Author's Note: Oh boy... its been two months since the last chapter... so much for "As soon as possible" heh heh. Apologies for the long wait, especially after what happened in the last chapter. Had a lot of work to do for my dissertation (20k words, holy crap) but I've done it, and have now finished my master's course (Yippee). Now I will (hopefully) be able to update more consistently. To put it simply, this chapter will not be any less intense than the last one. Granted, you will hate me less than the last one, but the intensity stays. In addition, an interesting revelation around the midway point through this chapter, so yeah. Hope you lot are ready!
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN KFP (RELEASE THE KFP 4 TRAILER ALREADY!)
Enjoy.
Too Late
Whoosh!
Tigress' claws slice through the air as Po just manages to dodge her manic attack, but he isn't given long to recover. Within seconds, she begins her assault on the reluctant panda who merely blocks and parries each ravenous claw swipe she throws at him. Despite his body's exhaustion, he is able to keep up with his brainwashed love, yet he doesn't fight back. He can't. "Tigress! This isn't you!" Ravenous snarls batter his desperate yells, silencing them as her wild strikes keep flying at him. "You have to fight it! You have to fight him!"
"I don't think she can hear you, panda!" Zhongcheng's taunting cackle clutches at Po's ears, wrenching out a growl of his own. Jade eyes gaze at the hollow blue light poisoning his love's right eye whilst mortified by the bloodied, mangled mess that has taken place of her left eye. That wolf had caused this. He did this to her. He did this to so many people. His face becomes disfigured by the scowl forming upon it as he manages to catch the brainwashed Tigress' arm and throw her away. His body takes advantage of this momentary space and picks up a loose dagger from the floor. Moving on its own, his arm throws the dagger towards the demented wolf, the sheer power of his throw making it shoot towards him at an incredible speed.
Dark blue irises widen in shock at this sudden attack, but the commander manages to catch it just before it can impale him between the eyes. Zhongcheng lowers the dagger to look upon the dragon warrior, only to be met with a glare so foul that even the Gods themselves would be left as quivering infants. This isn't the dragon warrior China holds in such reverence. No, this is something else. Something hidden within him. Something dark and relentless. He can see it in his eyes. He can see that he wants him dead. It isn't born out of any moral obligation or righteousness, out of pure, unrelenting hate. Before this glare can turn into anything else, the brainwashed beast leaps back into the scene, breaking their eye contact as she continues her onslaught on the panda master. A dark smile crawls onto the commander's face, intrigued by this side of the 'oh so noble' dragon warrior.
Remaining on the defensive, Po tries to get through to his brainwashed love again as both the Wu-sisters and Gongjiang watch on with a disturbed interest. "You need to keep fighting! You have to keep fighting!" It doesn't matter what comes out of his mouth, Tigress simply won't stop her barbaric barrage. After parrying another wild claw strike, he is about to yell once more only for her to interrupt him.
"You killed my Po!" Though her growl rumbles with the might of a demon, it does not conceal the wail of agony underneath it. Jade eyes widen as her words freeze the panda in place, leaving him open to a claw strike aimed at his right shoulder. As her claw tears through the silver fabric of his robes and into his skin, Po yelps out in pain, snapping him back to reality. He narrowly manages to block any follow up attacks as blood seeps from his shoulder, painting his silver silk a sickly crimson. "You killed my Po! You killed my family! You took them away from me!" Menacing growls devolve into maddened roars that are singed by scalding tears, piercing the dragon warrior's heart as he watches his dear tiger become consumed by her mania.
Tigress' greatest fear… He's making her live through it… She thinks I'm… As Po's mind puts the pieces together, he can only look at her in sorrow. She doesn't deserve this. None of them do. Crimson droplets rain down onto the floor as he continues to block Tigress' ravenous onslaught, forcing him to grit his teeth at his gash's scorching sting. He can't keep this up, not with how long they've already been fighting. But… No, he won't hurt her. There has to be another way.
As Po mistimes a block on one of her claw slashes, another yelp is ripped out of him, her claws puncturing his right forearm deeply. This yelp ascends to a tormented scream as she drags her claws downward, carving four chasms in his arm that drown in his blood. His instinct kicking in, Po kicks her in the stomach, forcing her back as he comes to a harrowing realisation.
There is no other way.
His right arm now reduced to a flowing fountain of crimson, the dragon warrior fights back against his brainwashed love, reluctance embedded in his countenance. With this chaos ensuing inside the warehouse, no one hears the cavalcade of noises just outside, the kung fu shouts and powerful hits followed by cannon pieces clanging to the floor. Only Zhongcheng and his idle lieutenants notice the bodies of wolves and brainwashed imperial soldiers rolling down the stairs, their descent halting just by the warehouse entrance. Immediately aware of who has caused this to happen, Gongjiang and the Wu-sisters look up to their commander who instantly nods in response to their silent, glaring question. They're here.
