Hey everyone! Guess what… a new update!

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Chapter 24: Face-Off

Our small group of Kung Fu fighters ran through the heavy rain: through dark corridors and cobblestone streets…en route to challenge the Chameleon once and for all.

While on our way, I heard Po running beside us…saying, "first, we get the staff."

"Then we send the lizard packing" Master Wolf added.

"The Spirit Realm sounds like a start" Zhen chimed in, "Po, you should totally use your super secret Kung Fu move on her!"

"It's not so much a secret anymore if you're telling everybody!" He retorted as she rolled her eyes.

Our gang jumped across a small river connecting two streets on opposite sides: to the left is the half-broken bridge that leads to the Chameleon. Turns out, Chameleon's reptilian guards were dealing with Han and the Den of Thieves that had descended upon them throughout the area (namely the alleyways and rooftops above.) Funny enough, Po's parents had joined the fray.

Near the end of the bridge above, there were a dozen guards who were blocking entry into the main city square.

The others were more than ready to meet them in battle. I hesitated a bit inside, but I had to set my concerns aside and follow their lead: climbing the side of the half-demolished white bridge.

No more doubts…Chameleon's got to be stopped.

We met the lizard guards…they soon rushed us with their spears and swords. The four of us break away as the reptiles split into groups of three.

The trio after me tried to subdue me, but I managed to outpace them. I ducked quickly: narrowly avoiding a swipe before kicking the aggressor away with my naked foot. The last two rushed in with their pikes just as I pulled out my bolas: managing to wrap them around my opponents' weapons. In response, the two guards are forcibly pulled toward one another: knocking them out.

Po parried a side swipe and pulled his opponent toward him: throwing the soldier toward two others that were running up to him from behind.

Zhen and Master Wolf had their backs against one another: both anthros spun and kicked away their foes in a synchronized manner.

Once the dozen guards were dealt with, we proceeded through the last leg of the bridge. Wolf turned to me with a light smile…impressed by my fighting capabilities and the fact I was using her moveset. It was a proud smile…like that of a parent and I had managed to catch that gesture from her (and inside I kind of blushed a bit…I'll admit.)

"I can see why Chameleon took you two in…" Master Wolf had said.

"Thanks?" Zhen retorted slightly.

"We'll have to proceed with caution…if she has trained you and Mia…she'll know all your moves, yes?"

"Not all of them." Zhen hinted.

Wolf raised an eyebrow, looking at Po who was running beside her. He winked at the canine who still didn't understand (yet, that was all she needed to know…both of them had a trump card up their sleeve to use against the Chameleon.)

"Remember, the staff!" Po reminded before we all nodded.

Now we're in the square once again and the rain finally stopped: most of the shops and homes had been ransacked or set ablaze by Chameleon's forces. Speaking of whom, she turned around to face us…the portal to the ethereal realm finally closed as she gave us a wicked smile. The glow from the blood moon and the fires nearby had made her look toward us particularly nightmarish in appearance.

Zhen and I hesitated, stopping in place as Po and Master Wolf walked ahead of us to confront her.

"I underestimated you, Po."

"T-thank you?" He said awkwardly, having his timid paws close to his belly…taken aback by this comment.

"It's quite a shame, really…if you weren't so gullible…I would have tolerated your insolence" the Empress said, twirling the Staff of Wisdom as if it was a toy.

"Enough! Just give us the staff!"

Chameleon snickered, squinting her eyes to focus on Master Wolf, "you want it, take it!" Suddenly the reptile threw the weapon toward us and the Mongolian wolf caught it in midair. Once she landed, the deceased master gave a confused face, "well that was…surprisingly easy…"

Yet, the truth of why the sorceress did that was far more sinister. Unbeknownst to Wolf: she was just given the power to use the staff thanks to Chameleon giving it to her, yet the wolf didn't know this. Essentially, the staff was "useless" under her possession for she didn't know how to use its power, "you would have been easy prey for me had Mei not intervened. I have the power of all the legendary Kung Fu masters at my disposal…well, almost all of them…" her toxic slit eyes focused on the "dog" who's ears flicked in response. Now knowing what the Empress of Juniper City is capable of, she felt fear overtake her.

Po soon stood in her way to protect her, throwing an arm out to shield Master Wolf, "not if I can help it!"

Zhen and I soon joined them: it was the four of us against Lady Chameleon after all.

The latter is pleased by our reaction, however, "perhaps this is destiny…a final face-off between formidable adversaries…alike in so many ways…"

"I don't think we're alike…" Wolf growled.

"I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to the flabby panda next to you" Chameleon snapped back as Wolf growled in annoyance.

Po began pacing across his ultimate enemy as she began doing the same…they were like two sharks circling one another: waiting for the opportunity to strike…

"We've both risen from the highest of heights. It's a shame only one of us can come out on top" Lady Chameleon muttered, brandishing her lizard tongue at him.

