Author's Note: Woohoo! New chapter in less than a month... somehow. I actually have no idea how I wrote this chapter so quickly and I also have zero clue how this chapter got so long. I believe this has actually taken the spot for longest chapter I have ever written. Don't get me wrong, a lot happens in the chapter but like, even more was supposed to happen. Yes... really. But seeing a pretty good spot to end this chapter, I've pretty much split it in two. Don't worry, its still 9 chapters left, so the madness will come to an end soon... hopefully. All joking aside, let's get on with it!
Disclaimer : I DO NOT OWN KFP!
Enjoy.
What Lies Within
Golden irises stare out into the air, piercing through the snowflakes that so delicately try to lighten the darkness of this night. The emperor stands tall at the top of his palace's front steps, his illustrious red robes flowing in the cold breeze as he waits for Shifu and Mantis to return. Only two people wait by both his sides, Viper on his left and his darling Meili by his right, the rest of his loyal council conversing in the meeting room. Judging by the panic that had fuelled them as he left, he'd wager their conversation has devolved into an argument of sorts.
Viper had arrived minutes ago, recounting the events of this horrid night alongside an unusually mute dragon warrior, much to the terror of the emperor and his council. She understood why he had been so quiet, why he had practically vanished from the group so quickly. But understanding hasn't stopped her worry for him. He's hurting and the last thing he needs is to wallow in it, lest he allows his own demons to sneak up on him. Yet, her worry extends to both her brother and her master, far off in the distance. It remains in her eyes like the frost that plagues the palace walls, her anxiety frozen into ice along her scales. They could be fighting Zhongcheng again, they could be saving Zhonglei, they could be on their way back. Or they could've failed. And she will have lost more of her family. No tears fall from her face. Only a dreading grimace is given to that possibility.
Neither of the two tremors at the chilling air pelting their bodies, only the empress can be seen shivering underneath her robes. Renci had spared her a concerned glance before, but she had immediately dismissed it. She had seen the terror that worn his face upon the masters' arrival, she could feel the anxiety tear at his mane, she can see the worry shielded by his unwavering face. Worry that had made itself known once the serpent master had told him of Zhonglei's petrified screams.
Whilst the rest of the council, the whole of China sees him as this indestructible monolith, the son of heaven, she knows that he can't shoulder all of this by himself. But by the same token, her own abilities are limited. Regardless, he needs to know that she will always be beside him, even if its unnecessary. Her deep red irises stare along with them, worrying of the others' safety. Zhongcheng had already proved himself to be dangerous, but with tonight, he had shown his heartlessness, his pure evil in full display.
Minutes pass, dragging on for what seems like hours with each of them reciting prayer after prayer in complete silence. Clinging onto the hope that they haven't become victims of the wolf's madness as well. Yet, with each minute that ticks down, these hopes seem to fade faster. Viper's brows furrow in her unending anxiety, her heart beginning its descent into despondence until the loud creaks of the palace's front gates reach all three of them. Her eyes brighten in a newfound hope as the emperor takes an expectant step forward, straining his eyes to see who has been let through. They needn't wait for any longer, as faint sounds meet their ears, sounds that Viper recognises instantly.
A set of footsteps and the distinct hopping of her prideful, blunt brother. A relieved smile coats her face for a few moments as both emperor and empress allow their bodies to relax as the two masters get closer. This relief, however, is regrettably short-lived as Shifu and Mantis make it to the top of the steps, the latter carrying a frozen golden tiger. As they approach the awaiting group, they can only look on at Zhonglei with heavy hearts. Is he dead? Paralysed? Petrified? None of them can say what would be worse. This creeping suspicion is dispelled as Mantis places him down and tend Shifu tends to him, reversing the effects of his nerve attack.
"Liliang!" His howling cry shatters their ear drums as his limbs flail erratically once more. A sight that renders Renci's heart colder than the very ice forming on his fur. Hollow blue sclera freeze his very soul, chilling his bones to the point of fragility.
Sadness infects his eyes before soon being replaced by the golden shield that so desperately tries to remain strong. He can't falter at Zhongcheng's disgusting acts. No, he has to act. But how? "Where did you find him? What has happened to him?" Despite his hardened stare, the regal lion fails to conceal the snarl in his throat.
Shifu returns his stern stare in kind, struggling to keep his composure at the mere thought of what the wolf had done to him. "Zhongcheng and Gongjiang had tried to drown him in the harbour." Both Meili and Viper's eyes flare at this, revelling in a mix of disgust and horror at the wolf's abject cruelty, whilst a scowl wrangles the features of the emperor, "We managed to reach him before they could succeed, but not before… they did this."
Steely blue irises melt into sorrow as they are unable to tears themselves away from the petrified tiger, calling out for his niece and cursing at Zhongcheng in a single fearful garble of words. Neither him, nor any of the others can stand it anymore, but what can they do? He's trapped. Shifu may have broken free, but that was of his own volition, that was from a lifetime of trying to maintain inner peace. They can't just sit there and hope he'll break free. His scowl melting into anxiety once again, the emperor makes a single, remorseful demand. "He needs to be brought to the Zhanshi clan. He needs… to be with his family… even if it's in this state." Though the rest of the masters share in his guilt-ridden turmoil, they all nod. To bring back their chieftain like this, to have failed his family like this. It is shameful, but they have to know. They have to be with him. He needs their support, their love… even if it is of little consequence. Shifu motions his head to his students, both serpent and insect nodding as they lift the struggling tiger towards the secret entrance with much effort. Both the emperor and empress look upon the grandmaster with pained yet resolute eyes. An expression that Shifu matches in its entirety. They need a plan.
Meanwhile, the haunting residue of smoke and the remnants of the dead consume the air within Zhongcheng's base. Soldier after soldier shuffle next to each other, clustering into a large crowd at the foot of the now ashen, smouldering barracks building. While most eyes look on in fury, some glance at the wreckage in grief. Some of their friends had been there. Yes, they had known the price of waging war against the dragon warrior, against the very emperor himself. But they had at least hoped for some safety. Now, they don't even have that. Mutters of bitterness, quiet promises of revenge pounce between the crowding army, all silenced as a single white wolf walks among the wreckage. For a few moments, the commander rummages through the wooden shrapnel, eyes filled to the brim with an untampered rage. That is, until he manages to pull his breastplate out of the pile, letting out a humourless scoff at the scorch marks obliterating its once pristine imperial insignia.
"My brothers!" Putting on this breastplate, he turns to face his soldiers. "My sisters! Much has been taken from us!" Zhongcheng's voice booms throughout the caverns of his now desecrated base. Rows of lifeless corpses and charred carcasses stand behind him, almost as if these soldiers can still hear him. Both are placed in front of the rubble of the barracks, all serving as a memento of Zhonglei's infiltration.
A stain brought forth by a shameless traitor. Another mark of that tiger's treachery. "Our noble lord! Our home! Our freedom that had been stripped away alongside his! Alongside mine!" Riled up growls can be heard amid the crowd of wolves, gorillas and alligators whilst the imperial sentinels simply stand by, empty eyes fixed on the wolf. "And now, they have the gall to break into our one and only sanctuary! To take away our own brothers before our very eyes!" These growls and vengeful murmurs rise alongside their commander's loathsome tone. "They have dared to wrong us all in the name of 'honour'! Well look what their 'honour' has brought them!"
With a flash of his eyes, Tigress, Monkey, and Crane leap down from the upper vestiges of the cavern to Zhongcheng's side, standing at attention. This brings forth a massive cheer from his men, with Gongjiang smirking within the crowd whilst the Wu-sisters watch on, staying close to the rope bridge that binds the base together. "Their own saviours now answer to me! The weapons they have stolen from us are back in our hands! They have no chance! They have no hope of stopping us!" As the bison general's smile widens, the cheers of their soldiers only grow in volume, threatening to make the very floor beneath them collapse.
