Author's Note: Woah, this month has been pretty crazy so far, huh? Megamind 2 being crap, KFP 4 finally coming out (unless you're in the UK, like me *sigh*). I've heard a few of the reviews and... I'm hoping it isn't as bad as people say. What frightens me most is the fact that even the good reviews that give the film a higher rating still says that the film itself lacks depth. It just kinda sucks to hear that coming from a series pretty much known for having an unexpected level of emotional depth. Anyways, enough of this and time for a new chapter. Apologies for taking long, but this one was pretty tough to write, especially the last part. I hope you're ready!

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN KFP (Obviously)

Enjoy... if you can.

Come Back to Me

Arrows fly through the air as the brainwashed master Crane makes a beeline for the pavilion, now back in range of the tiger archers along the wall. Despite their impressive aim, he still manages to evade their arrow-fire whilst keeping his focus on the pavilion's roof. The lead archer fires one last arrow as he ascends higher into the air, his sights set on the hole Shifu and Tigress made in the roof. Just before he dives down, Crane manages to deflect this arrow with his wing and kick it back at said archer mid-air. His eyes widening immensely, the lead archer dodges said arrow in the nick of time, only able to watch on as the bird soldier descends towards the pavilion.

Unaware of the diving bird, Shifu and Tigress exchange blows in the second-floor hallway, the elder master just managing to block her rabid claw swipes with his staff yet unable to land any attacks on her. Her savagery only makes her instincts sharper, her reactions faster, her attacks far more powerful and deadly than before. Yet even with this barbarous amplification, Shifu manages to keep up with her. Looking for an opening, he stays on the defensive as his savage daughter continues her relentless assault. Within moments of shifting focus, he notices her lack of balance in her posture, all of her weight going into her wild swings. Steely blue eyes narrow in focus as he deflects one of her claw strikes and whacks her leg with his staff. Though this stops her for a moment, she regains her footing too fast for him to go on the offensive. As another swipe of her claws glides past his cheek, Shifu counters again, this time hitting her liver. This forces her to recoil in pain, leaving her wide open for Shifu to smack the back of her knee with his staff. She falls to her knees, allowing Shifu to hop onto his staff and connect a flurry of rolling punches onto her chest. Midway through his rapid punches, Tigress kicks out the staff underneath him and grabs him with both paws before he can hit the ground.

With a vicious snarl, she spins around and slams him onto the stone floor right under the hole they made in the roof. She reels her right fist back, completely oblivious to the bird soldier divebombing towards them. Not even Shifu's widened eyes clue her into this, in fact, they only make the vengeful fire in the monster's heart grow into a blaze. As Shifu just manages to veer his head away from her punch, he notes his daughter's deadly, loathing expression focused completely on him. But he doesn't let it distract him, opting to counter her punch with a chi-powered double kick.

Bam!

This sends her flying back through the hole in the ceiling, Crane reacting with an uncaring stomp of his talon on her back as he continues shooting downward. Noticing his brainwashed students haven't slowed down, Shifu dives out of the way as Crane stomps Tigress through the stone floor.

Crash!

Crane slams Tigress' body onto the ground floor, his hollow eyes gaining their bearings as rocks and obliterated shards of stone rain down on him. Before he can fully find his enemy however, Shifu jumps down to the ground floor and kicks him off his brainwashed daughter, only for her to thank him with a swift yet powerful kick to the side. His body hurtles down the side of the pavilion's museum, but he manages to twist his body mid-air and land on his feet. On all-fours, Tigress tries to reach the door leading out towards the emperor's tower only for Shifu to catch up to her with a great sprint and force her back with a double palm thrust.

Her claws create chasms within the floor as his attack creates a powerful gust of wind that pushes her back. Once this wind dissipates, the monstrous tiger glares at him with venom in her single, hollow eye. Though he maintains his strong expression, Shifu's heart breaks at seeing the sickly blue glow dominate her right eye. At seeing what Zhongcheng has turned her into. "This isn't you, Tigress! This has never been you!" He implores to her, praying that his daughter can hear him through whatever nightmare she has been subjected to. "You have to-

His pleas are cut short by another one of her ferocious claw strikes, the grandmaster managing to duck under it before reluctantly exchanging blows with her again.

