Chapter 20: On Broken Backs...
Chaos ensued as the scramble out of the village began. Panicked citizens grabbed their belongings upon hearing of the great threat that was on its way. That great threat was Lu Fang, and Emperor Hongwu didn't lie, nor did he deceive his people about the danger. He spoke as honest as he could as the march began. Slowly but surely, with more and more insight from Emperor Hongwu, Shifu, and Po, along with the veteran guidance of the Furious Five, the chaotic scramble soon transformed to order.
Once the citizens were calm, Shifu, Po, and the Furious Five settled into their roles. Shifu had discussed the routes out of the Valley of Peace with the rest but ultimately chose the small, yet well maintained northwest passage through the mountains. The hope for Shifu was instead of reaching a major city first, they would run into the less populated villages and pastures of western China. From there, Emperor Hongwu and his imperial entourage would veer east to reach the Imperial City along the eastern coast of China. The best-case scenario was he would bypass most major roads where Lu Fang and her army might travel. Shifu had thought long and hard about what he and the rest of the villagers would do, but time was not on his side.
At the tip of the spear were the Furious Five. They all worked swiftly and efficiently to help guide the villagers. Though the northwest trail had been relatively groomed early on, it was beginning to change. The rough, mountainous landscape was beginning to impact the smooth conditions they were blessed with when they first left, and while there were many trails leading out of the Valley of Peace, only a handful were used often. The emergency ones were only used by passing traders a few times during the year. This left them untraversed and unattended for a good portion of time. Occasionally, a few farmers and workers in the valley would often spend time keeping them neat and groomed, clearing the entire trail was nearly impossible.
It was at the end of the groomed trail where Tigress knew she had to be the most alert. What was once a well-marked path with little obstacles was becoming a painstaking march over a mountain which only got larger, and the temperature only got colder. The light, grassy hills turned into rugged and rocky mountain paths. Tigress looked up the mountain and saw the snow was getting closer and closer.
Tigress found a rock to perch herself on and looked out onto the crowd as they began to pass below. She was quick to grab Crane's attention as he flew to scout the path ahead.
"You called?" Crane said, landing beside Tigress.
She never took her amber eyes off the growing line of suddenly homeless villagers. "Go through the crowd. Find the tailors who kept some of their clothes and encourage them to hand them out. It's going to get cold."
"You sense it?"
She merely looked up the mountain they were marching under. Crane followed her eyes and saw what she saw. A blanket of white snow crawling down the mountain. It was immediately clear that before they're through, they'd have to march in the cold. Before Crane could take off, Tigress pulled him down by his shoulder.
"And Crane? Don't forget about your girlfriend."
"Huh?"
"Viper." Tigress spoke softly. "Find something warm for her, too."
"Oh! Right. Of course." With a blush but not another word, Crane made his way down into the crowd of citizens.
Monkey and Mantis were in the fray. They tore through citizens, helping where they can. Despite the general vibe of doom and dread that echoed throughout the horde of citizens, the two goofs were more than capable of bringing a smile to some faces. Tigress watched as the two bickered like they do. In more than one instance, Tigress watched as they traded insults and blows faster than she could track. This brought a pack of citizens into a laughing fit. With her keen eyes, Tigress watched a smile creep onto Monkey and Mantis's face as they walked away. She knew it was all part of the plan.
Viper, despite the lower temperatures, managed to keep relatively warm by zipping across the trail assisting those in need. More often than not, however, she found mothers or young children and helped wherever she could. Whether it be words of encouragement or looking after a child who has become separated from their parents, she was always in the middle of the pack, nursing whatever she could.
None of these acts were missed by the tiger, who still sat perched atop the large boulder towards the front of the mass of citizens. She had made it her priority to stay ahead of the pack. If she couldn't beat Lu Fang, then at the very least she knew she'd be able to protect the citizens. It was the same scenario when Tai Lung had returned. Just as she was now, back then she was at the head. There always came a sense of failure that plagued her mind, but knowing the citizens were safe was enough to ease the pain. And there was Master Shifu. Tigress hadn't talked to him since the long march began, but she had her fingers crossed that he was proud. Not just of her, but of Mantis, Monkey, Crane, and Viper. They had all come so far. Then, there was Po. The panda who had subverted everyone's expectations, then blew those expectations out of the water. Just like Shifu, she hadn't seen Po since the march began, but she had no doubt in her mind that he was doing what needed to be done, even if it didn't seem obvious on the outside.
"What'cha looking at?" The soft voice was Viper's, and it caught Tigress off guard… again.
Tigress' fur fluffed as she leapt from it. She let out a terrified squeak, unbecoming of a grown tiger. "GAH!"
