're a little one, aren't you?"

"You know what my ex used to say about size?"

"Joke while you can." Tai Tzu said. His eyes twisted and grew red. "You've just been poisoned, my friend. Enough to knock a grown tiger into a soft slumber, but far exceeding the amount to kill a pitiful bug such as yourself."

Mantis went stiff. "Run that by me again?"

"You're dying." Tai Tzu seemed to take pleasure in every syllable.

Mantis looked down at his arm. His eyes widened with fear. It hung on by a thread. He winced with a pain that only grew and grew with each passing second. He could feel the poison taking effect. It ran through his body. His world became dizzy and breathing became difficult.

"Survival is a natural instinct in prey and predators alike. It is quite amazing what creatures will do to survive. So, I'll give you a chance to earn your survival. All you have to do is one small favor for me."

"And what would that be?" Mantis said. His mouth began to dry. Symptoms of the poison, he presumed.

"Tell me why you were spying on me, and who for? Don't forget to answer quick. Time is a precious commodity for you."

"You're sick!" Tigress roared.

"Shush, beast." Tai Tzu said, barely turning to acknowledge her.

Mantis wanted to keep his trap shut. He closed his eyes and hoped death would come soon. He hoped he would be long gone before he had the thoughts to speak the truth. To give in to Tai Tzu's threats. To give him the satisfaction. Death didn't come fast enough. Death couldn't beat the bubbling fear that swelt within him. "Po. Monkey told Po about your poison." Once the first few words were out, the filter was lost. "Po asked me to check on Tigress. I'm so sorry. So, very sorry."

"Apology accepted." Tai Tzu said with a wicked smile.

"I'm not talking to you." Mantis said, feeling a tear roll down his entire body. "Tigress? I am so sorry."

Tigress shook her head with disbelief. Death wasn't a foreign concept, but when she looked into the hazy eyes of the bug, her friend, she saw that he was truly afraid to die. He was scared. "Let him go." Tigress said, tugging on her chains. "Please, let them all go. If you want someone to torture, take me. Let everyone else leave!"

"Everything in due time." Tai Tzu turned towards Mantis once again. "Now, what I want you to do is go tell Po that everything is fine. Tell him I am tending to Tigress and that he will be able to visit her first thing in the morning. Tell him, and the antidote is all yours."

"I can't." Mantis said, feeling weaker and weaker by the second. "When Po realizes I'm gone, he'll come down here and make you wish you were never born."

Tai Tzu shrugged nonchalantly and squeezed the bug tighter. Slowly, he walked towards the bed where Tigress lay. Mantis just realized that he held a scalpel firmly between his feathers. Tigress tried to shuffle away, but the hefty chains held her down tight. She turned and closed her eyes, knowing what was about to come.

He raised the poison-soaked scalpel above his head, and with a wicked grin, brought it down. Tigress let out a roar so mighty, the ground shook. The hallway just past the door, however, were still and silent. Only the brief and occasional sound of fireworks popping were heard.

Tai Tzu was relentless. He brought the scalpel down time and time again, marking the tiger's flesh and fur with crimson strips.

"WAIT!" Mantis roared, finding his voice. Tai Tzu came to a sudden stop and looked at the bug. "I'll do it." Mantis was defeated. Seeing Tigress in so much pain and the sadistic pleasure the vulture got from enacting it made Mantis want to vomit. "I'll tell Po everything is fine. Just stop hurting her. Please."

"Be sure you do." Tai Tzu said, setting the bug down and allowing him to walk towards the door. "Death is a concept most aren't familiar with, so I don't expect you to rush. Take in the experience. Let this be a lesson for you. After you tell Po there is nothing to fear, return and I'll work up an antidote as promised."

"Mantis?" Tigress groaned. The cuts were doing a number on the tiger. She winced and looked up at the bug with weary eyes. She felt the poison working fast, but knew it was not enough to kill her. Mantis was not so lucky. "Don't worry about me and don't regret anything. Tell Po everything is fine. Save yourself."