As they continue their fight, Mantis and Viper trade blows with Monkey at the other side of the museum, the pair reeking of reluctance with each attack they land. In contrast, their brainwashed friend doesn't hold back any of his punches and kicks, forcing them to bolster their defence with each attack he connects. Viper attempts a low sweep with her tail only for Monkey to hop over her and land in a one-armed handstand, managing to send Mantis flying with a punch from his free hand mid-attack. Thinking him distracted, the serpent master tries a downward tail strike but is immediately caught by Monkey's left foot and kicked in the face by his right.

Before she can even try to wriggle free, Crane swoops in and rips her out of the langur's grasp. Sky-blue eyes widen with hope, "Crane?" Yet as her gaze meets with the hollow sclera of her poor bird, this hope dissipates as quickly as it had come. He narrows his eyes as he tightens his grip on her with his right foot and descends even lower to the ground. Before she has time to react, his left foot thrusts down on her head, her face meeting marble as he drags her along the ground. After a few moments, he pulls up and balls his left foot into a fist. Though she hisses in pain at the talons digging into her body and is brought into a momentary daze by her impact with the ground, she manages to recover in time and swerves her head out of the way as he thrusts his clenched fist at her. Within the same movement, she wraps her upper half around his neck and squeezes. "You have to snap out of it, Crane!" She constricts his airways further, forcing the brainwashed master to lose control of his flight and crash onto the floor, tumbling next to the front door. As soon as his grip on her loosens, she slips out of his talons and releases his neck. Within an instant he rises back up and gets into his fighting stance, forcing her to do the same. "Please! I don't want to hurt you."

No reaction is given by the brainwashed bird, only a loathsome scowl directed at an enemy that only he can see. "You just won't stay down. You won't let me be." Viper's heart aches as his glare stabs into her, fatigued from a lifetime of fighting. Pleading for a peace that may never come. A reality that deforms his exhaustion into something vicious and lethal. "But I'm not backing down. Not until we're finally rid of you." Realising that she has no other option, Viper hardens her expression as he shoots towards her, ready to end this.

Whilst this battle commences, Monkey races towards Mantis who had crashed into a pedestal holding master Cheetah's signature nunchaku. Though the pedestal lies in a crumbling heap, the mind-controlled langur is unable to find his target. His hollow eyes scan the wreckage, only to be met with a flying nunchaku to the face. His best buddy now dazed, Mantis hops over and picks up the nunchaku from the ground before thwacking his shin with it, forcing him onto his knees and allowing him to continue his offensive. This legendary weapon has been said to be as light as a feather yet capable of scarring mountains. A fact that is far from hyperbole as Mantis uses them with ease, each hit of this nunchaku stunning his poor friend for long enough. "C'mon, Monkey! How much sense do I have to smack into you to free you, huh!?" No response is given, only an irritated huff as Monkey recovers and begins blocking Mantis' weapon, "It's Mantis! Your best buddy!"

To the insect master's surprise, his brainwashed friend manages to catch one of the nunchaku's handles as his face contorts into a horrid scowl. "Don't you dare talk about him!" Hazel eyes widen in confusion until Monkey lifts him up in the air, the insect master leaping away before he turns around and slams the handle down to the ground. Shards of marble explode into the air upon impact, the insect master still processing what just happened as he lands and catches Monkey's hollow yet wrathful glare. "Not after what you did!"

Did he hear me? Though this question sinks its way into Mantis' mind, his best buddy doesn't give him any time to think it through. As he leaps forward, nunchaku in hand, Mantis readies himself in a hesitant stance.

With the rest of the five fighting each other, Tigress continues her rabid assault on grandmaster Shifu, the pair getting closer to the back door with each block and dodge he manages. Despite her unyielding, vicious strength, Shifu refuses to back down. He deflects another swipe of her paw with his staff, her claws scarring the ancient wood in its search for blood. Right after this attack is thrown out, she aims a low kick at his right leg, making him dodge and balance on his bad leg. Though he grimaces at the pain coursing through his leg, he seizes the opportunity to land a stomp on her shin, making her lose balance as he swings his staff around and swings at her head. To his shock however, she catches the staff in her paws and lets out a menacing growl. Before he can react to this, she yanks the staff towards her and swipes her claws at his bad leg.