Whilst the Wu-sisters disappear into the shadows of the underground warehouse, Shifu and Viper burst in past the dismantled cannon that once blocked the entrance, knocking away two soldiers in the process. Any fighting resolve they have on their faces are soon extinguished by the sight before them. Crane. Monkey. Tigress. All serving that putrid wolf as they attack their friends, their family, without mercy.
Worry, fear and horror mix Viper's expression into a misshapen mosaic of anguish. She was right to be scared. They shouldn't have left them on their own. They shouldn't have played into Zhongcheng's scheme. As she turns to face her master, those sentiments evaporate into the suffocating, crowded air of the warehouse. Steely blue eyes rip themselves apart in regret, the grandmaster's soul beating itself with guilt as he looks on at his students. He failed them. He failed his own daughter. Again. The serpent master can see these thoughts unfold in front of her, sympathising with them, yet all too aware that they have to do something before the situation somehow becomes worse. "What do we do, master?"
Her voice snaps him out of his thoughts, the grandmaster looking around and taking in the situation. The soldiers nearing the hundreds trying to escape with cannon pieces, Mantis trying to fight off both Monkey and Crane at the same time, Po fighting Tigress. His ears droop slightly at seeing the once happy couple now forced to fight each other. Steely blue irises dart over to the sides of the vast room, certain that they could see something linger within its engorging shadows. Dismissing this as a trick of the light, Shifu shifts his eyes to the bison general watching from afar and up to the very culprit who had started this madness.
Despite it being over twenty years, the grandmaster recognises Zhongcheng immediately. The accursed wolf stares straight into his eyes, a heinous smile adorning his face as Shifu glares back at him. So much pain and suffering all caused by that traitor. A traitor the late emperor had hidden away for so long. A traitor that has turned the people he loves into fear-ridden slaves. His wrathful glare still piercing into the wolf's soul, the grandmaster responds with a venomous growl his serpent pupil has never heard before. "You aid Mantis. I'm putting an end to this." Knowing better than to dispute his corrosive command, Viper slithers over to her insect brother whilst he spares a thought to what he will do next. This may be the only way to free them, to rid everyone of him. With murderous intent igniting in his fiery scowl, Shifu sprints to the catwalk at a rapid speed.
As the grandmaster charges forth, ire boiling his blood, Gongjiang attempts to attack him but he dodges his lumbering, fatigued punches and uses the bison's hulking body to leap up to Zhongcheng. Dark blue eyes watch with intrigue as the elder master lands on the catwalk, ancient staff in paw and scowl engraved onto his face. "If it isn't master Shifu, it has been quite some time." His rancid smile doesn't leave his face as he folds his arms, and the enraged grandmaster stands at full height.
"Even if you had been executed, it wouldn't have been long enough." At this bile coated remark, the commander can only chuckle in response as the two adversaries circle each other. Shifu's eyes glaze over the claw marks dug into the wolf's pitch-black armour, over the blood still flowing underneath its surface. Tigress… His mind immediately puts the pieces together, haunted by just what this vile psychopath had done to unchain the beast within her. Steely blue shifts over to the crimson mark branded onto the wolf's shoulder plate. A crimson mark shared by his men. "How had you served under Shen? How did you evade us in Gongmen?"
"I had decided to stay out of the spotlight, aid from the shadows. From what I've heard, I had my forces retreat just before you had shown up."
His response gains a humourless scoff from the grandmaster, "Hmph, a coward as ever."
Zhongcheng rolls his eyes as his smile deforms itself into an arrogant smirk, "It isn't cowardice to make the right call when a battle is lost." As the two continue to circle each other, the shadows around the warehouse shift once more and Gongjiang makes his way towards the catwalk, yet Shifu is none the wiser. Perfect. "Perhaps that's a lesson you should instil into your pupil. After all, persistence is only admirable if you have a chance of winning." Growing tired of the wolf's egoistic taunts, Shifu stops by one of the railings, forcing him to stop too.
Dark blue glares into sharpened steel, victory clear within them despite the grandmaster's glare piercing into them with the lethality of a sword. "Don't think this day is yours, Zhongcheng."
Though tempted to laugh, the white wolf resists, his smirk only growing haughtier. "Oh right, it's not as if I have your pupil, as well as your own daughter, on a leash."
"And you will pay for that with your life."
For once, surprise fills the commander's face, the red panda's dark growl causing ice to form on the metal railings. "Oh, now this is new. Aren't you supposed to let the emperor deal with that part?" The Wu-sisters continue to inch their way towards them through the shadows whilst Gongjiang positions himself underneath Shifu, a metallic ball clutched in his hoof.