Mantis nodded, and with a heavy heart made his way towards the door. He was beaten. Broken. Dying. He had lost.

"And bug?" Tai Tzu cried out. "If I suspect Po knows of my deeds, the tiger dies."

Mantis walked with a hefty limp down the hallway. He knew where the exit was but was in no rush to get there. His mind raced with the options that juggled themselves in his brain. Tell Po and die, but help Tigress? Don't tell Po, get the antidote, and hope for the best? The honorable option seemed all too clear, but it was by far the scarier choice. The pain grew with each step.

Mantis reached the door that led into the palace courtyard. The fresh air and mild wind felt like a gift from the spirit realm. What does it look like? He wondered. Po had told the Furious Five about his brief trip to the otherworld, and from how he spoke, it seemed wonderful. Maybe I'll have stories of my own soon.

He shook his head, realizing his duty comes first and foremost. Think, bug! You have a duty. Protect the ones you love. Despite the words sounding strong and firm in his head, the thought of death still weighed heavy on his heart.

POP.

Fireworks blew in the sky. They were launched from the white walls that surrounded the palace with mechanisms reminiscent of Shen's cannons. He focused his mind and wandered down the grassy knoll in search of Po, Monkey, and Viper. Mantis found Viper first. She was coiled up on a rock just before a dirt path leading into the woods at the base of a hill. Her eyes lit up at the sight of the little bug.

"Mantis! What did you see?" Viper quickly approached. It was clear she was looking for the little bug. As she watched Mantis hobble to meet her halfway, she realized something wasn't right. "You're hurt!" She saw it. His arm was hanging by a thread.

"I'm fine!" Mantis cried out, forcing a smile. "This was just an accident. Silly me."

"Buddy!" Monkey screamed, swinging out from the thick trees and landing before Mantis. "You don't look too good. What happened?"

The simple question forced Mantis into a state of uncertainty. Now was the do or die moment. He opened his mouth to speak, but words were tough. "I'm all right." Mantis forced out, hoping to reassure his friends. He laughed, turning his head to hide the tear that was forming in his eye. He quickly wiped it away, then turned to face his friends once again. "It's just my stupidity getting the better of me again. Besides, I think I heard that our limbs grow back."

"They do?"

Mantis shrugged. "I think. Haven't had to experience this sort of thing before." Mantis wanted to tell them the truth, but he knew it would be difficult. A lost limb was the least of his concern at this time. A burning sensation scattered every inch of his body. His limbs weakened severely. He looked up at Monkey and smiled. "You know you're my best friend, right?" He didn't care how out of place the question felt. He needed to say it. He needed to make sure, whatever happened next, that Monkey understood.

"Of course! You're my bestie!" Monkey smiled. "So, how's Tigress? Did you uncover anything?"

"She's great." Mantis said half-heartedly. The thoughts of Tigress' thrashed body ran through his mind. Her screams echoed in his ears. Seeing her in so much pain made the little bug wince. I'd rather go blind than see something like that again. Mantis thought. I'd rather die. Everything clicked, then and there. He knew what he had to do. "Is Po around?"

Viper and Monkey led Mantis straight to Po. The Dragon Warrior stood beside Lu Fang at the top of the hill. Between them were two stones. Headstones, but Mantis didn't care enough to look closer into it. He didn't care what the story was. The only thing he thought about was talking to Po. Alone.

"You want us to distract her for you?" Monkey whispered.

Mantis nodded. "I want to talk to Po alone. Can you do that?"

"Sure." Viper said, quickly slithering her way through the grass towards the two pandas. She slid between the two with a smile. "Look at those fireworks! Have you ever seen something so beautiful?"

Po leapt from his skin at the snake's sudden introduction, but Lu Fang seemed unmoved. Viper easily took the spotlight away from Po, successfully gaining Lu Fang's full attention from words Mantis couldn't hear. Monkey raised his fist and gave Mantis a friendly fist bump before rushing in beside Po. After whispering something into Po's ear, the panda turned around and smiled at the sight of the little bug.