"We may have been wounded tonight, my brothers! But the day will be ours! China will be ours! And the dragon warrior will pay dearly for our lord's death!" Soon their whoops and cheers become more violent, more barbaric, hungry for the victory that dangles so closely to their faces. At this monstrous turn of their victorious shouts, the Wu-sisters gaze at each other with disconcerting eyes. "Remember! Do not let up on them! Do not hold back! Show no weakness! No surrender! No mercy!" His crowd of barbarians roar in a frenzy, each and every single one of them foaming and frothing at their assured victory. Their chance to take China for themselves has finally come. All thanks to Zhongcheng.
Said commander allows himself to smile wide, gaining a wicked distinction as he sees Gongjiang join in with the rest of their men. He drinks in the ecstasy of his excited troops, the wolf himself realising what exactly will come of this.
Power. Control. Unfettered and absolute. One fight remains. One battle left to win, and China will fall into his clutches.
That insidious smile that coats his face morphs into a quiet laugh as his army continues their victorious roars and yells. Their voices devolve into battle cries, into the march of footsteps, instruments of war. Dark blue eyes envision legions of soldiers dead; imperial, Zhanshi, and otherwise. The corpses of all kung fu masters take centre stage in his mind with the mutilated dragon warrior being barely recognisable, making him laugh louder and louder. The few of those left alive form regiments of hollow-eyed soldiers in his mind, slaves for as long as he deems fit.
Joining in with their savage mirth, Zhongcheng's laugh explodes into the air with maniacal intensity, only making his forces cheer louder as the Wu-sisters find themselves unable to look away from them. They can only manage disturbed looks and expressions of horror at the sight, tremors filling their body at the sound of the wolf's unholy laugh.
Pure evil. Unfettered and absolute.
As their dark celebration commences, despair plagues the dragon warrior's room within the palace's pavilion. Moonlight pierces in through his singular window, imparting sympathy in its sombre light whilst the snow that glides past tries to its best to uplift him. But it is for nought, the weight of tonight's events has proven too much, making his head hang low. Jade eyes stare off into the ground but have no focus, no concentration. The coldness of the air seeping in through his window is overpowered by the phantom stench of ash and molten metal. It singes his nostrils, scarring his soul. He feels his paw rest in his other paw, part of him wondering when his body had ever felt so cold. So numb. But deep down, he knows that it this emptiness isn't from what he can feel. It is from what he can't feel.
You killed my Po!
Her tortured voice punches into his ears, making his ears wilt further in despair. Her pained, broken face fills his vision, making his lip quiver. He should've protected her; he should've saved her. But no, he had let her become Zhongcheng's slave and left her behind. Yet seeing her like this isn't what hurts him so. It is knowing how happy she was hours before. We'll always be with you, Po. Whether in life or in death, you won't ever be alone. Her sweet, loving voice stabs at his heart. The embrace that they had shared impales his body, the absence of her warmth akin to the brutality of spikes. He lets out a shudder of a breath at the kisses she had placed upon his body, her comfort now a taunting memory. He raises his head up at last, the tears held in his eyes glistening at the pale light of the moon. In its sympathy he can only feel its unforgiving brightness, he can only feel the guilt chaining itself to his body.
She was… is his role model. His confidant. His love. The woman he had hoped to spend the rest of his life with. Now… he doesn't know if that is possible anymore. Though minutes have passed, possibilities have filled his mind. Possibilities of setting her free, of defeating Zhongcheng and making this right. And in turn, the possibility of her remaining petrified, of the wolf's death doing nothing to stop it. Of her possibly dying as a result. Of Monkey and Crane joining her. He can't lose them. He can't lose her.
Feeling the weight of mountains push down on his neck, he heaves his head towards his nightstand, his lip quivering even more at the sight. His Tigress action figure. His lucky charm. Now, the closest he can get to being with her. As he takes the figure in his paw, he notes the few scratches on its surface, the paint's colour fading. Yet even with its imperfections, all he can see is her. Her beauty. Her love. Her strength. He wants to have faith in her. He knows she is strong. But will faith be enough? This thought forces his tears to finally tip over his eyelids, rolling down his cheeks as he desperately tries to keep in his grief. "Come back to me." A loving whisper wasted upon lifeless wood, yet the panda cares little. He caresses the figure's head with his other paw, wishing that she could simply appear back in his embrace again. "Please." His attempts to resist prove futile as more tears pour down his face, the dragon warrior beginning to drown in his ever-growing well of despair. "Come back to me." He tries to remain strong for her, but with each try he makes to hold himself back, he only gets closer to breaking down completely. He can't lie to himself. He can't lie to her. "I… I'm so sorry."
"Tigress' fate does not fall upon you." Po's ears perk up at the sound of a familiar, ancient voice emanating from behind him. A usually welcome gift were it not for his solemn tone. He doesn't expect to be cheered up, but by the same notion, he doesn't expect to be comforted either.
"Yes, it does." He answers back without hesitation, the panda's teary eyes still gazing longingly at his Tigress figure. Oogway doesn't react to what would usually be a sign of disrespect. Pain and horror have little place for formality. "I could've helped her. I could've protected her."
Pity fills Oogway's ethereal face, the turtle knowing that even the panda isn't convinced. "How? By taking on Zhongcheng's technique yourself? By fighting a battle that was already lost?" Po's head droops down once more, knowing his master is right. Knowing that even with their best efforts, suffering can't always be avoided.
The dragon warrior caresses his Tigress figure once again, unable to forget the grief that had polluted her face. Even in her delusions, he remains in her heart. He can only imagine the pain going through Crane and Monkey's minds. "I have to do something. I have to make this right."
Pity melts into concern as the turtle's aged jade irises remain fixed on the panda. Amidst the poor boy's grief, he can hear something else. Something that can be mistaken as resolve but wears it as a mask. Something that can be far more powerful. Far more deadly. Vengeance. "And if you can't?"
"I will." Yet again he answers without hesitation, his expression hardening from its despair into something that burns with an unrelenting fire. Something dangerous.
Oogway pauses for a moment, noticing something within his successor that he has seen too many times, even in the most noble of warriors. A darkness that can lead only to more despair. A darkness that he had seen in Tai Lung, yet it is nothing like that of the snow leopard. This wasn't a lust for power or pride. This is far more cold-blooded. A desire for revenge, and the turtle doesn't even need to guess his target. "How will you-
"I don't know." The dragon warrior interrupts his archaic master, placing the figure down and looking into his eyes for the first time, revealing their reddened grief. "But I will find a way. There is always a way out." Concern shifts to worry as he turns away again, his gaze shifting between the floor and wall in some vain attempt to focus.
It is a noble sentiment to be sure, but then, most evils are born from seemingly noble, misguided sentiments. Even in this, doubt fills the mind of the founder of kung fu. Through his voice, his eyes, his tense body; Oogway can see the signs of a desperate man rather than a noble man, far from evil. Desperate to run away from his fears rather than face them. But with the fear that his successor has, how can he be blamed? Oogway himself can attest to its bitter suffering. Yet, the right thing cannot be done to avoid fear. Only in acceptance of it. "But you do not know that." Aged jade irises notice Po's form shrink down at this, his denial slipping at the turtle's unexpectedly stern tone. "Sometimes there simply is no other way. Sometimes we are forced to live with a path that we have so desperately tried to avoid."
