Twin Dragons

Talons of the Owl

"Focus, Po!" Fenghuang told her new student.

The panda had already formed a fireball between his hands and was already on his way to learning the Mongolian Fireball.

Finally, the attack grew big enough to Fenghuang's satisfaction.

"Now!" Fenghuang told him.

Po leaped into the air and unleashed the attack, destroying a training dummy in a singular move.

"Excellent, you've done well!" Fenghuang complimented.

"That move took a bit more energy than the Thundering Wind Hammer," admitted Po.

"Yes, I suspect the Thundering Wind Hammer compliments your body type more than the Mongolian Fireball," Fenghuang speculated. "But for now, we'll end the day with these two moves before moving on to the others."

"So could you tell me more about what you did after you left the Jade Palace?" asked Po.

"Oh, you know, wandered around a bit, found a new instructor," Fenghuang told him. "Eventually, after I mastered all I needed to master, I decided to settle down here in a remote area where few could find me... that is until you came along."

"Really, it's kind of a lonely life up here," Po looked around, noting the remoteness of her location. "Say, I think I have an idea! I don't know why I didn't think of it when I left the Jade Palace!"

"Hmm, what's that?" asked the owl.

"Fenghuang, how'd you like to come with me to the Panda Village?" offered Po. "From what you told me, it sounds like Wudang is off the table for now. But the Panda Village where my dad is from is also a safe remote area."

"That sounds very interesting," Fenghuang said thoughtfully. "Perhaps I would like to come one day."

oooo

Tai Lung sat in the office of a job bureau, managed by a white rabbit. Finding work was tough and the fact that he had a criminal record didn't help matters. But he had to make a living in some way.

"So, uh, you're the legendary Tai Lung, correct?" asked the rabbit.

"That is correct," the snow leopard answered.

"Based on what you've written for me, it sounds like bodyguard service might be the best fit for you," the rabbit told him.

"Yes, I imagined you'd tell me something like that," Tai Lung replied. "Though it might be best if I worked away from the imperial capital for a while."

"I see," the rabbit looked down at his notes. "Well, in any event, there are several rich, wealthy nobles in the area who could use a person of your high skill level if working in the imperial capital of Luoyang doesn't interest you."

"Thank you," Tai Lung told him.

"In any event, travel is getting treacherous," the white rabbit said to the leopard. "If there aren't bandits lurking in the forests, it's treacherous mountainous terrains we have to deal with."

"Are you an experienced traveler?" asked Tai Lung.

"I am," the rabbit told him. "Just the other day, my wife and I were traveling together. We didn't encounter any bandits, mind you. But we did nearly slip and fall to our doom. Then a panda tried to save us but nearly fell himself. Then funny thing, an owl saved all of us."

"An owl, you say?" Tai Lung's eyes narrowed.

"Yes, she had deep, purple eyes and a purple martial arts uniform," the rabbit answered. "I didn't really catch her name though."

Then the rabbit noticed the deep, unsettled expression on Tai Lung's face.

"Is something wrong?" asked the rabbit.

Tai Lung immediately got up.

"Apologies for cutting this short but I really must go now," Tai Lung said to him.

"What? Why?"

"If this owl is who I think she is, that panda's in greater danger than he realizes!" Tai Lung snarled.

Immediately, the snow leopard leaped out the window of the rabbit's office.

"That was unexpected," the rabbit looked out his window as Tai Lung ran off at top speed.

oooo

"Excellent, Po!" Fenghuang dodged an attack by Po. "Your skills are sharp from years of Shifu's training!"

Po exchanged multiple blows with the owl as the two sparred. Fenghuang avoided a kick and smacked Po across the head with a back-wing across the skull.

"Ow!" Po cried.

Po flipped forward and kicked Fenghuang in the chest, knocking her back.

"Good," Fenghuang complimented. "You've already got a stable martial arts background so there's no need to treat you like a rookie!"

The two clashed once more, punching and kicking at each other. Finally, Fenghuang flew above one of Po's punches and came down, driving her feet into the ground, creating a shockwave of energy that knocked Po into the air.