"If I had a dumpling for every time a villain had to talk before a battle…I'd consider franchising."

"Enjoy this fleeting moment, panda. Once I dispose of all of you…I will expand my rule from this city to every other city and town…from here to your insignificant Valley of peace…I will wipe all trace that you ever existed!"

"Yeah, I know…I saw it in my vision." The Dragon Warrior sighed.

Master Wolf walked up, displayed her claws at her, and snarled in response, getting in her signature pose, "boy, you really do monologue" the canine said in her deep voice.

The sorceress laughed evilly, but sure enough, Po pacified…attempting a different tactic, "look…it's probably time you and I made a change…"

She amusingly snorted back in response to this, "I'm the Chameleon, I do nothing but change!"

"Only on the outside…real change comes from within!"

Zhen and I heard this as our group circled her like a bunch of vultures…yet the reptile stood her ground. The Dragon Warrior stepped closer, ever so slightly, pleading with her, "and if we're really alike as you say…then maybe we both could let go of who we were and become something better than we already are! What do you say?"

Master Wolf, Zhen, and I already knew Po's ultimatum wouldn't work, but for a fleeting moment, she considered his notion. But…it wasn't meant to be, even in this alternate reality.

The anger, and the frustration of her past came back. Chameleon wanted everything…she wanted those who scorned her to pay…watch them suffer! She will be the ONLY Kung Fu Master left in the universe, her!

"I say…" she cut herself off, transforming into the legendary Lord Shen! Her false feathers glowed brightly red as they unfurled. Shortly after, she lunged for Po and we jumped in to intervene. Unfortunately, her abilities in this body were more than enough to keep us at bay. Her steel-like feathers threatened to cut our flesh and our group ended up having to move away.

I mentally facepalmed…just like the vulpine across from me.

"Let's try getting her from behind!" Zhen muttered toward me as I nodded.

Wolf and Po were smacked away by Shen/Chameleon, but the panda got back on his feet to counter. Not too far away, the defeated Tai Lung said from the darkness of his cage to a fellow Master, "well, I saw that coming…"

I rolled my eyes, having heard that as Zhen and I flanked the reptile, I think we all did, Tai Lung, I thought to myself.

Master Wolf jumped in to try and bite "Lord Shen" but they were too fast and she ended up striking the floor with a thud. The flabby panda used the canine's back as a boost and jumped at their opponent, fist out. As expected, the latter dodged and kicked them away. Wolf recovered from the fall and shook her head…narrowing her auburn eyes before jumping up and running for the duo. Po tried to strike his ultimate foe again, but they showed their tail feathers to confuse him: just before a fist passed through…striking him in the face! Chameleon had turned into General Kai (in a flash!)

Now she tried to charge at him with their horns and this is where Master Wolf stepped in…jumping in and stopping Kai in their tracks. The wolf had grabbed their horns. With all her might, she picked them up and threw the Chameleon toward a cage. It was enough to cause the lizard to be stunned for several seconds.

Meanwhile, as all of this was happening, Zhen and I were about to jump in and help the duo; however, we both soon heard a family yelling nearby. Next to me, Zhen slowly took off her blue hood to see that a pair of kids (what seemed to be piglets) were stuck in debris around a fire. Several onlookers tried helping but it wasn't working. And so, the vulpine and I went in to assist them.

"Help, help!" The older child cried out as the parents tried their best to pull. We made it to them and Zhen and I took opposite sides, "ready?" She asked us before we all nodded, "pull!" We all struggled…using all our strength, but sure enough we created a small opening for the kids to squeeze through to safety! Once they're out we pull away as the fire managed to consume the debris…we got them out on time: we saved them.

The children are reunited with their family and they look to us for thanks…particularly me. For a fleeting moment, I could see the admiration they had for what I had done…and that sent a strange, warm, feeling inside me.

It wouldn't last for very long, for we had to focus on the battle nearby, and so Zhen and I pulled away to rejoin Po/Wolf as the crowd looked on (cheering for us.)

Unfortunately, some of Chameleon's remaining guards jumped in our way…armed to the teeth.

Meanwhile, Po and Wolf had joined together once again…giving stoic poses before the former began fangirling, "that was so awesome!"

The canine's ears twitched at the sound across from them. She patted him on his back before saying with a deadpan tone, "look."

Chameleon recovered, but now had taken the form of an elephant…her voice is now loud and booming…echoing around the buildings in the square, "two against one…I'll have to even the odds…"

"Lady…you literally sent an army after us" Master Wolf growled back, cracking her furry knuckles.

"What she said!" Po chimed in, pointing to the sorceress. Chameleon suddenly shot out her long tongue and grabbed Wolf's hind leg…soon dragging her towards them!

"Opps…forgot about that…" the panda cursed at himself, soon jumping in to save the Mongolian Wolf. Speaking of the canine: as she's being dragged she had the bright idea of grabbing Chameleon's tongue and biting it!