"Sorry." Viper said, immediately after the tiger's kitten squeak.
Tigress' claws dug into the rock below as her eyes slowly shifted towards the snake. "Viper, please, PLEASE, give me a better heads up before you sneak up on me."
"You're distracted?"
"I'm focused." She said, patting down her fur. "Nice outfit." She had to note.
Viper was wearing a quilt which no doubt Crane had found for her. It fit her perfectly, almost as if whoever made it made it just for her not too long ago. A feat which must've been difficult given the speed at which the citizens were moving.
"Thanks." She smiled. "Crane found it for me."
"I'm sure he did." Tigress turned towards the horde as they passed below to hide her smirk. With a little levity out of the way, Tigress turned her mind back to the business at hand. "You ran through the last village, right? Made sure every villager was evacuated?"
"That was Po." Viper said. "He wanted to stay behind and do a final checkup."
Tigress nodded. "Good." Despite the warm cloth wrapped around her, she could still tell Viper was a tad too cold for her liking. "Given the time we're making, I'm planning on being over the mountains by tomorrow. Hopefully before sunset."
"That would be cool." Viper said, keeping a smile.
From out of the corner of her eye, Tigress caught the small figure of Master Shifu. He walked side by side with Emperor Hongwu and a small entourage of guards surrounding them. "Stay warm." Tigress said, then pounced off the boulder and made her way swiftly through the crowd. Somehow, she got by Emperor Hongwu's guards and snuck beside Shifu.
"Master Tigress." Shifu said formally. "This evacuation is going quite smooth."
"If we keep this pace, we should be across these mountains by tomorrow."
"The sooner, the better." Emperor Hongwu grumbled under his breath. Though Tigress' recent interactions with the emperor haven't been what she'd hoped, she found it hard to disagree with him on that statement.
"Any idea where the nearest village is on the other side of the mountains?" Tigress asked.
"The land past these mountains should be flat, other than a few hills." Shifu said. "It might be within eyesight, if the weather is good and if the maps are correct."
"Then we can unload some villagers there." Tigress said with a nod. "They should be able to have a nice, happy life."
"From what I've seen, they already had happy lives in the valley." Emperor Hongwu said. Again, Tigress couldn't disagree. "When I return to the Imperial City, I will send a small garrison of soldiers to each village surrounding the Valley of Peace. If nothing else, they will be able to relay the whereabouts of this… Lu Fang."
Tigress knew a small garrison of soldiers wouldn't be enough to even touch Lu Fang. She wasn't even sure if they would be able to survive long enough to report back to the Imperial City, if Lu Fang truly wanted them dead. As her mind drifted, a familiar set of ears bounced their way towards the tiger.
"Tiger! Tiger! Master Tiger!" Liang called out.
"It's Tigress." She corrected.
"Let him pass." Emperor Hongwu ordered. The guards surrounding the emperor split, and the rabbit came barreling through.
"What are you planning to do once we're out of the valley?" Liang said, unable to catch his breath.
Tigress shrugged. "Not too sure. I'm just here to make sure the citizens are safe."
"She won't stop. You know that, right?"
"Who? Lu Fang?"
Liang nodded. "You're not safe. She'll hunt you down. She'll hunt all of us down as long as you're here. One way or another, she'll find you. She'll send Tai Tzu after the panda, but she will come for you personally."
"What can you tell me about Lu Fang?" Shifu asked the rabbit.
Liang seemed to freeze as he thought of the correct way to describe her. "Evil." His words were sharp. Crisp. Perfect. "When I first met her, I thought she was a lost, misguided cub. She lost her family, and I had just lost mine. We never went into detail, but whatever she went through must've been terrible. Over the years, her mind twisted. She claimed she wanted to help China, but as she grew, her actions proved the opposite. She went on a crusade and as time passed, her army grew. I realized too late she was nothing but a monster."
"And she's after my throne?" Emperor Hongwu piped in.
Liang shook his head. "She's not after a throne. She's not after power or wealth. She only wants to eradicate every tiger in China, and I've seen the lengths she's willing to go."
Emperor Hongwu turned towards Tigress. "So, she's after you? She's destroying my empire for a single tiger?"
Tigress couldn't help but feel the pain in his words. She tried not to give Emperor Hongwu anything but respect, but her patience was dwindling.
"It's not just her." Liang said. "There are more. Scattered and few, but she is not the last tiger."
"How many more?" Tigress asked. She remembered Tsang. It seemed like so long ago, but she remembered every detail like it was yesterday.
"I'm not sure." Liang said. "But once she's through with you, she will destroy China and every surrounding kingdom to get to them She will find the Hidden Valley."