"After you've escaped last time? After you've turned my students against each other? After you've turned this city into a waking nightmare? No." Shifu shifts into his fighting stance, his scowl freezing hell itself as he keeps his glare fixed onto Zhongcheng, "No, I'll make you wish that I had killed you so long ago."
With his comrades now in position, Zhongcheng's expression falls into one of a vengeful disdain. That day had never left his mind, and now, he'll finally be able to make him pay. "Well then, let's see what constitutes your wrath, grandmaster." As soon as this growl leaves his mouth, Su-Wu shoots down from the shadowy ceiling as her sisters pounce at the grandmaster from both sides.
Though surprised, he dodges the high-speed lunges of the snow leopards and jumps backwards. He prepares to fight back until Gongjiang throws a smoke bomb up, landing right by Shifu's feet before bursting into a thick, suffocating cloud. As he coughs his lungs out, the bison general breaks through the catwalk under him and punches him in the face. The sheer strength of his attack dazes the grandmaster long enough for the Wu-sisters to run into the smoke and land their own attacks on him. Blades cut into his robes, kicks smack the side of his jaw, Shifu can barely fathom what is hitting him. However, he is granted a microscopic reprieve as the three sisters back up to let Gongjiang through, his stubby yet sharp horns aimed at the grandmaster.
Luckily for the red panda, this is just enough time for him to regain his bearings and leap over the charging bison. Still contained within the smoke, Shifu strains his eyes as he hears the rushing footsteps of the Wu-sisters. As their forms finally come into view, he charges chi into his paws and aims a double palm strike at them.
Boom!
A golden explosion disintegrates the smoke cloud as Su-Wu and Wing are sent over the railing whilst Wan is sent hurtling backwards, right into Zhongcheng's arms. Fury etched into his face, Shifu readies himself in a fighting stance as he stares down the smirking wolf. "Still, you choose to stoop to the lowest level possible. It isn't enough for you to not fight your own battles, but now you'll force others to fight for you. You truly have no honour."
Shifu's scathing remarks only bring out a sickening cackle from the wolf, his unexpected mirth even managing to get Wan to smirk along. He folds his arms, his tone incredulous yet mocking as he fires back, "Now would you dare say that to the emperor? Would you force him to fight a battle that is undoubtedly his? Or perhaps you would resurrect his useless father and save his son from having to confront his own sins?" The grandmaster's scowl only deepens at Zhongcheng's caustic words, his ears twitching at the sound of Gongjiang inching his way behind him. "Do tell me what your honour has granted you other than a dead son, an enslaved daughter, and a life full of guilt and shame. Has your honour granted you clemency whilst your world collapses around you? You warrior types are always so proud of yourselves, when discarding your honour is often the better choice. It's certainly been helpful for me." Steely blue eyes dart around, noticing the remaining two Wu-sisters climb back up the catwalk and crouch in front of Zhongcheng, ready to pounce at the elder master once more. "So, why in our incompetent emperor's name would I decide to entertain your foolish delusion of honour? Why would I bother when even you know that you should've discarded it so many years ago? When you had me at your mercy."
They hold a venomous, seething glare at each other; the wolf's irises brimming in anticipation whilst the red panda's roar with an unyielding rage. "Now I wonder which mistake haunts you most. You failing to kill me, your faux dragon warrior son." Zhongcheng's taunts serve to boil Shifu's blood further, his next one pushing him over the edge.
"Or perhaps it's that monster you call a daughter?"
Shifu rushes forward, shooting past the Wu-sisters at a blinding speed as he aims his staff at the wolf's head. However, he manages to catch it in his paw and sends the grandmaster back a fair distance with a front kick. Before he can retaliate, the Wu-sisters pounce onto him, enveloping him in a wild flurry of vicious slashes. In spite of their speed and ferocity, the grandmaster ducks and weaves through each of their attacks but is given no room to fight back. He has to bide his time. Wait for a precise moment to strike. As he continues dodging, thunderous footsteps stomp from behind him, but the three sisters still refuse to give him any room. He tries to hit Wan with his staff but is immediately blocked and countered, receiving a cut to the face. It may not be enough to break his defence, but it doesn't need to be. Gongjiang's head-first charge is meant for that.
Bam!
Though he can't get out of the bison's path, he is just about able to stay clear of his horns as he headbutts him in the side, flinging him past the snow leopards and straight to his canine brother. As the grandmaster flies towards him, Zhongcheng moves to kick him in the face, but Shifu blocks it with his staff and lands on the railing. He swings his staff towards his chest, but it is caught before it meets his target. Just as he had expected. Shifu pulls him towards him and lands a Lin Wan Kuen* chain punch on his damaged armour, denting it even more and squeezing out a pained growl from Zhongcheng as he lets go of the staff. Before long, the two trade blows whilst the Wu-sisters and Gongjiang run in to assist their commander.
