Chapter 4:

Lord Shen Returns/ Leaving Ponyville

Meanwhile, far away from Ponyville, at the Castle Of The Crystal City, three Kung Fu Masters were training today. Two of them were sparring with each other while one was watching them training their skills. But while all the training and sparring was happening, approaching the gates was a stranger of evil as he entered the shadows.

The sound of combat might have drowned out the clinking sound of his hooves, but it didn't drown out the sight of him. As the guards saw him approach, they lowered their weapons and charged at him. But as they charged, the stranger simply managed to defeat them with one swipe of his arm, throwing them to the ground and overwhelming them as he continued his approach to the castle. He was unconcerned with these lesser fools, and wanted to get down to business.

Suddenly the doors of the castle were slowly beginning to open as the two ponies stopped sparring and paused their training as they and their master looked to see who was entering the castle.

Entering was a white Alicorn stallion with red eyes, and was wearing a white silk robe. He was walking into the castle like a dragon returning to his horde. After all, he still saw this place as his home.

The three pony masters knew who the stranger was and so did a familiar soothsayer as they watched him enter the castle grounds.

"Shen?" The Kung-Fu Masters whispered in shock and confusion.

"Good gentlecolts, now that we've gotten the pleasantries out of the way...please leave my home," Shen greeted them with a smile and a bow while gesturing to the door he just opened.

"Your home?" the hulking white Pegasus asked with an irritated frown, flaring up his small wings.

"Yes, did you not see the Crystal Alicorn on the front door?" Shen asked, glancing back at the inscription on the doors before facing the Soothsayer, who appeared to be a Zebra.

The Soothsayer watched him out of the corner of her eye. Disappointment was more prevalent on her face than anything else. She hated when she was right about bad things.

"Aaahh, there you are, Zecora. It seems your fortune-telling skills are 'not' as good as you thought," Shen greeted, his voice gaining a particular tint of venom to it as he approached her.

"Believe me, we shall see," Zecora replied, glaring at the exiled prince.

"No, you shall see, you old horse…Uh, where were we?" Shen said, getting back on the subject.

"What d'ya want, Shen?" a red Earth Pony stallion with an orange mane asked with a glare.

"To take back what's rightfully mine…," Shen replied as his grin quickly faded, and he made his demand, "The Crystal City!".

"It doesn't belong to you. The Crystal City belongs to the Master Council, and we will protect it, even from ya" the red Earth Pony replied to Shen.

Shen chuckled, "I'm so glad you feel that way. Otherwise, I dragged that here for nothing," He said, glancing back at a large sealed box, being dragged into the castle by two Timberwolves.

"What's in the box, Shen?" the orange Pegasus with a blue mane asked, demanding to know what was in the box Shen was bringing in.

"Don't you see? It's a gift…Or more like your parting gift. In that it will part you," Shen replied, mockingly.

"Part of you here, Part of you there. And part of you...Way over there, Staining The Wall!" Shen noted, with a malicious grin, pointing to various parts of the castle.

"You insolent fool!" The hulking Pegasus shouted, his face red with fury as he rushed and jumped at the Alicorn…only for Shen to rope him and bring him down to the ground.

The orange Pegasus tried to defend his partner, but Shen redirected him away, flying in the air, revealing red and black eye spots on his wings, and sending several spells at him.

The orange Pegasus stallion dodged and ducked away from the blast and spells as Shen landed in a combat stance and sheathing a blade, ready to fight.

The hulking white Pegasus and the Orange Pegasus worked together to take down Shen. But Shen easily held his own against the two Masters. It looked like he was hardly breaking a sweat. As he faced the red Earth Pony, however, the Stallion managed to dodge his spells too before he pushed Shen back with the might of his mallet, shattering Shen's blades in the process.

"Showoff," Shen commented.

"That was a warning. Yer no match for our kung fu!" The Earth Pony Stallion replied, aiming his mallet at Shen, waiting for him to make his next move.

"I agree…," Shen admitted before glancing at the box, "But this is,".

Flying quickly to the top of the box, Shen let the wood fall, revealing a large metal cannon with the face of a demon. But the red Earth Pony Stallion fearlessly stood his ground, ready to fight the weapon into a scrap of metal.