At this, Po turns himself around, disbelief held on his face. "What are your trying to say? That… that I should just give up?" He whimpers out, bringing pity back to his master's eyes. "That there is nothing I can do? That I should just accept whatever happens next!?" He practically snaps at him, his voice cracking at the thought of leaving his loved ones in this horrible state.
"How can you accept what will happen, if you have no way of knowing it will happen?" This brings confusion to the poor panda's face as the late grandmaster steps closer to him, "You can only accept what has happened, what is happening and what could happen. The future is never certain."
His meaning clicking in his mind, Po fires back, "Oh, so if I just surrender then everything will be fine, right?"
"… Well, I never said that."
Po throws his arms up in the air, surprised that even in times like this Oogway can play around. "Then what do you want me to do!? I can't just accept that I could lose them! I can't accept that there might not be another way! You said it yourself that we can't focus on what ifs, so why does it matter now?"
"Because our present is plagued by them, isn't it?" This befuddles the dragon warrior further, trying to navigate his baffling maze if sentiments and wisdom. "As much as remaining in the past and pining for the future can be dangerous, choosing to think solely of the present has its own dangers. We are never prepared, and so, try as hard as you might, your mind will inevitably think of what will come." Young jade eyes fall to the floor, trying their best to make sense of this whilst Oogway allows himself a light smile, noticing that dark wish for vengeance leaving his successor. Yet the desperation remains. "In times like these, we find that our future dictates our present before it has even come to pass. Does that remind you of anyone?"
The pieces slowly begin to click into place, Po shifting his gaze back up to his master to find his signature gentle smile lathering his face. "In times like these, our answers come not from the future or even from now. They lie in the past, yet we are too blinded by what ifs to see them." He can practically see the puzzle pieces joining over Po's head, yet they don't form the complete picture. Knowing him however, that won't be for long.
"I… I don't get it." The panda master says, defeat clear on his face as he turns back around, "How can I find answers from the past? It's been and gone. What good will it be to dig it up again?" He mutters more to himself than to Oogway, his eyes shifting back to his Tigress figure. He waits for some sort of witty remark, a wise perspective, but nothing comes. "Master Oogway?" He turns back only to be greeted with empty space. Of course, give confusing advice and then leave. This bitter thought swirls around the dragon warrior's mind as he turns back to the figure of his love, his eyes enraptured in what he wishes was really her. Her brainwashed face flashes in his mind again only to be replaced by the sight of her hollow statue, trapping his breath in a vice grip. This soon devolves into the full nightmare of the memorial garden, contorting his face into a mosaic of fear and pain.
No. No. Don't think about that. Don't think about that. It's no use, however, his mind forcing him to see the elder panda within the statue's reflective surface. Weathered not by time nor by battle, but by pain. The pain of loss. He drops his figure back onto the bedside table, holding his head in his paws as he so desperately tries to will away his nightmare. You should be thankful, dragon warrior. Jade eyes widen in recognition of Nuba's voice, almost as if she is in the very room herself. He darts his head up only to immediately freeze in place, his eyes locked onto the full-length mirror at the side of his bed in shock.
Grief stares at him from the mirror, given form in the shape of a haggard, wrinkled panda. Withered jade eyes fixate upon him in an unblinking stare, glistening with tears yet having none left to shed. His fur remains unmatted underneath his creased and torn robes, the fabric's colours having faded long ago. Though no stench is present from the mirror, it may as well be seen from his greasy, unkempt fur. Barely even a shell of what he was. Weathered not by time, or battle. By pain. Despite having never met him, Po knows this panda.
He knows himself.
That you have this family… that you get to keep them… Nuba's voice once again plays with his mind as he continues staring at his future self. At Oogway's successor. Pain etches itself onto Po's face, the elder panda not reacting at all. Why would he? He's felt this way before. He's felt this way too many times. Tears begin to fill Po's eyes as he shakes his head, praying to whoever he could that this isn't what awaits him. That he won't be alone.
But it won't last forever… Hollow blue lights shine behind Oogway's successor, the mirror revealing Tigress, Crane, and Monkey standing behind him, out of their minds. Lost to both the future and the present Po. His bottom lip trembles at the sight, his elder self remaining still as more blue lights surround him, revealing the rest of the panda's family as Zhongcheng's victims. Their slaves. Its with this that a harrowing thought dawns upon Po, one that forces him to take in a heavy breath.
What if Oogway's right? What if there is no other chance? "No." This whimper croaks out of the dragon warrior's throat, gazing into his future as his tears begin to pour down his face. "No. I… I don't want this." His whisper barely breaks past his sobs, the panda unable to take his eyes away from his nightmarish future. From a nightmare that feels so close to reality.
The expression of Oogway's successor doesn't change, exhausted and tired of the suffering that has welded itself into his soul. Tired of mourning his lost family. Tired of life itself. Po can feel that torment growing in his heart, weighing down his spirit with a lifetime of pain that is certain to come. As more tears build up in the dragon warrior's eyes, his vision of the mirror blurs, forcing him to wipe his eyes only to see something far worse. The family that had once surrounded Oogway's successor reduced to corpses lying around him, mutilated and rotting. Whilst the urge to vomit infects Po's body, Oogway's successor doesn't move at this. He doesn't even look at them. Why would he? It hasn't stopped replaying in his mind.
One day, everyone you have tried to protect will be gone. Everyone that you love will be gone. Po holds his bile back in, replacing it with a helpless sputter as his rivers of tears descend into waterfalls crashing against his heart. This is what awaits him. This is his destiny. To watch everyone he loves fade away from his life. To be left alone.
"Not now." This plea falls on any God that would listen, any sign that the universe would help him. "Please… I'm not ready." He could never be, not for this. "Not them. Not them." His sobs only grow louder as he continues to glare into the mirror, hating Oogway's successor. Hating that he stood by and let this happen.
This is a burden that never fades, Po. Oogway's wisdom taunts the bawling panda, reminding him of how inevitable this is. How there truly is nothing he can do. "No. I don't want this. I can't… I can't take it." As he tries and fails to blink away his tears, those same corpses turn into the memorial statues that haunt him so. Those same statues that have loomed over Oogway's successor for centuries. Yet the broken panda doesn't look at them. Why would he? Why would he remind himself of a life he can never get back when trying to forget it is far easier? Po doesn't hear his door open behind him as he still stares down his future self, inching away towards the mirror. He doesn't see the silver glow in his own eyes, the mirror not letting him. As he reaches the mirror, the empty glare of Oogway's successor remains unblinking, a cry for help deformed by apathy and an unwilling acceptance. "I can't…" This fear… "I can't." This pain… "No." It is something you will have to face on your own. He stares deep into his future self's eyes, hating what he will become. Hating what he will be left with. Nothing. "I can't do it. I don't want it!" He screams out, the poor panda a grief-stricken wreck as he clenches his right fist and raises it. Broken jade eyes stare into his soul, empty and alone. "I'm not your successor! I'm not!"
Smash!
The mirror shatters into pieces, Po's future unmade by his own fist. Yet the reflection of a broken panda remains, cracked and distorted by the mirror's broken pieces, not a single wrinkle or sign of age on his skin. Blinded by a future filled with fear. "Po." The panda's ears perk up at the sound of Shifu's voice, perturbed and mortified for his student. He doesn't notice the silver glow fading from his eyes, his gaze focused on his paw, shaking and bleeding from the shards of his future now embedded in it. "Po." His grandmaster repeats, finally getting the tormented panda to turn his body to him. Within an instant of seeing his injured paw, Shifu rushes to the panda and picks out these damning shards before healing the damage with his chi. Po can only stare at his master, heaving and panting as tears continue to pour down his eyes. "What happened?" Steely blue irises gaze into him, worry embedding them as he tends to his injury.