Shink!

Shifu grits his teeth hard, muffling an excruciating groan of pain as she digs her claws into his leg, her hollow eye glaring at a grunt beholden only to her. "Your master can cower behind you as much as he likes." He attempts punch after punch on her chest as the monster snarls, the deathly chill in its voice capable of sending the foulest demon running. "I will end him. I will make him pay for what he took from me!" It refuses to budge as a ferocious roar bellows out of its maw, the blood staining its teeth digging a cold, haunting dagger into her father's heart.

What did he make you do? This repulsed, terror-filled thought freezes Shifu in place, allowing the monster to connect a devastating punch to his face and grab him with both paws before promptly chucking him aside. As she sprints to the rear door on all-fours, the grandmaster manages to pull himself out of his morbid questioning. His teeth threaten to shatter at how hard he grits them, his bad leg drowning in torment as blood pours out of the claw marks left in it. Despite this agonising handicap, he pushes the pain aside and stands up with a scowl before hobbling as fast as he can to the retreating monster, using his staff as support.

Unfortunately, the elder master doesn't get far, his ears twitching at the sound of spinning blades slicing the air. He jumps back, grunting in pain as he lands on both feet and pair of bladed wheels embed themselves into the ground in front of him. "The great master Shifu…" Wan's voice echoes around the museum, yet the exact location remains unclear. Steely blue eyes glance around at the ceiling and walls but can find no sign of his foe.

"Reduced to a crippled old fool…" A sadistic pleasure coats Wing's voice, though Shifu can tell something is off. Almost as if it's put on. Before he can try to piece it together, a cloud of smoke envelopes the ceiling of the pavilion, making the snow leopards' whereabouts even more of a mystery. Within moments, both sisters shoot down out of this smoky veil from opposite sides, each sister aiming their bladed wheels at the grandmaster. Just as they do so, Shifu manages to leap onto his staff with one foot and flip over their speeding bodies. This attempt to evade their ambush proves to be in vain as Su-Wu bursts through the grey cloud engulfing the ceiling's ancient tapestry and sends him flying back with a kick to his spine.

As Shifu drops and rolls onto the ground, Su-Wu lands right behind the two wheels lodged into the ground and picks them up. "Such a shame that we have to settle for this." An uncharacteristic seriousness fills her face as her sisters land by her side, her single yellow eye shooting a glare at the rising grandmaster.

"Such a shame you would have to stoop this low to get the exact same outcome." Fatigue devours his gruff voice, yet it fails to snuff out the unyielding, resolute fire within. He picks his staff up off the floor and gets into his fighting stance, "China will never be yours. Now get out of my way." A vicious growl exits his throat at the last command, bringing a fearsome chill up Wan and Wing's spines.

Yet they refuse to show this, or at least, they believe they do. As the Wu-sisters take up their own stances, the grandmaster notices something lingering within their eyes, their visibly rigid posture. Disappointment, uncertainty… Fear. Fear of what? He can't be certain. But knowing the depravity of that horrid wolf, he can make a good guess. As they both hear the rear door shut, Su-Wu utters in the coldest voice her sisters have ever heard from her, "Don't act so sure. Your students aren't here to save you now."

Madness ensues by the front and rear sides of the emperor's palace with soldiers falling left and right, both friend and foe. Whether it be wolf, tiger, rhino or ox, bodies begin to pave a flesh-ridden carpet over the palace's grounds. Some merely unconscious and some having their armour repainted in crimson. Zhonglei's forces manage to stand their ground, but its clear Zhongcheng's army won't be giving up any time soon. Whilst the golden tiger manages to duck and weave his body around the slow yet heavy attacks of two twin gorilla soldiers, his soldiers try their best to form a line to push back the brunt of the damned wolf's forces. Unfortunately for them, one of their heavier soldiers manages to break through this line amidst this chaotic battle.