Emperor Hongwu nodded and fluffed his feathers. Tigress assumed the fluffing was to make him seem more regal and elegant. It just came off as overly posh and annoying to Tigress. "Then I will find these tigers." Emperor Hongwu stated. "Perhaps, if they value their lives, they will make excellent additions to the new Imperial Army."
"You're not using us as weapons." Tigress blurted. The reaction was immediate. She saw Shifu's head snap up towards her. Emperor Hongwu's eyes grew wild and filled with rage.
"My word is law." He said, barely holding his voice to a respectable level. "I am willing to do whatever it takes to save my empire and the people within. Speak to me like that again and I will put you in at the tip of the vanguard. See how good of a warrior you truly are."
Tigress tried to hold in the soft growl, but it was getting tough. She winced, and was only saved by Master Shifu, who was hoping to divert the conversation as quicky as possible.
"That shouldn't be necessary, your majesty. How long will it take to muster a force?"
Emperor Hongwu shook his head. "The answer isn't what you'll want to hear. Conscription takes time. Once I'm back at the Imperial City I'll need to send messages to the far reaches of China. Then I'll need to recruit new generals who will train the conscripts. Perhaps the panda would enjoy a cozy position as my advisor. The rest of you fearsome five will do wonders as soldiers. I've heard the stories here and there, and they will be adequate."
"The Furious Five are a team." Shifu said, again coming to the defense of his students in the most mild-mannered way possible. It was tough when speaking out against the emperor. "Life as regular soldiers isn't what they do best."
"Do best?" Emperor Hongwu almost laughed. "What do they do best, then? They've failed time after time in destroying the threat that plagues my China. Time after time you stick up for them, Shifu, only for them to return beaten and broken. Those stories of their past adventures are impressive, but perhaps their time is running out."
"Please-" Shifu attempted to speak out but was quickly cut off.
"If five failures are what stands between Lu Fang and the destruction of China, then why don't I just give it to her? Pack up my belongings and surrender the greatest nation to a maniac?"
"You think you can do what we do?" Tigress spoke up with a subtle growl. "I would give anything and everything to protect China. I won't sit on the sidelines and watch anything happen to its people."
"You would give anything? That's wonderful!" Emperor Hongwu's voice lowered. "I have given everything." Emperor Hongwu snarled. "I've done more to protect China than the history books will tell. I've been doing it longer than you've been around, Tigress. I brought China together when it was nothing but bickering warlords and roaming armies. While these citizens were living in harmony in the Valley of Peace, I fought to bring the world together around them and I have no intention of seeing it fall apart now."
Tigress felt a library worth of words coming up, but she bit her tongue. Her eyes of amber glared at the bird she called emperor, and it was only then did she notice the scars. Stretching far and wide just beneath the feathers were many. Too many to count, but she knew they all cut deep. All she could do was clench her fists, turn, and bolt back into the crowd to find Po. To find someone she could truly confide with.
While the Furious Five were up towards the front guiding the thousands of villagers through the trail and into the mountains, Po had opted to stay near the rear to help and encourage some of the slower folk and make sure nobody was left behind. Po had been the last one out of the village and the Valley of Peace and had waited or the last possible minute to make sure there were no stragglers. Of course, he was not alone. Mr. Ping had opted to stay near the back. The stubborn goose had gone against Po's advice and practically brought his entire shop with him. He loaded an entire cart full of noodles and vegetables, along with most of his kitchen equipment, and was in the process of pushing it over the mountains.
"This is ridiculous!" Po argued, knowing it was already far too late. "Why not just leave the cart?"
"Not a chance." Mr. Ping said nonchalantly. "Just think about what would happen to it. Those invaders would surely take whatever they want without charge. Could you imagine?" Mr. Ping shuddered at the thought.
"Right. Right." Po said, unenthusiastically. "Horrible."
As Po rolled his eyes, he caught sight of an elderly goat nearing the tail end of the crowd. At first glance, it reminded Po of the goat he had met during his battle with Shen in Gongmen City. Po watched for a second as the goat slowed their pace. Their knees began to wobble. Mr. Ping continued to babble on about noodles, but Po's mind was elsewhere.
"I'll be right back." Po said, then made his way towards the straggler. They were now the last and only continuing to lose more and more ground. Then, to Po's horror, the goat fell face first into the mud. Their cane had come out from beneath him. It only made Po run faster. When he got beside the goat, he gently wrapped his arms around the elderly citizen and began to prop them up. "Don't worry, ma'am. I'll help-"
THUNK!
Po flinched as the goat brought the cane down atop his head. Po looked up, horrified to notice the goat was ready for another smack.
"I'm a man!" The goat hollered.