Po has no answer for him, only an expression haunted by pain, fear, and confusion. His eyes stare down at the mirror shards beneath him, seeing his own broken face. He saw that in the mirror. He knows he did, but… was it real? Or was that his fear truly getting to him? He thinks back to his outburst with Shifu, his disrespect to Oogway, that horrid wrath eating away at his chest at the sight of Zhongcheng, those headaches that simply won't stop. What is happening to him? Why is this happening to him? Why does he have to endure this?
Why does this have to hurt everyone he loves?
Too many questions fill his mind, not a single answer presenting themselves in this labyrinth of doubt and uncertainty. Not a single way to ease his pain. Not a single solution to any of his problems. Jade eyes gaze back at his master, fresh tears threatening to burst out from them. A moment of silence passes between them, Shifu's face softening as he looks into Po's eyes, lost in pain and tortured by fear. "… I… I don't know what to do."
Unable to hold back his despair, Po breaks down into a deep, loud wail, hugging his master tightly for some form of comfort. For once, the grandmaster doesn't zip out of the way, reciprocating his embrace as best he can. His ears fold onto his head as the dragon warrior crumbles in his arms, broken by this horrid night. Broken by his worst nightmare. Not a word leaves Shifu's mouth as he lets him cry into his shoulder, suffocating the winter air and freezing it in his grief. Guilt clutches at the grandmaster's chest. Guilt that he knows is misplaced, yet it remains, nonetheless. They stay like this for nearly two minutes, the panda's bawling wails wilting into despondent sniffles as he finally lets go, prompting his master to do the same.
Sympathy shines within the moon's luminescent light, caressing Po's form in a vain attempt at comfort as he wipes away his tears. Yet, the despair doesn't fade from his eyes. Instead, it only grows, consuming his entire body. "I don't know what to do." Jade irises stare at the floor, soaked in shame as shards of the mirror reflect the moonlight pouring through his window. Shifu's heart aches at his student's hoarse voice, not a trace of the hopeful, excited panda he had trained remaining in his timbre. "I… I don't…" He manages to steel himself if only for a moment, knowing that what he will say next hurts too much, but it is the truth. "I failed them, master. I… I am a failure."
Stern steel reforges itself in Shifu's eyes, his expression engraved with an unmoving seriousness. "Po."
"I am not Oogway's successor. I can't be."
"Po." The grandmaster's tone grows in frustration, knowing that this is his student's fears speaking. Not the panda himself.
"I am not the dragon warrior… I don't deserve to be."
Defeat takes hold over Po's voice, Shifu no longer seeing the kung fu prodigy that had saved China many times without hesitation. Instead, he sees the frightened noodle boy that was so ready to run from Tai Lung's wrath. A sight that he will not stand. Not when they have all come this far.
Within seconds, the grandmaster manages to trip the panda onto the floor with a slide kick and puts him in an arm lock whilst standing on his atop his head. "W-what are you-
"This isn't you." Genuine anger burns onto Shifu's face as he glares to the 'subdued' panda, knowing that he can easily break free of this hold now. Knowing his fighting spirit remains somewhere within.
Annoyance forming on his own features, Po manages to break out of the hold and pushes his master away. He stands up to face him, only to find him gone. A rush of air brushes against his back, making Po spin around and block Shifu's staff. "This isn't the dragon warrior that I have trained."
The two hold a glare for a few moments, one beckoning for courage and the other drowning in apathy. "You're right, this is the fat, lazy panda that you failed to train." He pushes his master's staff away, "The dragon warrior is probably somewhere else." His feet head towards the door, the defeated panda not caring where he would go, as long as he can get away from here. As long as he can get away from the fate that awaits him.
"A warrior never quits." Shifu's gruff voice halts him in his tracks, determination burning in the red panda's timbre. "A great man once said those words to me when I believed him a fool. That same man had proved me wrong, proved everyone wrong by becoming greater than anyone could imagine. Greater than even he could imagine." Po feels something stir in his heart, silently grateful that the elder master still believes in him despite everything that has happened. "Where is that great man now? When his friends, his family, need him most?" Though no disappointment lingers in the elder master's voice, the lost panda can't help but stare at the door in shame. He really is just giving up on them, because of his own fears. He really is just running away when they need him. Noting his guilt, Shifu's voice takes on a softness that the panda is sure he has never heard from him before. "I know what haunts your mind, Po. I know how terrifying that possibility is. I… I let myself think that the only way to prevent it was to hide myself away. But we can't let ourselves be slaves to a future that may never be… We have to keep fighting, no matter how likely it is we may lose. You helped me remember that, dragon warrior."
Po thinks back to all those moments when everything had seemed lost, when the fight was practically over only for him and the furious five to figure out a way to win. He remembers when he had proved his worth the first time, proved himself to the valley and to the five. The looks of pride on their faces, they had someone who would never give up on them. He can't let them down. He can't let the people of the forbidden city down. Deep within he knows his master is right, but it is not only the battle that seems insurmountable. "How do we free everyone from Zhongcheng's control?" He turns his head to Shifu who can only remain silent as his mind conducts its own search for an answer, "How do we get Monkey, Crane and Tigress back? How?"
Unfortunately for them both, nothing comes to the grandmaster's mind, forcing a sigh of shamed admittance from him. "I'm not sure. We can't assume Zhongcheng's defeat will free them all, but we can't just sit back and hope they'll have the strength to free themselves. Not when we can do something to help them."
"Like what?" This incredulous question bursts out of Po's mouth, waves of doubt and uncertainty spilling out of the broken dam of his heart. "It's not like we can just tap into their… heads…" That doubt is soon washed away, his eyes widening until they threaten to consume his face entirely. His mind thinks back to the catastrophic fight in the warehouse. When he had caught Zhongcheng's paw mid-technique, imbued with his own kind of chi. That's how he taps into people's heads, but how does he get his chi to act this way? If he could figure it out, then maybe there really is a chance. Maybe he really can free them. In times like these, our answers come not from the future or even from now. They lie in the past. Shifu remains silent as he notices the gears turning in his student's head, not wanting to break his concentration. Could that be what he meant? But how would he… He doesn't bother finishing that question, it's Oogway. His mind goes back to what the wolf had said to him, those words still inciting a horrific anger that claws at his heart. You're right, dragon warrior. I had suffered a lot. I had experienced something truly hellish. But… I understood a lot from that hell. Why we didn't dare to fight back despite outnumbering our captors. Why the sound of a whip brought shivers to our spine when the darkness of a manky cave couldn't. Fear.
An epiphany brightens Po's eyes as Zhongcheng's words repeat in his head, bringing a curious expression out of his master. "What is it, Po?"
This flash of realisation lights a spark within his once defeated heart. It may be risky, it may not work, but he has to try. For Crane. For Monkey. For Tigress. A heightened resolve burns within the dragon warrior's soul, an unbreakable determination shining in his eyes. "I've got an idea."
A deathly silence consumes the tiger populace of the Zhanshi clan as their chieftain's manic roars explode from his tower, making the cavern's stalactites weep brief, mourning tears down onto the village. His death almost a certainty. Whilst most of the villagers try their best to remain strong for their leader, some can't help but shed tears for not only the chief but for his family. They have already suffered so much loss, how could fate be so cruel as to force it on them again? Whether it be through a simple bowed head or a full bow of their bodies, they all pray for him.