Zhonglei dodges a downward slam from the left gorilla's hammer, its stone surface scraping his armour as it wounds the ground. In response, he steps on top of this hammer and connects a high kick to his nose, sending the gorilla reeling back as his simian comrade attempts a counterattack. He charges at him shoulder-first, but the tiger general is too fast for him, managing to roll out of the way and slash his chest with his sword. Ruby eyes don't bother to look at him as his body crumples and falls to the ground, choosing to focus on the remaining gorilla soldier who rushes at him with blood spewing out of his now crooked nose. With an enraged yell, he snatches his hammer back up and thrusts at him in all manner of directions. Remaining patient, Zhonglei evades each and every one of these haphazard strikes with relative ease. Soon enough, his opening presents itself in a slow, wide sideways swing of his hammer, allowing him to slide under it and counter with a lethal sword slash to his throat.

"Watch the windows!" As their blood spills on the battlefield, Zhonglei shifts his attention to the lead archer, watching closely as opposing arrows fly at and over the palace's walls. To get a better angle, he leaps up to the pavilion's roof, immediately realising the arrow fire is coming from the nearby skyscrapers, now riddled with the forces of their enemy.

Also hearing this shout, three female tigers fight off their own enemies and gaze up at their general, awaiting his orders. He meets their eyes with an authoritative glare, "Get those towers secured." With swift nods, they obey his gruff command without hesitation.

Slam!

Before he can get back in the fight however, his eyes are drawn to the sound of the pavilion's rear doors being kicked open. At seeing Tigress' form dash off towards the emperor's tower, horror consumes his expression. "Liliang." There's no way Po can handle both her and Zhongcheng at once. I need to stop her and get the emperor out of there! He gets on all-fours to chase after her, only to be interrupted by a brainwashed jaguar pouncing onto him. Punches and wild swipes are thrown as they roll off the roof, both felines landing in a heap on the floor before promptly separating and getting into their stances. His jaguar foe is soon assisted by an imperial ox and one of Zhongcheng's gorillas, making Zhonglei scowl. This won't be an easy fight.

Unaware of the rabid tiger's imminent arrival, Po connects a powerful palm strike onto Zhongcheng's armoured chest, forcing him back a few steps. He runs up for a follow-up attack, but his adversary recovers too quickly, aiming a punch at his liver. Without missing a beat, Po catches his arm and tries to elbow his face only for the wolf to duck under it, landing a paw chop right at his jugular. Holding his throat and coughing out, the dragon warrior takes several paces back, but the commander doesn't relent as he punches him in the stomach and kicks the back of his shin. Forced onto his knees, Po clears his throat with one final cough and gets his head back in the fight, narrowly dodging a kick aimed for the back of his head with a forward roll. Before he can get up on his feet, Zhongcheng rushes over to the panda master and throws out a brutal front kick, sending him stumbling back to the hall's broken window despite blocking it. His ears twitch as the shattered glass of the window crackles and crunches underneath his feet, making a lantern light in his mind. As the wretched commander attempts another haymaker, Po rolls under his arm, picking up a large shard of glass before getting into his stance. Zhongcheng turns around, falling for the dragon warrior's feigned stomach punch and leaving himself open for an unexpectedly sharp surprise.

Shink!

He takes several steps back as a river of crimson flows down his muzzle, eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets as he catches Po's wrist before his follow up stab can connect. Dark blue irises dart over to the bloodied glass mere inches away from the side of his throat, then shift to his foe's eyes that bore into him with a merciless hatred. "You're not the only one who can play dirty." This quip is uttered without even a hint of humour, a dark seriousness embedded in his hoarse timbre as he stares down the vile wolf.

To Po's surprise, Zhongcheng grins at him, refusing to back down in his own stare. "Good. Now you finally understand what it takes to truly do the right thing." Taking advantage of his opponent's momentary shock, he keeps Po's arm in his grip as he connects a spinning elbow strike to his forehead, leaving the panda dazed and wide open. "But let's not kid ourselves, panda." He unsheathes his claws and digs them into Po's wrist, making him drop the bloodied glass and howl out in pain. Dark blue eyes relish in the sound of his agony, the crimson flooding his claws. He turns to face his captive as he digs his claws in deeper, a wicked smile forming on his lips whilst Po grits his teeth to maintain some form of strength. "This wrath, this mercilessness is reserved for me. Isn't it? This is only to free your friends, to be the hero. Or maybe you really can prove me wro-

Wham!