Shen lights up the fuse and blasting out of the cannon was a blinding light…


Meanwhile, back in the land of Equestria…

Tai Lung was walking past the borders of Ponyville and breathed deeply.

Once, he had made the citizens quiver in fear of him. But now, in his new garb - a green and gold trimmed robe covering his left arm and half his chest - the ponies seemed far less wary of him. It was nice to know that it was finally getting to them that he was a different leopard. And that he was just wanting to help not hurt anypony.

That he was changing for the better.

"Enjoying the redemption?" a blue-furred Earth Pony mare quipped, walking next to him.

Tai Lung chuckled and replied, "You know you don't have to change how you look, Urtica. I prefer the real you, after all."

Urtica shrugged her shoulders before glancing at the citizens of Ponyville, "But do they?" She asked in concern.

Tai Lung pondered on that question. On the one paw, he didn't care what some citizens thought of his friend. But on the other, did his apathy mean that he could be slipping back into darkness? He shuddered at that thought.

Before he could decide on a reply...

"HEY! HEY!" a voice shouted, catching his attention.

Tai Lung chuckled, turning to the source, and started to say, "Hay is for...".

Only for Tai Lung to stop as his smile to fade. Derpy was flapping desperately towards them. And for once, her usual smile was gone. A scroll bound with a crystal pendant was clutched to her chest. The expression seen on the pegasus took any humor out of the situation.

"Tai Lung…Letter…The Crystal City... I… I just don't know what went wrong…," Derpy stammered, skidding to a stop, and handing out a scroll.

Gently, Urtica pats the pegasus' back, calming her down, while Tai Lung takes the scroll from the pegasus. Checking that Derpy was calming, Tai Lung opened the scroll and began to read.

But as he began reading, he realized exactly why Derpy was panicking within the first few paragraphs and shut the scroll, taking a deep breath.

"Tai Lung? What is it?" Urtica asked, sensing emotions coming from the Leopard.

With no time to explain, Tai Lung turned tail and bolted to the Palace. With his speed, he cleared Ponyville and raced into the Palace.

Thankfully, Tai Lung made it to the palace and handed the scroll to his mother, who along with The Celestial Warrior and the rest of the Furious Five were at the gates, as Luna read from the scroll, her eyes widened as well, before setting into grim determination.

"Master Luna?" Twilight asked.

Luna shut her eyes with a grimace and asked, "Are any of you familiar with the Master of the Crystal Empire?".

"Master Big Macintosh?" Twilight asked.

"Yes," Luna replied in a whisper, taking in the sudden information from the scroll.

"Son of Legendary Master Bright Macintosh?" Applejack asked proudly next.

"Yes," Luna whispered in reply, handing Twilight the scroll.

"And the slayer of the ten-thousand serpents of the Valley of Woe?" Applebloom added, puffing her chest out in pride at the mention of her Big Brother.

"He's dead…" Luna announced, lowering her head as Applejack and Applebloom paused, looking like Luna had just slapped them. As for the others, all their heads turned to the scroll, reading the news.

"Whoa," Pinkie whimpered, before Applejack tore the scroll from their grip, her eyes darting back and forth across the page as they read the news. Horror and despair crept up on her face.

"But…That's...Impossible," Applejack stammered, dropping the scroll before she continued, "That can't be the truth! Mah big brother is impervious through any technique!" She said as tears formed in her eyes.

"It was no technique, Applejack. Lord Shen has created a dark version of Pinkie Pie's party technique. One that breathes fire and spits metal," Luna assured her, patting Tai Lung's shoulder as she walked out to the palace stairs while Pinkie gasped in horror.

"Unless he is stopped... this could be the end of Kung Fu," Luna announced as she gravely turned to her students.

"But I just got kung fu!" Twilight said, shocked to hear that kung fu was ending after she had got it.

"And now, you must save it, Twilight. Go! Destroy this weapon, and bring Lord Shen to justice!" Luna said, pointing her staff in the direction of the Crystal City.