"Sorry!" Po pleaded, then grumbled to himself. "I'm bad at this."
The goat raised his cane even higher, then his eyes widened. "You're the Dragon Warrior!" The goat was met with a sudden awe he couldn't explain. Po saw it as well. He lowered his cane and allowed Po to help him to his feet. As they did, the last of the citizens of the Valley of Peace brushed passed them. The quiet, solemn whisper of the crowd soon began to vanish as they were left behind in silence. "Po? Right?"
Po nodded but felt a lump begin to form atop his head. He shrugged it off but wondered how bad the welt would be tomorrow. "That's right. I was just coming to make sure you were okay."
"I am now!" The goat responded with vigor. "What an honor it is. Truly." The goat attempted to bow, but with a sudden and loud pop, the goat froze. "My back…"
"Easy!" Po once again bent down to help the goat. Once his back was straight and the pain seemed to vanish, Po took a step back and allowed the goat to find his feet.
"That's better. Much better." The goat smiled. "I assure you, I may be slow, but eventually I'll catch up." He laughed.
"Let me carry you." Po said. "I can throw you on my shoulders and we'll catch back up in no time."
The goat laughed again. "No." His words were crisp and sharp. "I've got too much pride to ride on someone else's back. When I was in the Imperial Army I could've walked across China and back without so much as a lunchbreak."
"Woah!" Po was honestly impressed, but the no lunchbreak would've been a horror trip for the Dragon Warrior. "That is awesome."
"It was certainly a time to be alive." The goat shrugged. "Not that it was good for me. All those years risking life and limb in the army sure have put a damper on my body, but it was well worth it."
"Are you sure I can't carry you?" Po asked once more. "Nobody will see."
Again, the goat shook his head. "Someone will." The goat responded. "If any of my fellow friends and soldiers were alive to see me take a ride on a panda, even if you are the Dragon Warrior, they'd lose all respect for me."
"I'm not sure that's true."
The goat sighed. "How long you've been the Dragon Warrior? Three? Four years?"
"Four, I think?" Po had spent so much time having fun doing awesome things with his friends he had honestly lost track of time. It seemed to fly, and it was only speeding up.
"You've got a lot to learn, Dragon Warrior. Luckily, you also have a lot of time to learn. You're growing quick. I can feel it." The goat looked towards the horizon. Towards something Po didn't, or couldn't, see. "You know, there's an unspoken bond between brothers in arms. Those who fight and die beside one another. You'll realize it soon enough, and when you're old and withered and looking back on your life, you'll understand what I mean. To me, there is no better example than Commander Huan."
"Huan?" Po remembered the name all too well. Back then, it had instilled an ounce of jealously deep within him. Now, the name brings back the horror he had experienced. He remembered the burnt village. The graves deep in the forest. All those memories flooded back, and all it took was a single name.
"I had the honor of raising him into the soldier's life. From the beginning I could tell he was special. He grew a bond with anyone he fought with. I was worried he was getting reckless for the soldiers he was fighting for. He was always the first to throw his neck to the block when the ax came calling." The goat's eyes grew misty, and his stare off towards the horizon intensified. "I asked him why he was so reckless. You know what he said?"
Po shook his head. "No. I… I wasn't there."
"He told me that there is no greater love than that of someone you'd lay your life down for, and knowing beyond the shadow of a doubt they'd do the same." The goat looked up at Po. "He who sheds his blood. We all have someone like that."
Tigress, Po thought. The Dragon Warrior was frozen stiff as the words echoed in Po's head. He was only broken out of his trance by the sound of a cart and the calls of a familiar goose wrecking his way down the trail.
"Po!" Mr. Ping cried. "Po! There you are! You're so silly. What are you doing? The crowd is leaving you behind, and I need your help handing out plates to the hungry people!"
"Dad? Can you help this gentle-goat get back with the others?"
"Of course! Help and company is always nice to have!"
"Great!" Po said, then turned his eyes back down the trail. Somehow, he knew Lu Fang was that way. She was close. Closer than Po felt comfortable with, but that goat had been right. He took a deep breath. His mind raced with the wisdom Tigress had given him when times were dark. A leader takes action, Po remembered her words clearly. A leader makes the first move. A leader is the first to meet their opponent when everybody else is frozen with fear. He knew those words were true when Tigress spoke them, but seeing the goat before him, Po knew it was time he acted on them.
"Come along, Po!" Mr. Pig said as he headed off down the trail once again, slowly chasing the rest of the evacuees. Po remained still and silent. "Po? Po!" Mr. Ping stopped.
Slowly, Po turned to face his dad. "Get back with the others. I have something to do."