"Just shut up already!" Po growls with venom coursing in his veins as his knee collides with his groin, making Zhongcheng's eyes widen to the size of the sun and a deep, agonising groan escape his maw. And have a taste of your own medicine! This thought flows through his mind alongside the fear-filled chi that flows along his body, the dragon warrior focusing it all into his right paw as the wolf recovers.

Unfortunately, he managed to snap his mind out of the pain just as Po thrusts his paw towards his forehead, letting him catch said paw right before it can connect. A deadly growl exits Zhongcheng's grit teeth as his eyes glow, the wolf charging his own chi into his right paw. "You dare use my own power against me!?"

He thrusts his paw towards Po's head, but he catches his wrist with his left paw. "Like that'll work again!" He yells out with a fowl scowl, his eyes and caught paw glowing brighter as he tries to force his paw forward to no avail. This is soon mirrored by Zhongcheng as the two are locked in a struggle. They try to overpower the other through sheer strength alone only to be locked in a stalemate. Soon enough, the commander attempts to kick him in the shin, in the stomach, anywhere that will make him let go. Gritting his teeth, the dragon warrior joins in and kicks at his feet, but the wolf is just as stubborn, just as resolute. They move away from the broken window and stumble back into the centre of the room, neither combatant closer to overpowering the other than before. Noticing this, an idea forms in Po's head as his spreads his chi out across his whole body, the glow getting dimmer in his caught paw. Baffled by this sudden change in tactic, Zhongcheng observes as he manages to wrench his glowing paw out of the way before reeling his head back. Immediately noticing what he is about to do, the wolf quickly funnels all his chi into his left paw and releases his grip on Po's wrist, but Po manages to thrust his head forward before he can do anything else.

Bam!

A small blue shockwave ripples through the room as Po connects a devastating headbutt right on Zhongcheng's head, flinging the commander onto the giant doors leading to the emperor's throne room back-first. He lands onto the ground with a pathetic thud, his ears ringing and head spinning as the dragon warrior's right paw shines brightly with a sickening blue light. "I'm ending this, now!" Fed up, and tired of the wolf's horrible deeds, Po rushes forward with his paw reeled back, ready to pierce into his twisted mind.

"Rrraaaagh!"

His heart drops as the monster's roar makes the very tower shake. Before he can even get close to Zhongcheng's dazed body, his brainwashed love obliterates the rear doors of the hall and leaps forward, forcing Po to block as she lands a brutal flying kick on him mid-leap. This sends him skidding across the floor until he reaches the centre of the room whilst Tigress lands in front of Zhongcheng. Guilt, shame, sorrow; all these emotions take hold of Po's face as he gazes upon his brainwashed love, at seeing the monster she has turned into as she remains on all-fours, ready to pounce on him at a moment's notice. Finally coming back to his senses, the damned wolf rises to his feet and gives a sadistic smirk at the two, his chance presenting itself. "Such a sad sight, isn't it? To see what our own fears can do to us." That sorrow morphs into an indescribable fury, aimed solely at the wolf's shameless soul, "Our fears, our nightmares. They are inescapable. They haunt us, no matter what hope we delude ourselves with." This fury is set ablaze as Zhongcheng pets her head with his paw, his scowl deepening even more whilst the wolf's smirk only widens. "There is no saving her, panda. Her mind is split in two. She is no longer herself. Only a husk of a warrior trapped by her own terror."

"You're lying. I know her. I know she's in there." Po answers without hesitation, his eyes glowing the same insidious blue light his right paw is engulfed in.

Zhongcheng scoffs, unamused as he opens the throne room's grand wooden doors. "Suit yourself. But your weakness will cost you everything." With that, he enters the throne room, leaving them alone to face each other.