"Come back to me! Please!" Those prayers prove futile as Zhonglei screams out again, his tone hoarse and on the verge of breaking completely. Despite his erratic spasms and outright aggressive movements, Tianshi stays by his side, kneeling by his bedside as her eyes remain fixed upon his hollow sclera. Pain wears down her face as more of her husband's screams crashes against her ears, wishing that his noble ruby eyes would return to her. "I need you! I need you!" She purses her lips at yet another scream, another plea. One that she desperately wants to answer yet she knows she can't.
Her ear twitches at the sound of master Mantis hopping across the room, his form of thoughtful pacing. A silent sigh escapes her nostrils, thankful for his attempts to help despite knowing that it will prove useless. They haven't been able to bring the hospital patients out of their madness, what will the difference be here? She could tell him to leave, to allow her time alone with her suffering husband. But that will do no good to her or Zhonglei. Besides, his presence does provide a small comfort. Reminding her that they should still keep fighting. That there is still hope. Emerald eyes hold a prayer as they close, the tiger wife bowing her head close to her husband, "I need you too." Mantis' pacing stops as Tianshi's loving whisper escapes her lips, "I need you to be brave. I need you to be strong. I need you to come back to me, my love. You can't give up, not for me, our sons, Tigress. You can't give up on yourself. You have to fight. You have to fight." She keeps her eyes, hoping that some way, somehow, he has heard her. It takes her a moment to realise his petrified screams have ceased.
"Tianshi…" Emerald eyes snap open, her heart threatening to jump out of her chest as Zhonglei's paw reaches out towards her. She shifts her gaze to the insect master opposite her who remains stuck in a dumbfounded state. Has he… broken free? They both ignore the fact his sclera retain their haunting blue shade, hope uplifting their spirits until the golden tiger asks, "Where are you?"
This hollow whisper forces her face to drop back into worry, the chiefess still clinging onto hope. "I'm here, Zhonglei. I'm right here." She caresses his paw only for her husband to rip it out of her grasp, a shroud of despondence clouding her soul in the process.
"How can I hear you? Tianshi! Where are you!? Where are you!?" The false hope that had once filled the room now dissipates, the petrified tiger thrashing around on his bed once again, panic branded into his features. Hazel eyes watch as Tianshi's ears fold onto her head, a deep inescapable shame taking reign over the insect's soul. They should be better than this, he should be better than this. To think that hours ago he was so sure they would win, yet now his abilities are being put into question. He saved Zhonglei from certain death, but to what end? Just so he could die slowly, his family forced to watch as he stands back, gormless and devoid of answers? He should've been quicker. He should be able to figure out something, yet nothing comes to his mind. As thoughts race around his mind, Mantis can only watch Tianshi try to get through to her tormented love, time impatient for an answer as it ticks down each precious second.
Whilst Zhonglei's petrified cries echo throughout the upper floors of the tower, his sons remain seated at the bottom floor with Viper trying her hardest to comfort them amidst this harrowing time. Rongyu holds Yongqi tight in his arms, the younger tiger unable to keep himself from weeping into his older brother's shoulder. Sky-blue irises struggle to not shed their own tears at the sight, the serpent master trying not to think about the countless families that must have been affected by Zhongcheng's madness. Trying not to think about how many are still at the hospital, death mere steps away from claiming them.
She keeps the tip of her tail in Rongyu's paw, the elder tiger squeezing it as he shoulders his brother's anguish. "You can help him, right?" His whisper catches Viper off guard, pulling her out of her morbid thoughts as he caresses the back of his brother's head. "You've all beaten the impossible before. You should be able to stop this." Young ruby eyes gaze upon her, brimming with terror as they beg for answer. No, not an answer. For comfort. Comfort that the serpent master simply can't provide.
"I…" Her eyes glue themselves to the floor as shame overwhelms her body, "I… don't know." Despondence spreads between the both of them, pulling their souls further down a pit of despair as Yongqi's cries and Zhonglei's screams morph together, pummelling their hearts.
Rongyu finds himself at a loss, tears inching closer and closer to his eyes the longer he holds his brother. He retreats into other thoughts, happier thoughts of his father's training. The games they would play in the backyard. The countless stories he would tell of the Zhanshi clan and the Jade Palace masters. Yet even in these thoughts, he is interrupted by another question. A question that brings an anxious shiver up his spine. "Where's master Tigress?"
His nervous whisper stabs into Viper's heart, forcing images of Tigress and Po's involuntary battle to pollute her mind again. It was painful enough for her to see, but how does she tell a child these awful events? How could she bring herself to tell them about another tragedy? She looks straight into Rongyu's eyes, her heart hesitant to even speak, "She was injured in the fight, but she's recovering in the palace. She'll be fine." She can't. Tigress' smile doesn't see through the smile she puts on, nor does he catch onto the pain hiding within her voice. Comfort finds itself within his emerald eyes, helping Viper find a measure of peace in her lie.
Before they can be subjected to any more of Zhonglei's petrified screams, a knock on the door snaps them out of their despondent reverie. "Viper? Mantis? You in there?" Sky-blue eyes widen at the sound of her panda brother's voice, the snake master slithering to the front door and opening it in an instant. To her surprise, it is not only Po who arrived. Shifu and the emperor stand by his sides, the former brimming with a cautious curiosity whilst the latter gazes at the dragon warrior with a desperate hope burning in his eyes. "Is Zhonglei upstairs?" He gets straight to the point, making Viper notice a spark held within his eyes. A spark that had guided them through the darkest of times. A spark she couldn't be happier to see return.
"Yes, he's in his bedroom." Viper replies without hesitation, feeling a twitch of a smile begin to form on her lips, "What is it brother? Is everything alright?" Though she can possibly hazard a guess, she wants to hear it from Po himself.
Despite being uncertain in his admittedly crazy plan, the panda master's confidence doesn't waver. He can't let himself be controlled by doubt. Not now, "If my plan works, then we'll be better than alright." With that, he rushes up the stairs, not a sign of his panda asthma to be seen as Renci, Shifu and Viper follow him upstairs with Zhonglei's sons tagging along just behind them. In mere seconds he reaches the golden tiger's bedroom, his hopeful procession catching Tianshi and Mantis by surprise.
"Dragon warrior, what is it?" Tianshi's question falls upon a distracted panda, who approaches Zhonglei's face as the tiger continues to thrash about in fear. Noting Po's focus on him, her eyes gain a flash of the hope that slowly infects the entire room. "Have you found a way to help him?"
Jade irises shift their attention over to her, the panda finding himself trapped in her pleading expression. He thinks carefully about his words, not wanting to disappoint her. He thinks through his plan, Oogway's advice, Zhongcheng's own words. His eyes find their way back to the petrified tiger, tears soaking his empty eyes in their misery. Determination remains steadfast in his features, immovable like steel, incorruptible by doubt. Though the fear of it not working still persists, he manages to cast it to the back of his mind, replacing it with a promise. "Yeah." It will work. Somehow, he knows it will work.
Curious and hopeful eyes look upon the dragon warrior as he links his fingertips together and summons forth his well of chi. A golden light emanates from his body, consuming the room in its brightness as Po concentrates. "Wait, Po. Chi doesn't work, I've tried it." Mantis calls out, confusion scribbled on his face as his panda brother only channels more of his chi.
"That's because Zhongcheng's chi is different from ours." Confusion soon draws itself upon all masters in the room, the dragon warrior making sure to focus his breathing, not entirely sure what will happen next.
"What do you mean by that?" Shifu voices everyone's question, concern glazing his eyes upon the realisation that his student is taking a blind, dangerous risk. As per usual.