"What?!" Mr. Ping roared. "No! No! Not again. You are coming with us this instant." His eyes darted around. "What are you doing? What could you possibly do?" Then, it clicked. "You're going to find her, aren't you?" Mr. Ping's legs began to wobble. "Why? Why not just come and sell noodles with me!"
"It's my job. It's my duty, dad. I know you understand."
Mr. Ping sighed and lowered his beak. "Being a father is stressful enough. Being the father of the Dragon Warrior has taken years off my life! Always with the-"
Before Mr. Ping could continue his rant, the panda rushed over and pulled his father close. Po lifted Mr. Ping, squeezing him gently. "I'll see you soon."
"You better." Mr. Ping whispered as Po set him down.
With a smile, Po glanced over at the goat. Earlier, he had seemed frail and fragile. Now, he stood tall. Taller than Po had expected. His knees didn't wobble, and he didn't rely on the cane. As they locked eyes, Po realized the goat knew who he was speaking to. He knew what Po needed to hear. Po spun and ran down the trail. Eventually, he was all alone. He was alone but he didn't stop. He knew, no matter what, he would have to face Lu Fang again.
Best not keep her waiting.
Tigress gently pushed herself through the seemingly endless horde of civilians. All of which were now exiled and homeless. Tigress kept her eyes peeled for the giant panda, but as she neared the tail end, there was still no sign of Po. She thought for a moment that maybe she had missed him. No. That's impossible, she thought. How could a panda like him slip by me?
Then, she saw Mr. Ping with his noodle cart. Sitting atop his cart full of noodles was an old goat who helped pass out plates while Mr. Ping loaded them full of his famous recipe. She didn't give it much thought other than it was a bit odd. Still, she zipped over towards the little goose.
"Mr. Ping?" She called out through a horde of hungry exiles.
"Tigress! My best customer!" Mr. Ping said, opening his wings wide as if to give her a hug.
"Mr. Ping? Have you se-" She froze when Mr. Ping managed to wrap his feathered wings around her, pulling her close. She was frozen stiff and more than a little confused. Still, she shook off the weird feeling. "Have you seen Po?"
"He left." Mr. Ping whispered. "Again."
"Left? Where?"
Mr. Ping removed one wing from around Tigress and pointed back down the trail. Once he was sure Tigress got the direction, he continued with the hug. This time, tighter. "He has a good heart, but I'm horrified he is going to do something stupid and get himself hurt."
Tigress nodded. "Me too." For the first time, she wrapped her own paws around Mr. Ping and returned the hug. She immediately felt the terrified goose as he stopped shaking. "I'll find him and bring him back before he gets in too deep."
Mr. Ping's eyes seemed to fade as memories came flooding back. Then, he smiled. "Find him, but we both know his mind is already made up. As long as you are by his side, I know he will be fine."
The goose released the tiger. Still a little confused at the sudden hug, Tigress nodded and ran on all fours down the path towards Po. She was unsure of what she was going to do or say, and she was less certain about what was going to happen. All she knew is that she needed to run and run fast.
Meanwhile, Po's lungs were on fire. He had been running nonstop for what appeared to be hours. Still, the panda told himself he wouldn't stop. He couldn't stop. How could the Dragon Warrior rest while the fate of China is at stake!? He thought. The Valley of Peace, his friends, China, and perhaps the world would never be the same if he failed. So, Po forced himself onward.
After a five minute break and quick meal he started up again, telling himself time after time the break was for the best. How could the Dragon Warrior fight such evil with an empty stomach and burning lungs?! Again, Po made every excuse he could think of to explain his little break. He forced himself down the beaten path, then he heard something in the distance. Though the air was still, he heard the brushing of leaves and the ripping of bark. Nothing seemed right. Then, he heard it. A sound that sent a sharp, cold shiver down his spine.
A tiger's growl.
Then, even worse, a roar.
The tiger pounced from the shrubbery, landing mere feet in front of Po. The panda made a last-ditch effort to come to a sudden stop, but while his legs had stopped moving, his upper body didn't get the message and he was sent tumbling into the grass before the tiger.
"Po…?" Tigress grumbled, unimpressed. "What are you doing?" She was more than used to the drill at this point. She knew the panda wasn't in the right mindset, but she had to admit, she didn't know what the right mindset was. Oogway had tried to get something through to her, but she was still unsure what was a vision and what was a vivid dream. And if it was all a vision, his words and actions had been so cryptic.
Po stumbled to his feet, and while his fall was embarrassing, he managed to hold his head high with as much confidence as he could muster. "I'm going that way." Po pointed behind Tigress.
Tigress turned around, hoping it would make sense if she saw what he was pointing at. It didn't. "What's that way?"