"Whoa!" Po cried.

Fenghuang slapped both wings together, creating a powerful wind attack that knocked Po back several yards.

"What was that?" Po wondered aloud.

"It's something I'll teach you down the line," Fenghuang told him. "Now get up and let's continue this."

Po got back up on his feet as both owl and panda circled each other.

"Is it me or am I hearing footsteps?" asked Po.

"It's not just you," Fenghuang heard them as well. "Let's put this little session on hold, shall we?"

Suddenly, multiple soldiers appeared at the top of the stairs. However, instead of imperial soldier rhinos, both Po and Fenghuang saw an army of water buffalo warriors coming up the stairs.

"Who are these guys?" asked Po.

"Bad news," Fenghuang grimaced. "Which means I've been found out."

"At long last, we've found YOU!" a particularly large water buffalo walked out in front of all his troops.

Next to the water buffalo was a female scorpion with a black stinger.

"We collaborated reports of owl sightings in a lot of different places," Scorpion told Fenghuang. "And this area was one place rife with owl sightings."

"I'm sorry, who are you guys again?" asked Po.

"I am Temutai, Warrior King of the QIDAN!" screamed the water buffalo.

"And I am Scorpion," Scorpion replied. "The Qidan Clan and I are here on a retrieval mission. We're taking Fenghuang back to Wudang to face sentencing so this doesn't concern you, panda."

"Face sentencing?" Po looked mildly frustrated that everything in his life was getting upended again. "For what?"

"She didn't tell you?" Scorpion smiled. "Long ago, Fenghuang challenged our master Pai Mei in a duel for full possession of his branch of Wudang. Suffice to say, she didn't win but escaped before Pai Mei could execute her for challenging his authority. Since then, our master has wanted to make an example out of her."

"Yes, so butt out of this, panda," Temutai warned. "This doesn't concern YOU!"

"Is this true?" Po asked Fenghuang.

"It is," the owl confirmed. "But challenging Pai Mei wasn't the first time I challenged another master. Outside the Jade Palace, it's more common than you think for masters to challenge one another for possession of their school."

"You challenging him isn't the problem," Scorpion pointed out. "Pai Mei relishes the chance to prove his power. But what he didn't appreciate was how you tried to escape the consequences of your actions by flying away instead of being destroyed as an example."

"Yes well, some of us like living and not dying in a duel to the death," Fenghuang shrugged.

"Last chance, panda," Temutai warned. "STEP ASIDE!"

"Alright, I've had just about enough," Po stepped up. "I've been through a lot lately. I lost everything and everyone I knew in my old life. Got rejected by someone I thought I could be friends with. Became a wanted criminal. And now, I finally meet the one person who accepts me for who I am. And if you think you're just going to take her, I got news for you. I. Don't. Think. So."

"You've sealed your fate, panda," Scorpion hissed.

"Normally, Pai Mei keeps his more powerful minions with him at his temple," Fenghuang told Po. "These warriors are the lower level ones he sends out as scouts."

"LOWER LEVEL?!" Temutai roared.

"You've got some nerve, Fenghuang!" Scorpion raised a claw at her.

"Am I wrong?" Fenghuang taunted. "Then prove me wrong. Let's have a two-on-two duel. Prove you're not the weaker minions sent out to test the waters."

"Very well!" Scorpion snapped her claws.

"I'll take you," Fenghuang told Temutai.

"Guess that just leaves us as dance partners," Po said to Scorpion.

Scorpion responded by charging Po, who quickly dodged the attack. However, Scorpion swung her tail, knocking Po on his back. As the panda looked up, he saw Scorpion raising her stinger and bringing it down on him. Quickly, Po flipped over on his feet to avoid the blow.

"Lucky you," Scorpion told him. "One sting and you'd be hallucinating."

"I know poison when I see it," Po frowned, grabbing Oogway's staff tightly.

Scorpion charged again, swinging her tail. Twirling his staff around, Po blocked all of the tail blows but Scorpion leaped up, grabbing the staff with both her claws.