As this monstrously one-sided fight takes place, Viper slithers over to her insect brother, taking out as many of Zhongcheng's scrambling forces as she can. Even the mind-controlled imperial soldiers that he had ripped out of the emperor's grasp. She had thought his cruelty had ended with those poor patients trapped in their own minds but… this is just horrible. Her sky-blue irises shift to her brothers, forced to fight each other to Zhongcheng's sick satisfaction. They begin to drift towards her brainwashed sister, but she restrains herself. Focus Viper, there's no time. Steeling her heavy heart, the serpent master springs up into the air as Crane attempts to dive towards Mantis again. With one powerful downward spin, she smacks the bird soldiers out of the air and joins him on the ground, readying herself though her expression remains weary.
Seeing his serpent sister now aiding him, Mantis calls out to her, "Viper! Thank the Gods you're here. Where's Shifu?"
"He's fighting Zhongcheng." She responds to him before having to quickly dodge a talon swipe from Crane. Sky-blue eyes gaze into his hollow blue sclera, trying to beckon forth his gentle yellow eyes back to no avail. "This isn't you! You have to fight it Crane! I know you're in there!"
Her once sweet bird doesn't even acknowledge her pleas as he blasts her back with a strong flap of his wings. Landing back in her stance, she sees her insect brother kick Monkey away and hop over to her, heavy breaths thrusting out of his lungs. "I've tried that. I haven't been able to get through to them, and no offence, but I don't think you will either."
Monkey returns to Crane's side, the two masters turned soldiers readying themselves to fight. "I was so close to having peace, and then you threaten to take them from me! You threaten to take her from me! I won't let you. I won't let you!" As the brainwashed bird screams this out, he lunges at Viper as their talk in the tavern replays in her mind.
Then I'll wait for you. Her instincts take hold as she blocks his strikes but never attacks back. He had loved her so much; he had dreamed of being with her… and she failed him. All that talk of wanting peace, of leaving the fight behind, of simply being in love together is now reduced to tears spilling down Viper's cheeks. As Monkey and Mantis fight alongside her, the serpent master can only yell out with an agonising shard of hope, "There has to be a way of getting them back! There has to be!"
Mantis pushes Monkey back with a spin kick before yelling back to her, "There's only way I can think of, attacking the source!" He points his claw upwards at the damned wolf as he and his forces surround Shifu, making Viper's eyes widen in terror. As strong as their master may be, even he can't take on the Wu-sisters, Gongjiang and Zhongcheng at the same time. They have to do something, and they have to do it fast. Through mere glances made during battle, Viper can already see a plan forming in her insect brother's eyes. Monkey stumbles back as Mantis connects a triple kick combo to his chest, allowing him enough time to yell out to his serpent sister, "Can you hold them off while I get up there!?"
As their plan begins to take shape, their master continues to fight on. With each blow he blocks or dodges, more of his strength is sapped. With each attempt he makes at taking them out of the fight, they just come back with a fierce resolve. He can't beat Zhongcheng like this, not with such an overwhelming advantage. Using a chi powered palm strike on Gongjiang and a wide swing of his staff to push back the commander and Wu-sisters, he attempts to leap away off the railing. However, his attempt at a retreat is proven futile as Gongjiang rushes forward and grabs him by the tail. Catching the grandmaster off-guard, the bison general swings him towards his canine brother, who aims a chi-kick at the back of his head with a wicked smile on his face.
Boom!
Shifu can feel the explosion of blue light bashing into his skull as he is sent hurtling down the catwalk, his staff flying ahead of him. Crashing down to the ground, the wooden planks appear as nothing more than a blur to him whilst his ears twist and curdle at the high-pitched ringing that accompanies him. "Hold him down!" Zhongcheng's barking command pierces through it, making the red panda realise just what he has planned. Try as he might however, he can't himself to his feet. He's not even sure if he is standing up already. Those planks remain a blur, his ears remain impaired, and his brain feels like its being perpetually spun on a dial. That is, until he feels two pairs of arms hold down his own and a massive weight press down on his spine, inviting it to buckle and crack. This is it. The wretched commander has him right where he wants him, and no matter how hard he tries, his strength simply can't come back.
Glowing blue eyes latch onto the pinned down grandmaster as Zhongcheng marches around, charging chi into his right paw once more. One triumphant thought rings through his mind as he crouches down to his victim. Finally, after all these years, I can exact my vengeance on you. As a caustic grin forms on his face, neither he nor his followers notice Mantis hop away from Monkey as Viper battles her two friends with pain in her eyes. "Worry not, master Shifu." Wasting no time, the wolf taps his index finger onto his forehead, a sadistic joy filling his eyes as rivers of blue light flood his veins, infecting his mind. "You'll be with your students soon."