Sure enough, the beast lets go of her. Both Master Wolf and Po soon charged for the behemoth…sidestepping and striking them. Wolf went in using her signature Fangs of Fury on the giant's leg. Though the empress surely felt that bite, she soon smacked the dog away with an arm. Po jumped in the air…with his foot aimed for the Chameleon's face, but she grabbed him with her massive trunk and slammed him hard into the ground. Despite this, Po didn't seem to break a sweat, "Master Elephant's Trunk Twist!"

The panda slid underneath his foe and grabbed their trunk to subdue them; however, she transformed again and struck his belly: "Master Boar's Tusks of Terror!?"

Sure enough, without realizing it, Chameleon is held in a headlock by none other than Master Wolf (who had managed to get behind her.) Unfortunately, the shapeshifter turned into another adversary: Master Bull.

She now had much more strength and soon grabbed Wolf's back…throwing her in the air with their horns.

"Master Bull's Horns of Doom!"

As Master Wolf recovered, she growled to her partner in frustration, "can't you just…fight quietly!?"

"Sorry!" Po cringed before Wolf joined his side again. Once again both went for the Chameleon.

Zhen and I had just disposed of the last of the guards when we were finally able to join the others. Gosh, I feel like we've been left out of 99.9% of it…it turns out that this was far from the truth.

Master Wolf went in, claws ready to sink into the reptile's hide; however, the latter soon changed into an all-too-familiar adversary: a tall, muscular, snow-leopard.

Suddenly, just when Wolf is about to strike, she is struck by Tai Lung's signature Nerve Strike! A blue glow traveled throughout the canine's torso as she ended up paralyzed by the attack.

"Recognize that move?" Chameleon-Lung said with a wide, toothy, smirk to the duo.

I had witnessed what had happened, giving a look of shock and then anger. I jumped in, yelling at the top of my lungs, but soon I was engaged in a difficult battle with "Tai Lung." Zhen soon joined me, trying to strike the scaly snow leopard from the opposite side, but no matter what we did Chameleon managed to block all our attacks. It soon turned into us fighting for our lives…our master simply danced around us: jumping, spinning, and hitting us away as if we were toys to her…

While all of this is happening, Master Wolf is lying on the ground…Po had run up to her: using a technique taught to him by Master Shifu to resuscitate her. Unfortunately, the attack had left her a bit weakened. The panda soon looks toward Zhen and me.

"Tai Lung" had grabbed the fox by the throat and as I went in to save her, the beast ended up throwing her at me. We both tumbled toward Po and Master Wolf…stunned by the attack.

The Dragon Warrior had had enough, he began approaching Lady Chameleon…alone.

"You four think you can stop me!?" Chameleon-Lung yelled as their voice echoed throughout the town, "I'm stronger than any opponent you've ever faced because I am every opponent you've ever faced!"

Po got into his fighting stance: Chameleon jumped very high in the air and slammed into him. Both began blocking and parrying each other's strikes with their elbows and arms…both trying to get the advantage over the other.

Sure enough, the lizard tried using Tai Lung's Nerve Strike on him (unaware that it pretty much had no effect thanks to his many layers of fat…or…something like that…) Po got up after hitting a boulder right behind him…but he soon had to move away since Lung's fist struck where his head used to be. Once again the two engaged in a fist fight.

The real Tai Lung watched from the sidelines in his cage, "give him a left. A right. Uppercut!"

Fire-Breathing Croc, who was in a cage next to him, looked at the Master with a raised scaly brow, "which one are you rooting for?"

Tai Lung looked down in confusion, "I'm not sure…this is all very confusing…"

As the two warriors across from them continued their epic one-versus-one battle, Master Wolf recovered just enough to try and flank them. Zhen and I regained consciousness to witness everything that was about to unfold.

Master Wolf ran in on all fours, brandishing her fangs before sinking them into Chameleon-Lung's neck. Shortly afterward, she managed to jump away to safety to the panda's side. Chameleon narrowed her eyes after shrugging off the pain. Her long tongue was preparing to unfurl: its target…Master Wolf.

Po sensed this, and in what seemed like a millisecond: jumped in the way of Master Wolf…and was struck in the head by Chameleon's tongue!

We all gasped in shock and horror. It can't be!

Po, the great Dragon Warrior, the person who was supposed to save us all…now had his chi sapped by the Chameleon.

The flabby warrior slumped onto the floor, weakened by the attack…now rendered inert by its effects. Chameleon enjoyed the moment, feeling triumphant. She soon opened her evil eyes toward us before cackling loudly, "finally. Now, no one can stop me!"

Zhen looked toward me with dread written all over her face. I closed my eyes in terror.

What do we do now that Po has been defeated in battle? Is it over? Have we just lost against the Chameleon? It can't be…

...

Oh no! What's going to happen now that Po's chi had been sapped by the Chameleon? How will Zhen and Mei manage to defeat her? Find out in the next chapter, readers! Take care!