"The master would like this staff for his collection!" Scorpion told Po.

"No way! I had to give up a lot of things but I'm not giving this up!" Po told her.

While her claws were still clasped to the staff, Scorpion began thrusting her tail at Po's head. Quickly, Po had to dodge the quick thrusts that came at him fast.

"Hey, no fair!" Po cried. "This is like you having a third arm!"

Scorpion responded by twirling her claws and flipping Po on his back, with her soon on top of him.

"Say good night, panda!" Scorpion cried.

She swung her tail down, trying to hit Po in the face with her stinger but Po moved at the last second, avoiding it. As Scorpion raised her tail again, Po planted a foot under her and kicked her off.

Scorpion flipped across the air but landed on all of her feet. She charged again, snapping at Po with her claws who blocked them with his staff, taking care now to let her get a good grip again.

However, Po didn't totally pay attention to his footwork, which Scorpion soon took advantage of. Instead of attacking Po's upper body, this time one of Scorpion's claws swung out and hit Po in the heel, knocking him off balance and sending him to his back again.

"Ow!" Po cried.

Scorpion leaped up, coming down once more with her stinger, with more killing intent this time.

Realizing his predicament, Po flipped out of the way this time to avoid the attack but this time, powered up Oogway's staff with his own innate chi.

"You want the staff?!" Po step-sided another tail swing from Scorpion. "You can have it!"

Raising the staff up after seeing an opening that Scorpion left open after her attack, Po brought the staff down, striking Scorpion on the forehead and unleashing a powerful burst of energy.

By the time Po lifted it back up again, Scorpion groaned briefly before falling unconscious from the power of the attack.

"Be careful what you ask for," Po told Scorpion, flipping Oogway's staff around a few times.

In the meantime, Temutai was struggling to land a single hit on Fenghuang.

"Stay still, damn you!" Temutai growled.

"What's wrong?" taunted Fenghuang. "Is the King of the Qidan helpless before this old, frail owl lady?"

"Hardly!" Temutai snarled.

The water buffalo punched at Fenghuang several times who swerved past all the blows skillfully. Fenghuang dodged another haymaker and loudly smacked Temutai across the face with a wing.

"Agh!" Temutai cried. "You will regret that, WITCH!"

Temutai charged at her, destroying a statue behind Fenghuang in a single blow.

Fenghuang flew into the air and dove down, striking the ground, unleashing her chi and knocking Temutai off his feet with a shockwave.

Temutai tried to get up again but Fenghuang struck him multiple times as soon as he was on both feet. The water buffalo swung at her but she dodged it and unleashed the Thundering Wind Hammer right into his stomach, knocking him back into a rock.

"Your axe!" Temutai shouted at one of his soldiers.

The Qidan warrior complied and tossed his axe towards Temutai who caught it and swung it around a few times.

"If you couldn't land a hit on me before, having a weapon isn't going to increase your odds," Fenghuang pointed out.

"Die!" Temutai cried, charging at Fenghuang.

He swung at Fenghuang who flew into the air to avoid the blow. At once, Fenghuang unleashed multiple razor feathers towards Temutai. The Qidan leader realized what they were and quickly blocked some of those feathers coming at him with his axe. Once his vision was clear, however, Fenghuang kicked him across the face, sending him stumbling back.

Still not deterred, Temutai charged, swinging his axe at Fenghuang wildly. The owl dodged and weaved past every blow, infuriating the massive water buffalo even further.

"This isn't going to end the way you want it," Fenghuang warned.

"Shut up!" Temutai screamed, swinging at her from his right.

Fenghuang timed her attack perfectly, swinging her wing at him from another angle. Before the bladed part of the axe could even touch her, Fenghuang's razor sharp wing cut through the wooden handle of the axe, sending the metal part of it flying across the air and landing on the ground near one of the Qidan buffalos, who screamed in terror.

"What?!" Temutai looked aghast.

Fenghuang hit Temutai with a flurry of moves and then finished him off by hitting him with another Thundering Wind Hammer, knocking him into his soldiers.