Those rancid words are barely an echo in Shifu's mind as he wakes up within the hall of heroes. How did he get here? Where did Zhongcheng go? What is going on? What… what is he talking about? They beat Zhongcheng years ago. He must've fallen asleep during meditation; it must've been a nightmare.
No, not a nightmare. A memory.
Strange how he can remember defeating him but not how it had happened. His ears twitch at the sound of something dripping in front of him, into the moon pool that resonates with an eerie stillness. Tears, burning with regret and anguish. Anguish that reminds him of what had just transpired, of what had instilled a despair powerful enough to make him faint. A familiar despair he has only ever felt once. Fear forces tremors through his body, making him turn his head towards the doors at an agonising pace. He wasn't meditating, it was a failed attempt to do so after bearing witness to the heart-crushing sight in the centre of the hall.
Tigress' body, lying on the floor curled up and lifeless.
Cold, amber eyes remain open, the obsidian void that had once invaded them now a phantom of the monster that took hold of her. A great pain takes hold of his chest as he stares at the remains of his daughter, keeping him frozen in place. Yet, this pain not only radiates from his heart, but from the four claw marks embedded into his chest. She had lost control again. She had lost herself. Shattered columns and dismantled dragon embellishments glare at him, reminding him of how he failed her.
Yet, no memory of the attacks thrown out or the events that had led to this horrible fate come to his mind. Perhaps he is still in shock. Perhaps he simply doesn't want to recount the moment he had… He can't even think of those words. I have never stopped loving you, baba, and that will never change. His lips quiver at the memory, at her love for him. How could he fail her like this? Even after all of his teachings, he had still left her a volatile monster. Even after trying to steer her away from Tai Lung's fate, she had ended up the same as him. She was now another… mistake…
Now I wonder which mistake haunts you most, you failing to kill me, your faux dragon warrior son or perhaps its that monster you call a daughter? Zhongcheng's words echo into his mind, making the gears turn in his head and bringing a realisation that banishes the despair from his now widened, tear-stained eyes.
This… is his worst nightmare. This isn't real.
That's why he can't remember the fight that allegedly took place here. That's why Tigress still has both of her eyes without even so much of a faded mark on either one. That's why he has no recollection of actually beating Zhongcheng. Because they haven't. His eyes regain their immovable composure, ignoring the garish sight before him as Oogway's words replay in his head.
Pushing yourself away will not only punish you, but her as well, Shifu.
He has let his guilt eat away at him for too long. Guilt that has been utterly misplaced, he may have been in a terrible place as her father, but he had never failed in all the ways that mattered.
And he won't fail her now.
Steely blue eyes shut tight as the elder master banishes the very idea of this horrific dreamscape from his mind. Instead, memories begin to take shape around him. Adopting Tigress, training the five, accepting Po as the dragon warrior. He can no longer let his mind be chained to ghosts of failures that have long passed. These memories of his kung fu family obliterate these shackles as he breathes in and out, an aura of tranquillity forcing this intense fear to dissipate from his mind.
"Inner peace."
As his mind lets out this calming whisper, the fearful screams and frantic spasms of petrification suddenly stop, leaving the sadistic Wu-sisters confused and forcing Gongjiang to dart his eyes towards his brother. However, instead of a look of affirmation, he is met with an uncharacteristic concern in Zhongcheng's flickering eyes. No, not concern. Defeat. "That's impossible." The wolf lets out a bewildered whisper as his blue chi completely evaporates from his eyes and paw, with none of his followers noticing Shifu open his eyes.
Completely unaffected.
With one swift movement, he grabs his staff from the floor and sweeps the legs of all three sisters, readying himself to fight the two brothers as he springs onto his feet. Rushing forward, Gongjiang readies his fist back, aiming at the grandmaster's torso until a speeding green blur slams into his forehead.
Boom!
Mantis sends the bison general flailing backwards through the air as he connects a devastating flying kick to his forehead. As Zhongcheng dodges his hurtling brother, he is forced to fend off the insect master as he starts attacking him at a rapid speed. "You alright, master!?" Mantis yells out in-between blows, the commander remaining steadfast as he blocks his blinding barrage.
After sparing another wide sweep to keep the leopard sisters down, master Shifu joins his student with his own rapid onslaught of punches, forcing the wolf's defences to quake with upon each impact of their combined might. "Better than alright." And this is no joke. He can feel power surge through him, but it isn't through the flowing warmth of renewed chi. Instead, it's a delicate breeze soothing his angered blood. A tranquil touch that erases his guilt and dissipates his fear. With this newfound power, he breaks through Zhongcheng's guard with a vicious palm thrust, allowing his insect student the chance to pummel him with lightning-fast strikes aimed at his weakening armour and the nerve points at his scarcely exposed arms and legs. Though he tries to fight back, the commander is simply overwhelmed by their speed, his attacks being swiftly and easily dodged.