A knowing smile crawls onto Po's face as he closes his eyes, readying himself. "The answers lies in the past. Zhongcheng had been so obsessed about spreading fear because that's all his past ever was. Fear." Steely blue eyes widen in worry, understanding just what it is he is suggesting. "Instead of moving past it, and accepting all of himself, his mind had remained in the past. He gets his power by focusing on that pain. If he can do that, then so can I." Viper and Mantis exchange glances, hoping their brother knows what he is doing. Tianshi holds her sons close as the dragon warrior focuses deeply on his memories, praying that he really can save the man they love so deeply. Renci places his paw on Shifu's shoulder, gracing him with an affirmative look. A look that places his undying faith in the dragon warrior. Despite sharing this faith, however, worry still punctuates the grandmaster's features. Even if this works, whose to say that Po will come out of this unscathed? Whose to say that this power, the pain that he has to draw from, won't swallow him whole? Matters of the mind are never as simple as they appear.
They all watch on as the dragon warrior's mind plunges deep into his memories. He veers away from flashes of happiness, feelings of hope, moments of love; instead, focusing on what lies deep within. The days when he was belittled by other children of the valley, the angered mockery that had spewed out of the furious five when he was declared dragon warrior, when he had found the dragon scroll to be blank nearly a week later. He digs deeper, feeding into feelings he would rather ignore, reliving memories he would rather forget entirely.
Despair scrawled itself onto Po's face, helpless as he watched Nuba's fist beat onto Tigress' face. "Stop." He could only manage a whisper, his body far too weak and frail to do anything as Nuba continued her brutal assault on the woman he held so close to his heart. Through the deafening storm he could hear the white tiger's manic growls, her fists still connecting without a hint of mercy. "Stop!" His voice blended with the storm in a pathetic cough as Nuba punched Tigress' face again and again. Specks of blood flew onto the white tiger's face, her unsettling smile telling Po one thing. She was going to kill her. Groans of pain exited his tiger love as Nuba's fist met her face over and over again, each hit embedding a knife of pain deeper into his soul. He can't watch this. He can't. "Stop!"
Kai threw his body back into the panda village, a burning sting flaring across Po's bruised form as he crashed into the archway. He crawled back into the centre of the village, jade eyes looking up to see the panda populace, Tigress, his fathers all coming to his aid. Terror infected his soul, knowing that his one plan to defeat Kai had failed, and he was on his way to destroy them all. They had to go. They had to run. Leave him for dead if they had to, as long as they survived that's all that mattered. "I was wrong. I'm sorry. Run. Run!"
The stench of ash, flame and metal seared Po's nostrils as he swam along Gongmen's port, Shen's fleet finally emerging from the city in its disgusting crimson splendour. His head darted around the place, finding Shifu, the Gongmen masters and the rest of the five weak yet still breathing. Fear gripped his heart as he looked around for Tigress. It was a miracle he had managed to survive a cannon shot with a wok protecting him, she had taken it head on, without hesitation. All to save him. Soon enough, he had found her body floating on a piece of broken wood. Unmoving and scorched in several places. Jade irises widened in horror, racing over to her in some vain hope she was still alive. "Tigress…" He whispered out to her, praying that he was merely panicking. That everything was alright. Weakly, she raised her head to look him in the eye, an expression painted on her face that he had never seen before. Defeat. Yet, by the same token, he could see that she was thankful. That he was safe. As she lied her head back down on, Po's eyes met with Shen's crimson irises, an evil, manic smile on his beak. Anger took hold of the dragon warrior's face, his eyes narrowed with a single promise. He would pay for hurting her.
Whilst all these memories prey on his mind, only one truly scars it. Only one leaves a mark of grief upon his soul that he can never truly be rid of.
Snow floated down onto the ground, providing a cooling comfort from the roaring flames that engorged the village just beyond the forest. Wolves howled in the distance, silencing the dying screams of innocent pandas as Po's mother ran through the snow-laced forest. Her eyes had scanned every inch of the snow blanketing the floor, looked past every tree to find some form of escape only to find that the maze of whitened woodland continued to go on. She had to find something. For her son. For her baby boy.
She had managed to get past a stray wolf that had attempted to end her, but she knew it would only be a matter of time until they found her. That is, until her sights had finally set upon several crates near the woods' freezing river. With haste, she had placed her little Lotus in a box of radishes, the baby boy looking upon her with terrified eyes. Po could remember her holding his paws in hers, giving him a loving smile despite knowing what would happen next. Without hesitation, she ran away from him, fighting back the urge to calm his wails. The baby panda could do nothing but watch as his mother waved over to three distinct shadows, two wolves and a pale, white peacock. Demons to Lotus' eyes, the crimson eye that had painted the peacock's tail forever embedding itself into his soul.
Po's countenance takes on a scowl as he remains on these memories, seeing each one flash in his mind over and over again. Instead of making peace with his feelings, instead of seeing the silver lining just beyond them, he clings onto darkness lying within. Instead of healing these wounds, he opens them and digs further in. Pain bleeds into his body as if its freshly attained. Terror stabs into his heart with the same intensity it had nearly a year ago. Anger burns his blood, matching the suffocating stench of ash that polluted Gongmen harbour.
Grief poisons his soul, his mother's final act of love overpowered by the hideous crimson eye of Shen. His love for his mother overpowered by a deep, untapped hatred.
Through grit teeth he embraces these dark emotions, allowing them to take hold of his soul. Allowing them to infect his well of chi. His body tenses up as these intense memories crash against him. He can feel a relentless, unwavering wrath chain itself to his heart. Wrath that he had experienced at seeing Oogway's successor. Wrath that he had felt at Zhongcheng's heartless words. Wrath that he had felt at seeing the love of his life, broken and turned into a monstrous slave.
He doesn't push against it anymore. He wallows in it, careful not to let it blind him. Within moments, he can feel it ripple across his body, burning him with a power that his regular chi had seldom possessed. Yet in this burning fire, he can also feel it freeze his fur at the same time. As these memories take hold of his chi, the golden glow rippling across his body darkens into a hideous, sickly blue hue.
Shock engulfs the room, a sea of widened eyes gazing at the dragon warrior in a mix of awe, worry and hope. Yet, out of everyone in the room, Shifu, Viper and Mantis are the most shocked of all, the latter two's mouths hanging open at the sight. He did it. He replicated Zhongcheng's technique. After only seeing it once. To say that he has once again proven himself a force to be reckoned with is an understatement at the very least. Their shock only grows as Po opens his eyes, his irises matching the wolf's as they glow a dark blue light. "Woah." Both Rongyu and Yongqi gasp out, bedazzled by the sheer power on display.
Looking down at his paws, a victorious smile plasters itself over Po's face as this dark blue aura continues to flow from his body. Okay, that was awesome. Even as he heaves out deep breaths in a bid to maintain control, Po can't help but to admire the admittedly breathtaking sight before him. His glowing eyes soon shift focus to the writhing tiger before him, reminding him of his mission. Bolstering his resolve, the dragon warrior takes on a serious expression as he focuses his dark blue chi into his index finger, groaning with effort as he does so. "Don't worry, Zhonglei. I'll get you outta there." Without a second thought, he taps his glowing finger onto the tiger's forehead, his blue light pulsing through Zhonglei's body as it injects itself into his veins. He closes his eyes once more, focusing hard on entering the petrified tiger's mind. His harsh, agonising feelings fuel him as he concentrates deeply, getting closer and closer to accessing the depths of Zhonglei's psyche until… he feels…
Nothing… No, now there is a rushing wind pelting his body. Almost as if he is…
Falling!?
Glowing blue irises snap open in surprise as the panda darts his eyes around. Yep, he is definitely falling. Po screams out in bewilderment as he continues his descent, not noticing the familiar buildings that he is falling towards. All except one. Mid-way through his fall, he recognises the tall spire of Zhonglei's tower just before crashing into its roof.