"Lu Fang."
Suddenly, it all sank in for Tigress. Po was truly going to get himself killed. He was planning on fighting her… alone! "Po, you need to stop."
"You're not stopping me."
"Just think this through for a second. Talk to me."
Po took a deep breath. He felt his heart settle. "You're right. I-" Suddenly, Po pointed towards the sky. "WOAH! Look at that!" Po was shocked. It worked. It actually worked! Tigress looked up for a brief moment. When she realized her folly and diverted her eyes back towards the panda, he was gone. "Gotcha!" Po cried out victoriously from further down the trail. He ran as fast as he could, but not fast enough.
The next thing he heard was a mighty roar just behind him. Then, Tigress ran alongside him.
"I'm not letting you stop me!" Po said, nudging Tigress with his large belly.
The tiger nearly lost her footing, but she regained control of herself and dipped between a pair of closely knit trees and bobbed beneath a fallen log. She had to spend an extra few seconds to catch back up with the panda. She tailed him closely. "Po!" She cried out. Frustration seeping through her fangs. "Just listen! I-"
"I am listening!" Po lied.
"I don't-"
"La! La la la la!" Tigress let a fierce growl when she realized Po had forced his fingers into his ears.
"Stop for a second! I want to talk!" The tiger hollered.
Then, to her shock, the panda did as demanded. He stopped dead in his tracks. Tigress was completely thrown off and ran into the backside of the panda. The bouncy nature of the Dragon Warrior forced Tigress back nearly a dozen feet. She dug her claws into the grass and dirt to catch herself. When she looked up, Po once again took off.
"Stupid, stubborn panda." She hissed like Viper beneath her breath. The chase was on once again.
This time, Tigress forced her way beside the panda. She looked over at Po and noticed a small, mischievous smile. Before she could open her mouth to plead her case, the panda lowered his shoulder and veered directly into her. Once again, Tigress was caught off guard. Unlike last time, however, she reacted appropriately. Tigress bounced off the path, but managed to dig her claws into a thin, lonely tree. The force Po had sent her off the path with was enough to wrap around the tree and propel her back onto the path. With a nifty swipe at Po's feet, she caught him. The panda fell face first, sliding a few feet before coming to a swift and sudden stop.
Tigress leapt for the panda. All the panda could do was spin around and brace himself.
Tigress caught Po's shoulders, forcing him back to the ground. His eyes were wide, and her reflection in them was crystal clear. Tigress' eyes matched Po's. She had won. If she wasn't so caught up in the moment, she would've smiled. The thrill of the hunt was too much fun.
"So cool." Po mumbled, in total awe of the awesomeness.
The two remained still for what seemed like forever. Po was too scared to budge, and Tigress was more focused on making sure Po didn't scurry off again. Eventually, the euphoria of the hunt got to Tigress and she let a victorious smile crack across her lips. Then, it dawned on Tigress that the two of them were left in a less than professional position. The two were close. Noses so close you could hardly slip a blade of grass through them. Tigress could feel the soft movement of Po's belly with each breath.
Tigress was quick to remove herself from the panda. She dusted herself off and waited for Po to bolt again.
He didn't.
"Po…?" Tigress began. "I'm not here to stop you or turn you around. I'm coming with you."
Po opened his mouth to counter the tiger almost before she finished speaking. "I don't care what you say, I'm not turning back. I-" It took Po an awkward amount of time to register what she had just said. The panda froze and looked into the amber eyes of his friend. "Wait! What? You want to come?" Po asked.
Tigress nodded. "I told you a long time ago that I won't sit and watch my friend be killed. We need to stop Lu Fang, but I'm not going to let you do it alone."
"What about the rest of the Five?" Po asked.
Tigress chuckled. "You didn't think they weren't watching when I tore off after you, right?"
"Yeah!" A voice called out from the shrubbery. It was Monkey. "We're with you, Po!"
"Let's go kick some panda butt!" Mantis emerged from a small hedge. "Evil panda! Sorry. Evil panda." Mantis corrected.
"Guys?" Po was shocked. It brought a tear to his eyes.
"We're with you, Po." Viper said.
"All of us." Crane said as he flew down from the sky.
Po nodded. His heart filled with so much joy and excitement. He could hardly control it. The panda bounced up and down like a toddler waiting for dessert on his birthday. Then, Tigress placed a firm paw on his shoulder.
"If you're still struggling with chi, then you're going to need all of us."
Po nodded. "I always have. Now, what are we waiting for?"
Po and the Furious Five ran hard through the trail, eventually dipping off to make a dash through the thick woods. They made excellent time, or so they felt. Po was so sure this is what they were meant to do he didn't even think about the effect it would have on Master Shifu and the others. He knew, with all his heart, that this was the time to act.