This can't be happening. This can't be real. A venomous growl exits Zhongcheng's maw as he flicks his dagger onto his right paw, the wolf desperately slashing at his opponents only to be dodged again and again. "How did you break free!? It shouldn't be possible!" He roars out before being promptly shut up by Mantis ricocheting off his knee and kicking him at the bottom of his chin.
Dazed for a moment, Zhongcheng aims a downward slash at an approaching Shifu only for Mantis to kick the dagger out of his paw, letting his master place his middle and index fingers upon his cracked armour. A golden light engulfs the elder master's right paw as he uses his free one to catch another attempted strike at his head. He glares into the sadistic wolf's eyes, undeterred by his threats or his trickery, "My fear no longer controls me, Zhongcheng."
Boom!
Shattering his pitch black armour, the grandmaster lands a one-inch punch on the commander, its golden explosion throwing him back a fair distance as Shifu clenches his fist. Before either of the two warriors could continue their offense on the enraged wolf, they both hear the Wu-sisters stand back up and rush at them. Su and Wing Wu focus on the elder master whilst Wan trades blows with Mantis, soon being assisted by a now recovered Gongjiang. As they fight on, Zhongcheng gives Shifu a deadly glare, his irises flashing a blue light as the elder master makes eye contact.
Cautious of his new strategy, Shifu knocks away the two leopards before looking over the railing, his eyes focusing on Po trying his best to avoid Tigress' claws. That is, until her good eye flashes a hideous blue and stares at Shifu with a horrific snarl erupting from her throat. An immediate, shameful realisation on Shifu's face as the two sisters charge at him again.
They can't win this. Not when Zhongcheng has such an overwhelming advantage. Not when they are forced to fight their own. In his brief glance down the warehouse, he notices the fatigue building on Po and Viper's bodies. Or is that the pain of having to fight the people they love. Or is it both? He already knows the answer to that. His ears twitch at the sound of Wing and Su-Wu readying themselves to attack him, but he doesn't turn back just yet. They have to get out of here. Their physical and mental strain leaves them all with no other option than to retreat, but how? Steely blue eyes settle on the cannons that have yet to be taken and the explosive ammunition haphazardly scattered around.
An idea set in his mind, Shifu spins back around and clashes with the two leopards whilst Mantis struggles with Gongjiang and Wan. Each time she forces him to dodge her blade, the bison general takes advantage and lands an attack on his side, making his body scream out at his sheer strength. It seems even his own instincts are being used against him, but he can't risk getting sliced in half to get a hit in. Exhaustion weighs down on his body as he goes into his stance again, his opponents looking on with confident smiles. That is, until a hurtling Wing slams into Wan, sending them both off the catwalk. With a jumping spin-kick, Shifu sends Su-Wu flying over to Gongjiang but he bats her away, sending her plummeting down to the warehouse floor. During this distraction however, the grandmaster sprints forward and delivers a chi-powered kick to his left shin, forcing him onto one knee. The bison attempts to attack back but his hoof is immediately caught by the elder master, giving Mantis an opening to shoot forward and land his own chi-powered, triple kick combo to Gongjiang's face.
As he is sent flying down the catwalk, Shifu pulls Mantis aside, "Load up as many cannons as you can, starting with the one underneath us."
Hazel eyes widen in disbelief but then shrink in understanding. He is right to retreat, but not everyone would be getting out of here. "But, master, we can't just-
"We don't have time for this, Mantis. Now hurry down and get Po and Viper to safety."
"Rrraaaaaaagh!"
An earth-shattering roar sends cracks into the warehouse's walls as a brainwashed Tigress leaps upwards, her teeth bare and claws unsheathed, aimed straight at Shifu. Hesitation clouds Shifu's mind for a moment, his sweet tiger cub flashing before his eyes. Reminding him of his daughter now trapped within that monster. Determination floods his eyes as he holds his staff outwards with both paws, absorbing the impact of her pounce as he rolls back and kicks her backwards.
Needing no other commands, Mantis hops down from the catwalk, zooming past the Wu-sisters who are too focused on the grandmaster to notice his descent. As all three of them leap up to his master, he hops towards the cannon he had mentioned and loads it with one of the loose cannon balls lying around. Hazel eyes dart between Zhongcheng's foot soldiers and the brainwashed imperials, thankful of how little attention they are giving him. "Mantis? What the heck are you doing!?" Po's unexpected voice gets him to jump slightly, making him turn to face the battered and scratched panda. "Firing even one of those could tear the whole place apart!"