Jade gazes into her single, hollow eye, his face wilting in pain. Her precious eyes that had captivated his soul mere hours ago are nowhere to be seen, only the mark of that dreaded wolf's influence. The beautiful, subtle smile that would always grace him is replaced by the monster's foaming maw; her teeth rotted by blackened blood. Her smooth, sweet voice that would kiss his ears has been transformed into a sickening, barbaric snarl. Yet he doesn't fear the monster before him. "Tigress." A delicate whisper flows from his lips, the weight of a silent promise making his voice breathless. A promise to break her free. To rid herself of the monster that plagues her.

Within moments, the monster's snarl escalates into a roar as it pounces towards him with its claws and teeth bare, ready to dig into him. Ready for the beast's ravenous attack, Po gets into his inner peace stance and immediately parries its first claw strike. Without even needing to look, he deflects another claw strike, readying his right paw as he hops back to avoid a wide sweep of its leg. Before long the monster attacks again, trying to overwhelm the dragon warrior with a barrage of claws only to be dodged and evaded with precise timing. Mid-way through its onslaught, Po bats away both its paws, leaving it wide open for him to thrust his right paw forward and tap its forehead with his glowing finger.

This stops the monster in its tracks as a shockwave of blue light ripples off its forehead and injects itself into its veins, finding its way into Tigress' mind. A small, hopeful breath leaves the panda master's lips as he closes his eyes, concentrating his hardest on reaching the darkest depths of his love's mind. Bracing himself for whatever horrors await him in her worst nightmare.

Smoke and ash sear his nostrils as he feels a great weight topple onto him, the chaotic roar of persistent flames drowning out the sounds of everything else. Glowing blue eyes open to darkness, his vision completely blocked off by bisected stone and heavy rubble. A brief, muffled scream pierces through the thick debris surrounding him only to be snuffed out within an instant. With a grimace, he places his paws onto the ground and pushes himself upwards, his entire body flowing with his fear-filled chi as he tries to get this thing off him. It budges only slightly, letting in a crack of blazing light, the roaring blaze growing into a deafening wail as his muscles tense up. He uses all of his strength to pry the mountain of rubble off him, his ears stinging at the sickening groan that signals his progress. With one arm still placed on the ground, he brings his other arm up to the rubble and pushes with grit teeth, blackened smoke poisoning his lungs as more air is let in. Finally feeling the weight of this rubble slipping off him, Po pushes himself out with a final grunt, rolling himself out into the street as the rubble topples onto itself behind him. Now free, his eyes dart around only to be paralysed in horror.

Seas of fire pave the rooves of modest houses and businesses, their pale stone structures decaying into piles of blackened debris. Wheelbarrows and carts are toppled over, some completely smashed to pieces. Scars and scorch marks line every inch of the road beneath his feet, with arrows and exploded bombs scattered around. No sun nor moon litters the skies, consumed by obsidian clouds of smoke, the panda unable to tell if it is day or night. Carpets of ash line every walkway and every path, laced with puddles of crimson and molten metal. Yet, what catches Po's eye above everything else are the corpses that have made the streets their tomb. Ducks, geese, pigs, sheep, wolves, gorillas, rhinos, civilians, soldiers, men, women…even children. He loses count of how many bodies he sees; he doesn't want to know how many there are. Unable to bear the sight of it, he turns his head back towards the rubble only for his eyes to widen at the shattered hanzi that lies in front of it.

Dragon warrior noodles and-

Though the restaurant's namesake is cut off, he immediately realises where he is. Where Tigress' greatest nightmare takes place. The Valley of Peace. Invaded, destroyed, lost. Though his heart aches at the sight of it all, the dragon warrior puts on a brave face, reminding himself that none of this is real. Reminding himself not to break, no matter how harrowing or haunting the sights of this dreamscape may be.

"Rraaaaaagh!" A monstrous roar gains his attention, his eyes noticing three figures far down the road. Two wolves and a tiger. He watches as the tiger strikes down the first wolf with ease, tearing it apart with its sharp claws whilst the other wolf stands back, possibly paralysed in fear. Even Po feels a terrified chill race up his body at the barbaric display, but he steels himself. Knowing that there must be some way to get her out of this. He takes a step forward, only to stop himself immediately as something else reaches his ears amidst the deafening fire and brutal, beastly roars. Something quieter, something… drowning in grief. He turns his head towards the sound, his eyes widening in pain at the new sight that pummels grief into his heart.