His smile faded fast once he neared.

"You look terrible!"

Mantis nodded. He could feel the poison. Talking became difficult. Too difficult. He looked up at Po and smiled. This was it, he told himself. Do or die. Truth or dare. Another flash of Tigress' body. He had spent the entire time since the poisoning to contemplate death and hoped it would get easier. Mantis was horrified to realize that it didn't. It only got harder and far more terrifying. Once he told Po the truth, the antidote would be impossible to get.

His eyes shifted towards Monkey. He laughed alongside Viper but was quick to realize the fake laugh of Lu Fang. She was too forced and unnatural. His foggy eyes looked up at Po. It was only when he saw the panda's mouth moving did Mantis realize that Po had been talking this entire time.

"Pal? Are you all right?" Po repeated for the fifth time.

"Do me a favor, Po."

"Of course. Anything. What's up?"

"Tell Monkey that he'll always be my best friend. Make sure he never forgets."

"…Sure… Why?" The panda was immediately confused.

Mantis took a deep breath. This was it. There was still time to turn back. To earn that antidote. No, fear the bug. Mantis thought, taking another breath. Inner peace.

"Po, Tai Tzu is insane. Everyone here is. They need to be stopped." He was forced to take a second to gain his breath. "You have to stop them."

Po's eyes turned to glass as the words hit his ears. "Where is Tigress?"

"She needs you, Po. She's in worse shape than I am."

Po's facial muscles tightened and twisted into a vicious snarl. He looked back at Lu Fang. She would have to wait. Right now, his mind only had one thing on it. Tigress. He held the bug gently in his hands. He had resigned himself to his fate at this stage. He closed his eyes and allowed his breathing to soften, but it didn't stop. Not yet. Po raced back down the trail, leaving Lu Fang, Monkey, and Viper atop the hill.


"Stop." Tigress begged as the vulture returned with a fresh set of tools. She had closed her eyes long ago, hoping that lack of sight at what was being done would nullify the pain. She was sorely disappointed. All she felt was pain, and it was severe. She was ready to scream. It was all on the tip of her tongue. As soon as the metal touched her body, she would yell. She would yell so loud the entire palace would topple.

"Just tell me what I want." Tai Tzu whispered. "You don't want to end up like your shrimp friend, do you?"

She had watched Han and Qin remove poor Yijiro. What came of him, she was unsure, but she knew it wasn't good.

"Tell me." He whispered again.

"It's just a myth!" She roared. "The Hidden Valley is a myth! What don't you understand about that!?"

"You and I KNOW that isn't true. Now be still like the good kitten I know you are."

"SHAKABOOEY!"

There was an eruption. The door, thick was it was, blew off it's hinges. The impenetrable locks were turned to dust. Tigress opened her eyes at the wonderous sight. She wanted to scream, this time with delight. Po, the Dragon Warrior, stood in the doorway. His fists were ready to enforce justice. Mantis lay beaten and broken atop his head.

Tai Tzu chuckled as he looked up at the bug. "Brave, bug. Survival isn't something to give up easily. Too bad the deal is broken."

"It doesn't matter." Mantis laughed. "You're screwed."

Po raced over towards Tigress and was quick to break her chains. He rubbed his fingers through her fur and looked her in the eyes. "Are you all right?" He spoke softly.

Her hazy gaze said it all, though no words were spoken. Po went stiff. His heart raced. He had seen her beaten and broken far too many times. With wide eyes full of rage, he turned back towards the vulture. For once, a surge of fear seemed to course through the bird. He back peddled towards his desk. He gripped a knife loosely with his feathers. "Resorting to violence is quite unnecessary." His words were nothing but taunting.

"Po!" A female voice cried out. It was Lu Fang. She stood in the doorway. Han and Qin stood beside her. In their firm grasp was Monkey and Viper. Their faces were bruised, and their breathing was heavy. Despite how they squirmed, they couldn't shake the oxen's' raw strength.