Crash!
He pierces right through it, smashing Zhonglei's bed to pieces as he lands on it. Yet, strangely enough, it doesn't hurt him. Now more confused, Po pushes himself off the floor, his eyes scanning around what seems to be Zhonglei's bedroom. Only now, excluding the shards of wood littering the floor, anyone who was just in the room have vanished, including Zhonglei himself. With a raised eyebrow, he looks out of the massive window in the tiger's room only to find the remains of the ancient structure that he knows is there. The phoenix's flame's resting place. It is with this that a realisation dawns upon him, making him smile at his accomplishment.
He is in Zhonglei's mind. He's done it. Now, to find him.
"Who's there!?"
Said tiger's warning shouts catch him off guard, the panda certain that he heard it coming from somewhere downstairs. Well, that was fast. "Answer me!"
Po thinks through his next actions carefully, the last thing he needs right now is an unnecessary fight with a petrified warrior. But he can't wait too long, lest he allows him to retreat further into his fearful delusions. "It's Po! The dragon warrior!" He yells out, taking cautious steps towards the door leading out of the bedroom.
"If you speak the truth, then show yourself!" Zhonglei's voice strikes closer to the door, writhing in paranoia. Even when trapped in his worst nightmare, the Zhanshi chief's warrior training remains sharp within him.
Now more alert to the golden tiger's near-silent footsteps, Po takes up his stance, "Alright!" His paw hovers over the door for a moment before giving it a delicate nudge.
Creak!
A grimace forms on the panda master's face as Zhonglei's bedroom shows its sign of age, years of neglect forming as rust on the door's hinges. Before he can even attempt to step out, the petrified tiger yanks the door open and leaps into the room, forcing Po to take a few steps back as he brandishes his bo-staff and attempts a strike towards his head. Yet, a fight doesn't commence. Instead, there is only a pause. Then, a flash of recognition in the tiger's eyes. His hollow, blue eyes. "It is you." Relief punctuates his tone as Po gives him a sympathetic smile, yet this relief breaks down to paranoia as soon as it had come. "Where is Tigress? You have to know where she is!"
As he grabs the dragon warrior by the shoulders, Po can only respond with a guilt-ridden frown. Heaving a laboured sigh, he places his paws on top of Zhonglei's with the gentleness of a feather, "Listen to me, Zhongcheng-
"He's involved. I knew it. I knew he did something to her." The panda can practically hear tears building up in his voice as he finally let's go of him. Before Po can even try to explain further, Zhonglei rushes out of the room, speeding down the stairs as a vengeful blaze takes hold of his heart. Startled by his sudden outburst, Po follows on as the petrified tiger disappears into the dining room. "He was here. He couldn't have gone far with her."
"Who was… here?" A cold, hollow chill freezes Po's spine as he stands by the entrance to the dining hall, a sight of pure horror awaiting him.
Not a single ounce of light is present within the room, save for the soft glow of a sapphire crystal piercing through the dining room window. The small light it casts shows the remains of a wooden table, smashed into splintered specks. Plates, cups and bowls are scattered over the floor, reduced to sharpened fragments. Specks of blood of blanket it all, its crimson smear poisoning the gentle light that shines upon it. These specks and droplets of blood form puddles further down the room until they combine into a heart-wrenching pool at the back of the room, just out of the light's reach. Yet, this ever-growing stream of blood isn't what grips Po's heart tightly, nor is it the deathly stench that fills the air.
It is the sight of three bodies slumped over at the back of the room. Zhonglei's family. Only their legs are visible to the light, their upper bodies cloaked in darkness, as if to protect Po from the ghastly sight of their mangled carcasses. "Zhongcheng." Zhonglei finally answers, the dragon warrior only able to see his silhouette as he kneels down to his tortured, massacred family. His heart torn asunder before him. "He did this." Po's shining blue eyes glower at the venom stinging his voice, practically hearing the bitter tears streaming down his face. "He broke into my home… and took them from me. To torture me!"
Yet again, Po feels his heart break at Zhonglei's suffering, but he refuses to stew in this darkness for long. This isn't real, no matter how horrible it may be, he cannot forget that it is a construct of a terror-ridden mind. Fears of what my come to pass made real. "Zhonglei-
"We have to find Tigress, before he does the same to her." The Zhanshi chief refuses to listen as he emerges from the shadows veiling his family, rushing straight past Po as he barges out of the front door. As he follows behind him, the dragon warrior can only stare out at the village in a morbid sense of awe. Every house, building, and monument is reduced to rubble, some scarred with ash whilst others are tattooed in crimson. Bodies litter the sedimentary streets, acting as their own decaying road that Zhonglei is forced to trudge through. Memories of the devastation in Xiwang flash in Po's mind, the massacre that has unfolded here mirroring it in its brutality. "We have to hurry, dragon warrior! We can't fail her!"
It is with this panicked shout that the dragon warrior understands just what this nightmare is. It is his greatest failure. It is his fear of making the same mistakes all over again. As he ponders on what to say to free the poor tiger, he rushes forward, catching up to him just as he reaches the village's centre. "Zhonglei! Wait!"
He grabs him by the shoulders, halting him in place as an incredulous expression floods his features. "Wait? Your love, my niece is in danger, and you want us to wait!?" Rage quickly consumes Zhonglei's face as he pushes away Po's arms, "Did you see what he did to my wife!? My sons!? Look around! Look what he did to my home, my people! He has destroyed my life!"
"It isn't real!" The dragon warrior roars, finally able to interrupt the wrathful tiger who can only stare at him in bewilderment, "None of it is! Zhongcheng has trapped you in your own nightmare!"
Not a single word escapes Zhonglei, his hollow sclera darting around his desecrated village. That can't be right, can it? He remembers what happened… or at least some of it… But if this did happen under his watch, why can't he remember the specifics? Why can't he remember the way Zhongcheng had broken in? "This is all he wants you to see. This is the very thing you fear the most."
Zhonglei shakes his head, turning around as his eyes fixate themselves on his damaged tower. "That… it can't be." He tries to remember the events that led to this massacre, yet nothing comes. Nothing but Zhongcheng's shining blue eyes, his paws glowing in their insidious, petrifying light.
"It is." Po's voice strikes cold, leaving the tiger no room for argument. "This is all in your mind. While you're here, your sons are worried sick." He doesn't see the sickly blue poison searing his sclera fade slightly, but he can see the pity making his body shrink in on itself. He's coming back, he must be. "Your wife is right beside you, praying that you come back to her."
A tear drips down the golden tiger's cheek, a river of realisation of flowing into his mind. "I… I heard her." A loving whisper escapes him, relief melding with happiness at her safety. His irises and pupils slowly begin to return, occupying his sclera as faint circles, devoid of colour.
Po takes in a deep breath, using all his might to ignore the shame threatening to eat away at him. "And Tigress. She's under Zhongcheng's control." This eradicates all the joy that had formed on Zhonglei's face, remembering her mouth bathed in crimson. Made into an unwilling monster. "She needs us. If you don't break free… then maybe we really could lose her." Though his words are far from comforting, they are the truth.
Zhonglei closes his eyes, remembering the sweet little cub he had held in his arms so long ago. Remembering her angelic smile and curious innocence that was kindled in her amber eyes. She had been robbed of her parents, her childhood, and now, fate once again threatens to rob her of her happiness. It may already have… After what Zhongcheng made her do, there may be no going back. As he opens his eyes, he looks back to the dragon warrior who smiles to see his ruby irises back once more, not a trace of Zhongcheng's influence left. Yet guilt embraces his features as if greeting an old friend, "I failed her…" A pathetic whisper flows from his lips, making Po's face wilt in sympathy.