The Jade palace. Obliterated beyond recognition, reduced to nothing but a colossal wreck. The mountain that had once housed this legendary place now lies among the ruins of the thousand steps, skeletons of rock and earth embedded into wounded stone. The aftermath of a horrid avalanche, the culprit of said devastation lying inside a molten crater where the mountain used to be. His eyes shift downward, glossing over the desolate steps, ignoring the familiar bodies indented into them as they stop upon something peculiar. An iron door embedded into the bottom of the thousand steps, as if it has always been there. A sight that brings a perplexed expression to his face until the sound rings into his ears again, now clearer amongst the cacophony of the brutalised valley.

Crying.

That's what he is hearing. That's what emanates from the iron door. His eyes widen in realisation as he remembers what Tigress had told her of her past. Of her mistreatment in Bao Gu. Of what they called her. The monster of Bao Gu. But… it doesn't make sense, if she is down the other side of the valley's main road, then who is… Her mind is split in two. She is no longer herself. Only a husk of a warrior trapped by her own terror. Zhongcheng's words echo in Po's mind. Despondence takes hold of his features as he gazes upon the iron door, realising just what is going on. He was telling the truth. No, not the whole truth. He can save her. He knows he can. Hardening his resolve once more, Po rushes down the road towards the iron door, ignoring the one-sided battle that commences with the monster and the lone, terrified wolf.

With each step he takes, these cries only grow louder, the pain in Tigress' voice tearing his heart apart. Glowing blue eyes ignore the corpses strewn around the street, the ash enveloping his feet. All he can focus on is that dreaded iron door. All he can focus on is his trapped love. "T-they're all g-gone." His ears shiver in recognition at Tigress' hoarse voice, pain punctuating her very being, scarring her soul. "Shifu, the five… Po." She continues to wail loudly as he gets closer and closer to the iron door, "My sweet Po… Come back to me… Please… Come back to me…" Though she whispers in vain, her panda stops just in front of her door and peers inside, his face falling further into despondence as he gazes upon her form. Her clothes tattered and torn, her ears flat against her skull, her eyes consumed by tears as she cradles herself, wishing for his warm embrace.

"I'm right here." He whispers out, causing her to dart her head upwards and stare at him in shock with her single hollow eye.

Her bottom lip wobbles at the sight of him through the door's opening, recognising her love immediately. But she immediately notices the blue glow in his eyes, making her hug herself tighter as she looks away. "Don't toy with me. Leave me be."

Though he retracts his face slightly in confusion, it is with a quick look at the chi coating his body that he realises just what she thinks. "No. No, Tigress. It's me." Within moments, the blue glow that had once surrounded his body dissipates and a pair of jade eyes now gaze at the tormented tiger locked inside. "It's Po. Your Po."

Shock once again settles in on her face, relishing the sight of his kind eyes as she stands to her feet and approaches the door. With care, she reaches her paw out and places it on his cheek, caressing his face as if she is handling porcelain. As if he were a ghost that could disappear at any moment. Yet no matter how much she relishes in his warmth, he remains. "Po?" Tears pour down her eyes once more, yet this time they release their grief rather than drown her in it. For the first time in what feels like forever, a measure of happiness is reflected within those rivers flowing down her cheeks. Po places his paw atop hers and graces her with a soft, sweet smile. One that sends a brilliant warmth into her heart. A warmth that she had missed for far too long. With a shaky smile filling her face, she places a passionate, longing kiss on his lips. Po reciprocates without hesitation, knowing how much she needs this. How much he needs this. Yet, even in this, he has to remain brief. They separate, with a clear question filling Tigress' eye. "How… How are you alive?" Upon asking this, she nuzzles her cheek against his, cherishing the unlikely return of her love.