The Furious Five and Tai Lung then set out to the Crystal City to defeat Shen and his weapon with Rainbow Dash pumping her wings, Tai Lung cracking his knuckles, and Applejack clenching her fists, while Pinkie Pie yanked out her cannon, Fluttershy breathed to steady her nerves, while Rarity's horn lit up in preparation.

"Okay, here we go. Here we go…," Twilight said as she began to follow after her friends to the Crystal City to defeat Shen too. However…

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a second! Master Luna, how can I do this? How can Kung Fu stop something specifically made and designed to stop Kung Fu? That's like a dragon trying to fight something that kills dragons!" Twilight said as she came to a stop and turned to Luna, feeling uncertain.

"Remember, Celestial Warrior. It is still possible for the dragon to triumph as long as you have…Inner Peace," Luna replied as she and Twilight turned to see Applejack returning.

"Master Luna, Ah have been thinking, and with all due respect, Ah best be sitting this one out," Applejack requested, starting to see that she was not in the right mind to fight to face the weapon for justice but for revenge.

"Very well, Applejack," Luna accepted the request with a light nod, allowing Applejack to stand by at the Palace.

"Don't worry, Applejack. We'll get Lord Shen and bring him to justice," Twilight promised to her honest friend as she set out after the rest of her friends.


As they left the Celestial Palace and raced through Ponyville, the citizens cheered for the Celestial Warrior, the Furious Five, and Tai Lung. Urtica raced out of the crowd, still in her pony form, and joined them.

"Inner Peace. Inner Peace. Inner Peace. Peace on," Twilight said, talking to herself to clear her mind. But before her buzzing mind could ever hope to clear…

"Hey, Twilight!" Spike called, Twilight and her friends skidded to a stop as Spike ran into their path, holding several large saddlebags, "I got your travel packs set. There's enough food to hold you guys over for a couple of weeks, and some reading material in case you get bored," He said, opening one of the packs to make sure.

"Oh! Did you get the...? I mean, uh... thanks," Dash whispered, reaching into her pack before she paused as the others grinned at her, and quickly shouldered her pack.

Spike just grinned and gave her a thumbs up to let her know he packed what she wanted. He handed Twilight's pack to her personally.

"I also packed a few paintings of our best times together, Twilight. Just in case you get lonely. Here's you and me picking out a book to read, and here's me and you reading a book, and here's me giving you a piggyback ride," Spike noted, opening her pack and displaying a series of paintings, including one depicting a young Twilight cheering as Spike raced around with her on her shoulders.

"That's cute. On second thought, I hang on to this," Spike said, deciding to keep the picture since it did bring back memories.

"Spike...They're waiting for me," Twilight whispered, pressing a hand to her mouth. She would never admit it, but hearing him talk like this was embarrassing.

"No, it's okay, Twilight. You've got a job to do...far from home…In a strange city, with strange ponies and strange books, facing horrible danger from which you might never return…Don't go, Twilight!" Spike begged, setting the other paintings back in as his face began to fall.

"Spike, I have to go. I'm the Celestial Warrior. It's kind of my job to save Kung Fu. I didn't do all that training for nothing. Besides, if I don't save kung fu...what am I?" Twilight said, quickly snapping Spike out of his fear.

"You're my little sister," Spike answered in an instant, but then he hesitated when Twilight's face fell, "Right?".

Twilight winced, wishing she could say yes. And yet, it brought something back into Twilight's mind ... she could still remember the look in her mother's eyes. How scared they had been...

"Twilight. It's time," Rainbow Dash said somberly, snapping her friend out of her trance.

Shutting her teary eyes, Twilight shouldered her pack and gave Spike a final hug, "Goodbye, BBBFF," She whispered, before walking away.

Rainbow Dash watched her go with the others before grinning softly at Spike, "Don't worry, Spike. She'll be back before you even miss her," She assured him before racing off to catch up.

And yet, as the group left Ponyville behind, Spike sunk to his knees, still holding onto the painting, "But... I already miss her..." He mumbled as he watched his little adopted sister go with the Furious Five, Tai Lung, and a disguised Changeling to stop a villain and his weapon.

He can only hope to see Twilight again after she saves Equestria and Kung Fu.


Author's Note: Don't worry, Spike. You'll see her again when she comes back.

And Happy Birthday to my friend, MLP4ever!