How could we lose? Po thought as he looked left and right as his friends ran alongside him. It was impossible. Inconceivable. They ran until they came to the edge of the forest. Past the forest was about a hundred feet of open grassland before the grass ended. After that came a shelf of rocks. Beyond that, a steep cliff. One hundred feet below was a whitewater river forcing its way through a narrow rock wall.
Po looked over the ridge and watched the water tear its way through the valley far below. He did not have the sudden urge to jump, so he looked up and saw an odd form of clouds in the distance. Then, every bit of confidence he had vanished into thin air.
They weren't clouds. They were vultures.
"Fascinating, isn't it?" An eerie voice called from just to Po's right. It was Tai Tzu, the sadistic bird of prey. "What you are looking at, panda, is the end of China as you know it. The end of an age, I guess."
Po's blood boiled as he glared up at Tai Tzu, who stood atop a rock a dozen feet away. The bird held his head high with confidence, but Po saw that such confidence was not false. With an army of vultures a few miles away, both knew he had reason to feel as confident as he did.
"You hurt Tigress." Po growled.
"I did, yes." Tai Tzu hissed. "And I plan on doing much worse things. We have big plans, and with a little bit of luck, your tiger friend and I can restart our little sessions. I did very much enjoy those."
In a flash, Po was backed up by Tigress and the rest of the Furious Five. They all looked up at Tai Tzu. Each having a specific reason for their hatred. Tai Tzu merely looked down with a vague expression of disinterest. He sighed.
"Bug?" He frowned. "You survived." His voice was deep and gravely.
"And I'm ready for round two!" Mantis hollered, remembering all too well the pain and torment the bird had sent him through. "Fear the bug." Mantis hissed.
"I will pluck your legs off one by one." Then his eyes moved towards Tigress. He let forth a sick, sadistic smile. "I knew you couldn't stay away."
"Enough!" Po roared. "It's time we end this." Po snarled. "I'm ready whenever you are."
"I've been ready!" Tai Tzu laughed. "Then you ran away. You buckled, and escaped the island before I could have my fun. I'm going to enjoy watching Lu Fang kill you, panda. Then I'll-" Tai Tzu stopped and looked down. Below him was a flower. A beautiful, pink and yellow flower. It was dying. It was quick to wilt, and within mere seconds, the yellow and pink flower was brown as dirt. Tai Tzu smiled. "She's here."
"Po!" Lu Fang's voice was like a whisper just loud enough for everybody to hear. "Po, honey. You're back!" Po turned to face the demon in flesh. She stood there, at the edge of the forest. If Po didn't know better, he would say she wore a lovely smile. Now, knowing who she truly was, it only made him sick.
"I'm not here for your games, Lu Fang!" Po cried out. "Surrender, or I'll be forced to unleash my super secret Dragon Warrior powers on you!" Po crossed his fingers that his bluff worked. If not, at least it made him sound like a god rather than a kung fu prodigy.
"So cute." Lu Fang said. The female panda walked slowly towards the six warriors. With each step, the grass died beneath her feet. Every plant she passed began to wilt. Her stroll was almost lackadaisical. As she neared, Po heard her hum a tune, as if she was wading through a field of flowers on a warm Sunday afternoon. "Po, I'm going to do you a favor. I'm going to beat the snot out of you, but you'll survive so long as you take your beating and stay out of my way. Then, I'm going to break every bone in that tiger of yours. Once she's out of the way, I do hope the rest of your petty excuses for warriors will wise up and leave well enough alone.
"Big talk for a big stupid panda!" Monkey hollered.
"Ouch, dude." Po whispered.
Monkey winced and whispered back. "Sorry."
"The rest of you can pick your fates. Fight me and die or run along. Save yourself and enjoy what time you have left. Whatever you choose matters little. You are all nothing more than a grain of sand on a beach to me." Lu Fang snarled. "Worthless."
Lu Fang stopped and glared at Tigress. Her lips twisted down into a frown. Her eyes were glowing with hatred. Tigress returned every ounce of hate she received. She curled her fingers into fists of iron and waited for somebody to make the first move.
Then, a flurry of knives. All Tigress heard was the air as each knife pierced through like butter. She turned, far too late to react. Luckily, her black and white companion was ready. He leapt in front of her and with supernatural reflexes, deflected each and every knife with the palm of his paw.
"You're going down, Tzu!" Po roared. "Viper! Panda Slingshot of Doom!" With the callout, Monkey and Mantis grabbed each end of Viper.
"Dumb name." Monkey said.