He knows that feeling well.
For a few moments, the two stand in silence as Zhonglei looks within himself, remembering a single vow he had made in the presence of his brother when holding her in his arms. A promise he had failed to keep when it mattered most. Now is his chance to finally fulfil it. Ruby irises shift back to pitying jade, a new fire burning within his soul. "Follow me." Though unexpected, Po nods at his solemn request, the tiger knowing his own mind better than anyone else. They make their way back towards the tower, the pair averting their eyes from the haunting sights littered in the streets.
As they enter back in through the front doors, Zhonglei gazes at the dragon warrior, noting his glowing blue eyes. Though he feels like questioning it, he soon understands that it isn't necessary. It's obvious that he has managed to replicate Zhongcheng's technique. Yet another impressive feat to add to his already vast array of accomplishments. Neither of them says a word as they trudge past the darkness of the dining room, paying no mind to the fearful constructs lying on the floor. Their understanding silence continues past the door leading to the rocky clearing just before the ancient temple, now lying in ruin. Glowing blue irises wilt even further as they see two cracked slabs of stone stood upright to the far left, the panda immediately understanding what Zhonglei needs to vanquish his fear.
Whilst the golden tiger inches his way further towards the admittedly crude graves, Po gives him space. Names are engraved on both slabs, Zhengzhi* on the left and Ai* on the right. Tigress' mother and father. Their names dig a bittersweet knife into Zhonglei's heart. He kneels down before them, placing a paw over his heart as he speaks to his lost family, "My brother, my sister-in-law, fate has not been kind to you. To any of us. It has torn us down and sapped us of our strength. Our spirit. And now, it has done the same to our sweet angel." Shining blue irises can't look away from the golden tiger, even as he feels the nightmare world begin to crumble, "But I will keep fighting. For you, for her. Even in this madness, I have hope that she can have a life that you were robbed of. That she was robbed of." His eyes remain closed, unaware of two spirits standing just behind the gravestones. The dragon warrior meanwhile, can only look at them in shock, unsure if they are another trick of Zhonglei's mind or if they are real. Two orange tigers stand before him, one male and one female. Zhengzhi and Ai. Zhengzhi stands tall, his toned body adorned in red armour that proudly displays the Zhanshi clan crest as he gazes at his brother with kind, trusting amber eyes. Ai, to Po's shock, is nearly identical to Tigress, the only difference being the markings on her face and her hypnotising sapphire eyes. She looks upon Zhonglei as well, thankful and hopeful that he can protect her daughter. "I will keep my promise, brother. To you, to Liliang. I will stop at nothing to save her. Even if it kills me." With this promise, Zhonglei looks up to see the ghostly figures of his mind before him, a sad smile forming on his face. He will do right by them. He will.
As he continues to look upon his lost family, a bright silver light begins to emanate from their grave, building in brightness until it forces both Po and Zhonglei to shut their eyes. Before long, this light fills the entire dreamscape, eradicating these petrifying constructs of fear with something far more powerful.
Hope.
Po's eyes open back up to the real world, his dark blue aura dissipating from his body and the glow in his eyes vanishing to reveal his jade irises once again. Relief covers the faces of everyone in the room, thankful that he is alright until he leans a bit too far to the right, catching himself on a wall before he can actually fall down. The emperor, Shifu, Viper and Mantis all rush to his side, their eyes inspecting his body at a frantic speed as he puts a paw up to his head. "Are you alright?" The grandmaster blurts out, his gaze remaining cautious and protective of his risky student.
"Yeah, just a bit dizzy. I guess I need to readjust to things." His flippant nod brings a great peace of mind to his kung fu family, with Viper and Mantis smiling at their panda brother in pride.
Worry still fills the eyes of Zhonglei's family however as they look over the now still golden tiger, his eyes shut. "How is Zhonglei? Did you manage to-
Before Tianshi can finish her anxious inquiry, a quiet groan leaves his lips, drawing the attention of everyone. They all wait with bated breaths as the Zhanshi chief stirs in his sleep, the dragon warrior gaining a knowing smile as his eyes finally open up, his ruby irises making his wife's heart leap with joy. After taking a moment to adjust to the light, Zhonglei takes in the sight of his beautiful wife, giving her a heartfelt smile, "Tianshi."
His loving voice brings a glorious shiver to her body, her soul roaring in happiness as she embraces him and welcomes him back with a deep, passionate kiss. "Dad!" At the same time, Rongyu and Yongqi dogpiles onto them, thankful that the dragon warrior had returned him from what seemed like certain death. Soon enough, the couple separate from their kiss, allowing Zhonglei to sweep his sons up in a tight embrace. "W-w-we thought you were gone, dad." Yongqi cries into his shoulder, a mix of joy and despair mixing together in his voice.
"I know, my little warrior. I know. It's okay, we're okay." Everyone else can only look on with smiles as the golden tiger comforts his family, reassuring them of his safety. After letting them hug it out for a few more moments, Zhonglei separates from his sons, making Rongyu giggle by ruffling the fur on his head and kissing Yongqi on his forehead. His eyes meet with the dragon warrior, gratitude shining within them. "I can't thank you enough, dragon warrior."
Bashful as ever, Po scratches the back of his neck, "Ah… well… just doing what I can." His nervous smile confirms it to Viper, Shifu, and Mantis. Their lovable panda master is back, and now has a way to reverse Zhongcheng's merciless technique.
"You know what this means, don't you?" The emperor steps in, his voice striking a serious stone in spite of his jubilation in seeing his friend free.
Jade eyes shift to the regal lion, a triumphant grin forming on his face as he nods without hesitation, "I'll head down to the hospital."
As soon as he says this, the panda runs off, leaving no-one the chance to say anything else to him. "I'll tag along, in case Zhongcheng has something up his sleeve." Mantis informs both the emperor and Shifu, gaining affirmative nods from them both as he follows his brother with haste.
As he leaves, Renci steps towards Zhonglei who sits up in his bed and stretches his arms, "Are you okay, my friend?" In response, the Zhanshi chief sits up an practices several punches and kicks in the air, a confident smile brimming on his face as he settles into a stance.
"I'm not only fine, Renci." His confident smile somehow widens even further as he walks up to his old friend, "I know precisely what Zhongcheng will do next." All eyes widen at the golden tiger's statement, surprised yet grateful his mission had come with more than just strife. His smile soon fades, seriousness engraving itself on his face as he informs them, "He plans to invade the palace, and judging by the numbers that he has lost tonight, he won't risk waiting any longer to strike. He'll likely begin his invasion tomorrow morning." Zhonglei turns to face his wife who mirrors his commanding expression, "Tianshi, ready the clan." She gives an affirmative nod, rushing down the steps with her sons in tow. Ruby irises gaze at Renci, Shifu, and Viper; all gazing at him eyes hardened for battle and burning with determination. Burning with hope.
"It's time we finish this."
1* Zhengzhi = Integrity (In Chinese)
2* Ai = Love (In Chinese)
Holy crap! Zhonglei's free! Po found a way to free him! To the person who managed to predict these turn of events... Nice. It seems like I've done my job in setting things up well enough. Oh, and yes, we finally have a glimpse of Tigress' parents plus their names! :) Honestly though, this chapter was fantastic to write. A lot of mental turmoil, uplifting moments. Plus I got to write Oogway again, which is always a plus. Oh, and if you are wondering what is going on with Po's eyes in the mirror scene... It's a secret... Until I inevitably reveal it. I hope you have enjoyed reading this chapter and the story as a whole so far, until next time :)