"That's kinda Shifu's plan." Mantis explains through a strained breath, shoving the cannon ball inside before hopping to another weapon with haste. "Now, if you don't mind, I could use a paw here."
Jade irises can only shift in shocked confusion, "Wait, Shifu's here? And… he wants us to blow this place up? But… what about Tigress, Crane, Monkey!? We can't just leave them here!" A scowl begins to take shape on the panda as the pair reach the other cannon, forcing the insect master to heave out a regretful sigh.
"And trust me, I don't want that either. But we aren't being given much of a choice. It's either we retreat and destroy Zhongcheng's cannons or stay and become part of his army too! Now are you gonna help me or not?" Hazel and Jade stare at each other for a moment until Po's expression wilts in despondence. He's right. They aren't left with a lot of options, and this is the only one that will make sure some at least some of them make it out of here. Reluctance evident in his eyes, the dragon warrior picks up one of the cannon balls and begins loading the weapons alongside his insect buddy.
As his students set his plan to motion, Shifu gets back onto his feet, his brainwashed daughter crashing into Gongjiang before he can charge at the grandmaster. Just as he tries to leap away, the Wu-sisters pounce onto the catwalk, attacking him all at once in an enrage flurry of claw swipes and rapid kicks. Though the grandmaster is able to dodge most of their attacks, they still manage to cut into his flesh with their bladed wheels. Despite his injuries and increasing exhaustion, Shifu manages to push through and knock away the three snow leopards with a single spin of his staff. Right as this happens, Shifu is once again caught off-guard by his brainwashed daughter who leaps at him and throws out wild, barbaric claw strikes. He doesn't dare attack back, instead dodging and blocking her strikes with his staff. Dark, glowing blue eyes glare at the familial stalemate, furious that the damned grandmaster had managed to do the impossible. Blue steel stares back before quickly darting over to a bladed wheel one of the sisters had dropped. With a wrathful, desperate intention forged in his eyes, Shifu rolls under Tigress' double claw swipe and grabs the wheel in his free paw. Zhongcheng looks on, his perplexed expression deflating instantly as the grandmaster kicks the back of the brainwashed tiger's shin. She falls to her knees, snarling as he hops onto her back and throws the wheel at his pale adversary.
Shink!
The commander only just manages to roll out of the way of this unexpected attack, but not without receiving a deep gash on his left cheek. He places a paw on his bleeding wound, holding a putrid glare on the grandmaster as he hops onto the railing. Given little room to breathe, Shifu is forced to block and evade his rabid daughter's attacks, his own desperate attack just failing to hit his mark. He needs to escape, but he has to wait. His remaining students need to get to safety before he can-
"We're ready, master!"
Mantis' panicked shouts shake at his ears, making him take a quick glance at the door to be certain. Sure enough, Po, Viper, and Mantis stand by the warehouse entrance, fending off their brainwashed friends and Zhongcheng's soldiers for as long as they can. Though determination fills his eyes, so does a measure of sorrow. He looks back to the single, blank sclera of his poor daughter, wishing he could free her this instant. But as the Wu-sisters and Gongjiang make their way towards the two, Shifu is given a solemn reminder of his lack of time. They have to retreat now… Without her or Monkey or Crane. "I'm so sorry." Despondence chokes his voice into a breathy whisper, his eyes giving a pained promise to free her. No matter the cost.
With one swift movement, he smacks Tigress away with his staff and leaps down to the floor of the warehouse, channelling chi into his paw as he descends. Gongjiang, the Wu-sisters and Tigress go to follow only for Zhongcheng to bellow a cautious command, "Wait!" His eyes flash as he commands them, stopping Tigress in her tracks whilst his four followers look upon him with confusion. Unlike them, he had heard the insect warrior call to his master. Clearly a call to retreat, but how would they cover their escape? A terrible suspicion filling his mind, the commander looks over the railing only for his eyes to widen in horror as Shifu lands and runs to a nearby cannon. A fully loaded cannon. With a horrific scowl on his face, he roars to his soldiers, "Everyone! Up to the catwalk! Now!" His eyes flash as his command leaves his mouth, making Monkey, Crane and the rest of his brainwashed slaves run back to him whilst most of his soldiers obediently follow on.
Unfortunately for Zhongcheng's now literal cannon fodder, by the time they follow his command, Shifu has already lit the cannon's fuse with a sharp sideway chop of his glowing paw. Within an instant of lighting the fuse, he uses his staggering speed to sprint to his students, knocking away any soldiers foolish enough to keep fighting. "Hurry!"
Kaboom!