"Had enough now?" asked Fenghuang as Po walked up to her side after having defeated Scorpion.

"Yeah, it's time for all of you to skedaddle!" Po told them.

"Ugh," Temutai cleared his head, getting up. "You won't get away with what you just did! Men, capture both the panda and the owl!"

The soldier gripped their weapons and ran towards Po and Fenghuang.

"Well, I suspected it would come down to this," Fenghuang rolled her eyes.

Revealing a smoke bomb she had in her uniform, Fenghuang threw it down, exploding it in front of the troops as they drew near.

"No!" Temutai screamed as Scorpion began stirring.

"What... what happened?" Scorpion asked.

After the smoke cleared, everybody could see Fenghuang flying off into the distance across the mountains with Po hitching a ride on her back.

"What does it look like?" Temutai growled. "The panda and the owl got AWAY!"

oooo

As Tai Lung reached the mountains, he was greeted by a sight in the distance. It looked like a large bird of prey and she was carrying Po on her back.

"Po, you fool," Tai Lung got up, looking at the direction they were going. "What have you gotten yourself into?"

Deep down, Tai Lung wondered if getting into that fight with Po was even worth it. In the heat of the moment, he needed to let off some steam after everything he'd undergone but now he realized that his actions drove Po directly into Fenghuang's wings and that was a place nobody in the Jade Palace needed to be in.

While he couldn't fully make out if the winged creature was an owl or not, Tai Lung was fairly certain that it was Fenghuang. And the black and white passenger on her back could be none other than Po. What they were doing flying together was a mystery to him but he would find out for himself soon. Turning towards the direction they were flying, Tai Lung gave chase, running on all fours.

"Hate me for this all you want, Po," Tai Lung snarled as he ran. "But I'm doing this for your own good!"

oooo

"Man, that was some battle!" Po told Fenghuang as the two sat near the fireplace. "You've really got some moves!"

"I learned from the best," Fenghuang told him. "And so can you. I can take you to places both Oogway and Shifu could never have dreamed of!"

Po looked a little bothered that the owl was implying she could do better than his master and Oogway but decided not to say anything.

"So, uh, where do we go from here?" asked Po.

"Well, my mountain hideout is discovered," Fenghuang replied. "We'll just have to find some other sanctuary."

"Got any place in mind?" asked Po.

"Not sure," Fenghuang warmed her wings next to the fire. "Maybe we'll head out further west tomorrow."

"You know, I know we're low on options," Po told her. "But there's still one place we could go to that's safe for both of us."

"Really?" asked Fenghuang. "Where is it?"

"It's the Panda Village in the mountains I mentioned earlier," Po told her. "It's the village where my dad used to live. It's a pretty safe and secure place, away from prying imperial eyes or evil kung fu masters looking to destroy us."

"Hmm," Fenghuang looked down thoughtfully. "You're right, Po. A fresh start would be in order for both of us right now."

"I bet if they had a master like you there, the pandas there would be safe from any threat," Po told her. "The way you beat Temutai was just AWESOME! You could probably train the entire village better than I ever could!"

"First things first," Fenghuang told him. "We'd have to get to your village before I even get to do all that."

"So, uh, those guys we fought," Po asked nervously. "You said they were just scouts?"

"Yes," Fenghuang confirmed. "Pai Mei usually sends his lower level scouts on missions to find targets. Should his weaker minions fail, he may send progressively more powerful servants after us depending on how much he really wants to get me."

"Then that means we have to get out of here and find sanctuary," Po nodded. "Fenghuang, I'd be honored to have you join me on a journey to the Panda Village."

"PO!"

An ear-splitting roar erupted, causing Po to wince and Fenghuang to turn her head in curiosity. Before them was Tai Lung on all fours. Soon, the snow leopard got on both feet with a dead serious expression.

"Get away from her, Po!" Tai Lung snarled.

"What?!" Po looked shocked. "Why?!"

"Do you have any idea why she's no longer associated with Oogway?" Tai Lung pointed a finger at her. "Or what she tried to do to Shifu?!"

To be continued.