"I've always been alive." Though a truthful answer, it is far too cryptic for the tiger to immediately understand as she rears her head back. Upon seeing her befuddled expression, Po continues, "What happened to the Valley, what happened to our family. It's not real." Unfortunately, her confusion only deepens as she steps back from the door and looks down, thinking back to that dreaded day. The day when Zhongcheng had taken everything from her. "None of this is real. Zhongcheng got into your head, made you live out your worst nightmare. Just like he made me live out mine." She remembers feeling something tap against her head, she remembers the wolf's frustrated grumbles. But… had it actually worked? Was all of this really… in her head? Though Po can't see it, parts of Tigress' irises begin to slowly fade back in as she thinks through it all. The sudden invasion of the valley, the destruction of everything and everyone she knows and loves. It all had happened so fast. So fast that she can barely remember how it had happened at all. Noticing the gears turning in her head, the dragon warrior allows himself to smile wider, unaware that the monster's battle had finished moments ago. Unaware that its singular eye is trained solely on him. "I'm alright, Shifu, Viper and Mantis are alright. But Crane and Monkey need our help. They need you. I need you." Those memories, that horrible day. It was all a lie, planted by that horrid wolf. "Come back to me, Tigress. Please." A resolute scowl forms upon Tigress' face as her right eye regains its amber jewel and banishes the sickly blue light that had once infected it, her left iris now a milky white.

She turns to face her love, the sight of her beautiful eyes making him smile wider until she notices something rushing up behind him. "Po!"

Shink!

An agonising scream bursts out of Po's mouth as the monster's arms wrap around him and its claws dig into his chest and side. "You think you can fool us!?"

"No! Let go of him!"

Ignoring Tigress' heart-wrenching screams of protest, the beast throws him down and holds his face to the ashen ground. "You have the gall to wear his face after what you did!" Though she throws punch after punch at the iron door, not a single dent is made in its surface. Even with all her strength, the door refuses to budge, making her watch as the monster reels its arm back. Po tries to punch it off, but the beast doesn't even react to his attacks at all. "I won't let you hurt us again! I won't let you!" With this vicious roar, the monster thrusts its arms forward and slices his throat with its claws.

"Po!"

Thrust out of Tigress' turbulent mind, Po holds his head as it swells with agony, the blue chi enveloping his body fading away whilst his brainwashed love recovers. He takes several steps back, trying his best to push away the horrific headache engulfing his mind until a horrific snarl manages to pierce through the unyielding torment that pummels his head. As he looks up, the monster rushes at him with barbaric claw strike, giving him little time to do anything but block it.

Shink!

A painful yelp bellows out of the dragon warrior's maw as the beast's claws rip through his sleeve and dig deep into his arm, waterfalls of crimson forming before he kicks the monster away. He grits his teeth and hisses as he cradles his wounded arm, mentally cursing himself for his failure. He should've been faster; he should've taken care of her monster first. He should've saved her. Amidst this guilt however, another growl catches Po's attention. Yet this one isn't aimed at him specifically. To his confusion, the beast begins to grab at its head as it snarls and growls with a rabid intensity, clearly struggling, fighting against something. No, someone.

Jade eyes widen as he gazes at his brainwashed tiger, the beast forced to its knees in its attempts at holding in its prisoner. Yet Tigress is able to break through for a moment, gazing directly at her panda despite the monster's overwhelming hold on her. The world stops in its tracks as she pleads in a hoarse, tense voice, clearly struggling to take control. "Po… Help… me." She can't speak anymore as the monster overpowers her soft voice with a mighty, primal roar.

Its in this moment, that Po's heart sinks and a deep, vengeful scowl takes hold of his face. It's in this moment that nothing else matters. Not the battle being waged outside, not the pain eating away at his arm, not even his own life. All that matters is beating this monster and freeing her. He has to keep fighting. For her. His face becomes the very manifestation of wrath as his body erupts in a mix of blue and gold chi, giving the monster controlling Tigress' body an expression that makes the very earth tremble. "Let her go!" He roars at the beast as it gets on to all-fours, taking up his own stance in preparation for its next savage attack. They stare each other down, the battle to save Tigress' mind ready to begin.

Oh dear, the battle truly has begun now, hasn't it? And poor Tigress! Now she must truly fight her inner demons/monsters whilst Po... also fights her monster. Believe me, if you are expecting the story to go in a particular direction in regards to this... let's just say I've got something a bit more unexpected up my sleeve. (Or expected, depending on how well you can read my mind.) Anyways, the action and drama will only ramp up in the next chapter so I hope you're ready and until next time! :)