"We need to workshop it." Mantis added.
"Agreed." Viper nodded.
When Po charged into the midsection of Viper, she caved like a bow. With a force of a cannon, Po barreled out, flying towards Tai Tzu with fists at the ready. "It's a work in progress!" Po exclaimed as he flew.
Tigress was left baffled. She turned around to face Lu Fang. The panda stood before her, taller than Tigress remembered. The tiger braced herself for what was to come. With a grin, the female panda readied her fists.
Tigress was the first to land a punch, but the panda reacted swiftly and drove a fist of her own into the tiger's midsection. Tigress winced, and when she opened her eyes, she had been driven fifteen feet away. Her feet left grooves in the ground as she slid back. Her chest felt like it was on fire.
Before she could recover, or her friends could come to her aid, Lu Fang was on her once again. She threw fists into the tiger time and time again. Every once and a while Tigress was able to block, but the speed at which the panda punched was like nothing Tigress had ever seen. Tigress ducked, but the panda would thrust her knee up into the tiger's chin. When Tigress dipped left, the panda landed a brutal jab on the right.
Then, the panda stopped. She struggled by an unseen force. It was Mantis. The bug had gotten under her foot and was trying to lift her up. The tail end of Viper wrapped around her neck and pulled her back. Tigress was too tired to strike, but Crane and Monkey weren't. They hadn't yet taken the beating Tigress had.
Monkey landed on Lu Fang's shoulders and began to give her a few good whacks. Crane tore through the sky, aiming for the panda's belly. He struck gold, and the panda let out a fierce scream. Tigress smiled seeing the evil panda yell with pain.
The feeling didn't last long. As the panda struggled, her cries became angrier. Then, something snapped. Her eyes shot open. She glared at Monkey, eyes now of pure gold. With a snarl, she fought against Viper and pulled her head back, then sent a powerful headbutt straight into Monkey's nose. Viper lost control of Lu Fang's head, and the panda turned and whipped Viper off like a loose hose. She threw her hard to the ground, and with a mighty stomp, nearly crushed Mantis.
Crane charged, but the panda readied her fists and brought it straight into Crane's beak as he neared.
Tigress lunged, landing mere feet before Lu Fang and mustered all her energy into one, mighty punch. As her fists tore through the air, the panda readied her belly. Her fists sank deep into Lu Fang's stomach, and like she had seen with Po all too many times, rebounded back at her. Tigress was too caught off guard to react, and her own fists, her own power, came right back at her. She growled as she hit herself, but before she could do much of anything else, Lu Fang's fists began to glow.
"Stupid tiger." Lu Fang growled. "You can't stop the inevitable."
"Spare me the speech." Tigress said, throwing her fist at the panda once again. Lu Fang caught her fist like it was nothing, leaving Tigress standing there, dumbstruck. She tried to pull away, but Lu Fang's grip was like a vice. The panda's claws dug into the paws of the tiger. Tigress winced as the pain set in.
"You're in no position to make demands of me." Lu Fang chuckled.
Mantis charged, but using her free hand, she flicked the little bug into the tall grass. Viper and Crane chose to strike together, but after Lu Fang nonchalantly ducked beneath Crane's wing, she pulled Viper close and wrapped her around Viper, then tossed them aside. Monkey grabbed Lu Fang by the arm, but he was quickly put in a headlock and left defenseless.
"I tried to play nice, but it's in your nature to fight. That is why I will find the Hidden Valley, and I will bring a swift and brutal end to every tiger I see." Her eyes were now shining like the sun. She gave Monkey another headbutt, and he dropped to the floor, nearly out cold. "I won't make it pretty."
Tigress tried once again to pull away, but the panda hardly seemed to care. In fact, she hardly seemed to give any effort in keeping the tiger in place. Tigress stopped and watched in horror as Lu Fang's glowing fist was raised. She pulled harder, but to no avail.
"Tigress!" Po cried out. Tigress looked to her left and saw Po barreling down towards her. His arm outstretched. He had cuts and bruises from his fight with Tai Tzu, but none of them seemed too painful. He ran fast. Faster than he had ever ran before. "Stop! Please!"
Then, he came to a screeching halt. Tai Tzu had wrapped Po's ankles with a rope. The panda fell face first. He could do nothing but watch in horror as Lu Fang brought her golden fist down onto Tigress' chest.
With it came a flash of gold.
Then nothing.
A/N: Whoo! The final fight is on the way! This chapter was fun to write, and I've already written/polished the next chapter, so that should be up soon. Since this is my first longfic, I'm uber stoked to finally be wrapping it up. Hopefully you'll like it and I'm able to finish with a bang. So, thank you so much for reading!