A moment after his panicked shout, the heart-stopping explosion of cannon fire deafens the warehouse, acting as an additional signal for both parties to escape. With anchors of regret weighing down on their hearts, the remaining Jade Palace masters run out of the broken-down entrance and up the stairs as the singular cannon ball collides with another loaded cannon.
Kaboom! Boom! Kaboom!
It takes mere seconds for a chain reaction of explosions to engulf the warehouse, coating the entire floor in a torrent of fire. With each fiery shockwave comes several dying screams accompanied by a symphony of final breaths, both silenced by the sheer volume of the explosions. A few cannons impact against the walls and ceiling, some even flinging past the catwalk, making the warehouse's foundation quiver and shake. Dark blue eyes watch on as gorilla soldiers are set on fire whilst many wolves are obliterated by the constant blasts consuming the warehouse. Even a few of his brainwashed rhinos, leopards and ox are caught within the tirade of fire and ash. Their shrieks of pain reach his ears, the deep and hideous groans of combusted and dismantled metal stabbing alongside them like a sharp, merciless dagger. No pain or sorrow is evident in his expression, only an unrelenting, unruly rage. As the explosions finally cease and the pungent stench of smoke overwhelms the fresh stink of death, Zhongcheng's eyes flash once more. At this, Crane flies up to the cavern ceiling and gives a mighty flap of his wings, expelling most of the warehouse of its flames. As he continues to extinguish the sea of flames, Zhongcheng looks to both sides of the catwalk, his wrathful expression only deepening at the sight of his army.
Or what's left of it. What had once been hundreds of men are now reduced to no more than thirty, excluding his lieutenants and the brainwashed masters. Granted, he still has many soldiers at the base on reserve, but this plan was meant to go smoothly. It was so close to being fully realised, without a single problem that could ruin it all. Yet against all odds, Shifu had managed to make his life more difficult yet again. It would seem his chi is not as full proof as he had once thought. With a final group of flames extinguished, he can see his enraged bison brother take in a deep breath. He doesn't even need to speak for the wolf to understand his next order. An order that he interrupts with his own, "Don't bother following them! Any of you!"
Bewilderment fills Gongjiang's face as his canine brother jumps down to the warehouse floor, the general following suit whilst the Wu-sisters and the brainwashed masters follow them both. "Have you gone mad, brother? They are on the run; this is the perfect time for us to give chase and strike them down!"
Taking in the bison general's words, Zhongcheng kneels down to one of the many metal carcasses littering the floor, picking up and inspecting one of the cannon's components before answering him. "We would never be able to reach them; the cannon explosions have bought them too much time." He turns the component in his paw, trying his best to decipher its functionality as he continues, "Besides, their fate will remain the same whether we chase them down now or battle them soon after." Turning to is brother, he tosses the component to him, "Does it look salvageable?"
After a moment, Gongjiang shifts his sight to the component, noting the ash painting its surface and the scratches embedded into it. To his surprise, no major bumps or deformations have formed. "Yes." A genuine chirp of surprise edges its way out of his gruff voice, with Wan leaning to the side to curiously inspect the component herself.
"Excellent." Zhongcheng mutters to himself before standing up and bellowing out, his eyes flashing at the same time, "Search the piles of leftover metal! Bring back anything that looks usable!" Within an instant, several soldiers begin their quest for scorched yet functioning cannon pieces as their commander makes his way towards the warehouse entrance at a heightened pace, with Gongjiang, the Wu-sisters and his brainwashed masters following after him. "Make sure to keep your guard up as we head back to base." His vicious tone is accentuated by a noxious snarl as his pace only grows faster.
Su-Wu gives him a cautious yet intrigued glance as they all match his speed, "Do you suspect someone may be there to meet us?"
His scowl deepening at this question, Zhongcheng explains as he begins to sprint on all fours, "A certain someone had reared their ugly head when I had the dragon warrior at my mercy" At the mention of this 'someone', Gongjiang shares his brother's scowl, "yet when we had an integral part of the emperor's defence strategy in our hands, he had been noticeably absent. Which begs the question," The Wu-sisters' eyes widen as Gongjiang's lets out a growl of his own through broken yet grit teeth, realising just what their commander is suggesting.
"Where is Zhonglei?"
Uh oh, Zhongcheng is pissed. And holy crap, Shifu resisted his mind control, he managed to conquer his fears! There is some hope yet, even if Tigress, Crane and Monkey are all brainwashed. I hope this chapter has been enjoyable, especially considering how crazy I made the last one. Assuming you lot are still reading, I can't exactly tell since FFN's view count is still broken and email notifications are on the fritz... for two months now... I'm gonna be honest its getting really annoying. I just hope that some of you lot will see this update. Regardless, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the story as a whole. I will try to release the next chapter soon, so be ready, cuz the intensity still won't stop. Have a great morning/afternoon/night and until next time :)