"What are you doing?" Po seethed with anger. He gently set Mantis down on the bed with Tigress and stood before Lu Fang. The female panda looked at him with furrowed brow.

"I just wanted to talk before you do anything rash, dear."

"You let her go." He pointed at Tigress. Any humor that came naturally in his voice was long gone. "Right now. Let them go, let her go, and help Mantis."

"I can't do that." Lu Fang said. Her voice fluctuated more akin to a schoolgirl than a ruthless dictator or murdering psychopath.

"I'm not asking."

Lu Fang glared at Po. Her eyes would have torn through the soul of anyone lesser, but Po stood firm. He was unflinching where most would've knelt or fled. Tai Tzu took his chance and bolted from the room. "We don't have to fight. I can explain."

"Let her go." Po demanded once again. His paws curled to form fists of iron.

"We don't have to fight." She readied herself into a fighting pose. "But I'm more than willing."

Po felt the chi swirl through him. The power of Shifu and the power of Oogway. All his lessons and all his triumphs. The memories raced through his head. He felt himself rise from the ground. Chi energy began to circle him. His eyes were bright. Brighter than they had ever been before. "Lu Fang, I am begging you. I don't want to have to do this." It was Po's last attempt.

The victory over Tai Lung flashed before his eyes. His victory over Shen. Over Kai. The palms of his fists turned bright yellow. A beam erupted outwards.

"I can't." Lu Fang whispered.

That was it. Po twisted and turned, building momentum. He thrust himself across the wooden floor.

"SKADOO-" He felt the paw of Lu Fang wrap around his fist. He froze and opened his eyes. "Wha-?"

"You're misguided." Lu Fang snarled. Her other paw wrapped around his throat, and she tossed Po into the air. She spun, kicking the airborne panda against the wall. He looked up at her. His eyes of jade were full of disbelief, awe, and fear.

"That was different." Po noted, shrugging on the fear.

Lu Fang was quickly on him. She did not allow him time to stand. Her strikes were fierce, but Po, experienced as he was, did his best to dodge and block. She left no time to counter. No time to think. He was surviving only on his instinctual reactions.

Tigress pulled herself from the bed, but her body was not with her. She toppled to the floor and was forced to watch, completely powerless.

"Han? Qin?" Lu Fang growled as she pushed Po across the room. "Kill the snake and monkey."

Both nodded in unison as they pulled out a set of pairing knives. Tigress and Mantis watched with helpless horror as the blades rose to their throats. In a flash of lightning, Crane tore through the walls, knocking Han and Qin to the floor. "We gotta go!" Crane called out. "Lu Fang is crazy!"

Lu Fang looked at Crane. "How'd you get past my vultures?"

"Hey! Another panda!" Crane was awed, but quickly picked up that she was Lu Fang.

Po thrust his hind legs and kicked Lu Fang in the nose then leapt to his feet. He rallied to Tigress, but in a flash, Po was gone. Lu Fang had pulled him by the scruff of his neck and tossed him down the hall. "I can't let you ruin everything I've worked for!"

"You're nuts, lady!" Po gasped.

He stood up and charged, but so did Lu Fang. In a flash, their fists collided. A burst of yellow chi emitted across the palace. When the light cleared, Po was gone. In his wake were broken walls, wood and stone alike. The Dragon Warrior was sent sailing.

Tigress managed to make it to her feet. "Let's go!" Tigress called out. Crane agreed and helped Viper and Monkey to their feet. Without hesitation, they took off, following Po's debris trail. Tigress cupped Mantis and followed Crane. They ran through the dozens of holes that Po had busted through until they reached the palace wall.

They looked down at the empty courtyard. There was no sign of Po. All they saw was the crater where he landed. Suddenly, Tai Tzu, the scoundrel, scurried out of the palace and into the open field.

"Fire!" He called out to the firework operators that stood along the towering walls. Tigress wasn't sure how they were able to hear him, but somehow they did. "Kill them all! Kill the assassins!" Immediately, the cannons turned inwards. Thunderous cries tore the sky apart. The night was lit up like a thousand suns.

The Furious Five dodged the fireworks as they blasted more holes into the palace walls. Crane flew down, but a lucky shot struck him, and he was sent hurling to the grass far below, creating a crater of his own.

"Crane!" Viper cried.

Another strike caught Tigress in the rear. The explosion sent fire everywhere, and the remaining members of the Furious Five followed Crane down into the courtyard. They landed hard. Tigress lifted her head and looked around. Where was Po? Fire began to engulf the palace behind her. Flashes of Shen's cannons popped into her mind. Suddenly, she was back in Gongmen City.

She looked up at the burning palace. At the very top, surrounded by fire, two pandas faced off. Lu Fang stood like a shadow amongst the smoke. A silhouette. A figure lurking in the shadows. Only her yellow eyes were truly visible.

"Po…" Her voice was soft and fragile. She was in utter disbelief. "You're really defending that tiger? She's a monster!"

"Monster?!" Po roared.

"I thought you wanted peace. True peace! We're the same, you know!"

"Can it, lady. We're not the same."

"You got your revenge against that peacock. Now let me have mine. Please, I beg you. We truly are, whether you want to admit it or not."

"Wrong. I am Po, the Dragon Warrior and master of the Jade Palace. You…" Po shook his head. "You're evil."

Po lunged, but like the flash of a firework, Lu Fang was on him. Her eyes lit up brighter than Po had ever seen. Her body swirled with energy. Chi. Po kicked, but with each move, Lu Fang was able to match. He pulled back and separated, lowering himself, hoping to get a better position.

"I want to help you, Lu Fang. I really do." Po tried one last chance to reason. "Just stop. Shen was just like you, but he wasn't too far gone. There was something in him that wanted to change. You can, too."

Lu Fang charged, throwing kicks and punches that would make Tai Lung seem like a kitten. Po dodged, but one mistake caused him to get nailed by a mighty fist. Po stumbled back. He smirked and allowed Lu Fang a few steps towards him. Then, like lightning, Po turned and twisted, punching his foot out to meet Lu Fang. Chi erupted from his foot.

He got her in the gut, but the female panda stood and took it. He felt the counter reaction immediately. He was not used to it. His own foot rebounded off her belly and came back at him, causing him to lose his balance and fly towards the edge of the palace deck. The chi energy hit him harder than he thought possible. The rock-hard paws of Lu Fang grabbed him by the throat.

"We could have been something, Po." She hissed.

"It's not too late." He gasped, wiggling himself free. Seeing no way out, he kicked the wooden plank beneath him. The board, burnt and charred, shattered, causing the entire top half of the palace to collapse. Po was flung from the wreckage and gasped for air in the middle of the courtyard. Tigress was quick at his side. "Run." Po gasped. "Just go. RUN!"

"Not without you." Tigress helped Po to his feet. The rest had already run ahead into the woods. She had only stayed to make sure Po was safe. Just before they vanished into the dense brush, Po looked back. Flames consumed the palace. Two eyes burned hotter than the fire. Lu Fang was watching from the ash and smoke. Tai Tzu was at her side. An everlasting smile on his face.

He silently mouthed words Po could read from a mile away.

Run, panda. Run, tiger. Run while you can.


A/N: Things didn't go according to plan, as usual. If I stick to my outline and what I've written so far(I probably won't)... then this chapter and a bit of next chapter will see the heroes at their lowest, but after that, things will start to look up. I promise! This got a lot darker than I had originally planned. Even namedropping Yijiro was supposed to be for fun, and he's probably dead now. :(

Anyway! Hope you enjoyed. Lu Fang and Tai Tzu have shown their true colors, and they're too much fun to write. Thank you for reading and the continued support!