Chapter 25: Zhen

Everyone was in disbelief…Po was crawling away…weakened by Lady Chameleon's attack. She reverted to her original form as all the masters looked on from their cages in stunned horror. To them, it was over…there was no way we could have won.

But that didn't stop Zhen…no, she was stubborn to the end like Po and I knew that. So too is my new friend…Master Wolf.

Master Wolf's fur puffed up nervously…eyes widened at the sight before her. Chameleon stood over the flabby panda…her arms folded inside her elegant green/red robes, "Dragon Warrior…what a joke, you're just a weak…pathetic…excuse…unfit for such a title. That title…is now mine" she self-proclaimed.

"That's not how it works." Master Wolf, me, and everybody else heard before Chameleon's eyes slit. The latter slowly turned to see her former apprentice standing across: Zhen. Suddenly, the mentor's eyes turned cyan and she transformed again, but this time she became a demonic version of our dear friend…Po. You could see bumps and scales throughout…razor sharp teeth also. It was like an image from a nightmare.

"And what about now, dear Zhen?" She spoke in a mix of her voice and Po's, "I knew I should have left both of you to rot in whatever lowly gutter you birthed from."

The staff, Zhen thought, it might be the only way. Master Wolf has it…she has to give it to me!

Chameleon/Po's fists curled as she began stomping toward the corsac fox. The real panda tried warning her with his labored breaths, "Zhen…get out of the way…"

Yet, the vixen stood her ground…taking out the peach pit from her pocket and looking down at it.

Be the pit

Zhen closed her eyes but soon looked straight into Chameleon's imposing form and growled, "you were like a mother to me…"

"You are so ungrateful! I gave you two everything!"

Suddently, the chimera jumped high into the air to strike Zhen like a meteor, but luckily the latter anticipated this and jumped away to safety. Master Wolf and I had to act, we couldn't just stand there and do nothing!

The fake Dragon Warrior began aggressively chasing the slippery fox throughout a ruined city square. She used cover to avoid the powerful punches and kicks that were intended to end her life. Zhen was determined to distract the Chameleon long enough. As they dodged, the villain managed to get the vulpine out of a pillar she was behind, but before they could strike the gray vixen we jumped in!

Master Wolf used all her strength to grab Chameleon's outstretched hand while I jumped on the latter's back to get them in a headlock.

I looked toward Zhen before we both nodded, For Po.

We soon engaged in a three-to-one battle against our ultimate foe as the town watched on…praying for our success. Zhen and I moved in from opposite sides while Master Wolf went behind fake Po. No matter what we did, our adversary managed to deflect and direct every move we made on her back to us. Wolf jumped in an attempt to sink her sharp fangs into Chameleon-Po's butt. Zhen turned toward her and yelled, "Wolf…the staff! Give it!"

However, the reptile caught this and turned around: using her belly to send Master Wolf against a wall…hard. It was enough force that it stunned the seasoned fighter considerably.

Dang it!

I came in but the lizard struck me in the face with her elbow…sending me flying away onto the floor nearby.

Zhen retaliated by swinging her claws down to stop the Chameleon…they managed to leave behind marks on her Ex-Master's cheek, "…you…wrechen!"

When the fox tries to go again, she is stopped suddenly when her claw finger is held in place in a finger hold…Chameleon stole the signature move from Po…

Her eyes widened just as Wolf and I witnessed this. The former gasped…turning toward me with pain in her voice, "Mia…she's going to use…"

The Wuxi Finger Hold!

No…no…no!

"Po" leaned in with a long wicked smile to Zhen, "I'm going to miss you, Zhen."

My mouth quivered…I began to shake…I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. My entire face tensed up…so much that I could swear my head would blow up!

All the pain…all the torment we went through by our master over the years…only to have our lives end in her evil hands!? And Zhen…the person I loved most in life…was about to die…

I stumbled toward them…picking up the pace as I approached the duo.

No…no…no!

Suddenly I opened my eyes and gave the loudest yell I could. For the first time in my life, I let out my emotions, and my frustrations in an entirely different way.

"No!"

My first word was enough to stop the Chameleon completely who turned to face me. Zhen used this opportunity to kick away from the fake panda to safety. I saved her life.

My face is filled with fury…and for a second you could see my brown eyes give off a golden glow. I made a powerful kick to the reptile…making them crash into a building as it collapsed around them! The others were in disbelief, and so too was Zhen (but I could see a wide smile coming from her.) It's the first time she had ever heard me mutter a word.

"Wolf!" She soon shouted behind her.

The canine threw the Staff of Wisdom to the vixen who caught it…now she had the power to end all of this!

The smoke of the collapsed building shrouded both Zhen and I in darkness. I looked around…trying to find my best friend.

Po joined Master Wolf, who was now just as weak as him before they watched on.

Chameleon slithered out of the debris and made her way across the floor into the smoke, but she wouldn't make it to us in her original form.

"Mei…follow my voice!"

I did and soon I saw Zhen…no…where's the staff!

I realized what this was: the Chameleon! Sure enough, the reptile began to strike at me. I used Wolf Style to the best of my knowledge, but my former mentor knew its weakness was in size difference. Still, with my "newfound" power I slammed into the false vixen in an attempt to hold her in place.

"Mei!?" Zhen followed the sounds of struggle just as the fumes cleared.

The Empress of Juniper City soon thought of a way to escape my grasp…she cunningly changed shape…and it caught me off guard. Instead of the fake scaly fur, I felt a hand.

I jumped away…soon wracked with confusion: standing across from me was now a taller, furless, human with brown hair tied into a bun. It's a member of my species…the first I've ever seen in person, but it wasn't just any person…Chameleon morphed into…me!

It was a perfect replica of myself: same height, athletic build…except for noticeable scales, but most striking were the cyan, lizard, eyes.

The distraction was enough for Chameleon to use my abilities against me: she struck my knees and brought me down. I could hear my bones snap as if they were broken…I yelled in pain, shutting my eyes. Worse is that she grabbed me by the throat and threw me hard against a rocky debris where I passed out.

Zhen arrived too late as her eyes widened. She began baring her sharp teeth to Chameleon. She is the last Kung Fu Warrior standing. The thieves from the Den, along with Po's two fathers, arrived at the square to witness everything.

Lady Chameleon shifted back into Zhen's form and laughed, "Mei has failed you…but you, Zhen, will fail everyone else." They began to circle one another in the middle of the city square, "I will make sure you remember this face…your putrid face…as the face you see in the moment of your greatest failure."

Sure enough, both foxes jumped toward one another, blocking and swiping. Chameleon soon changed her bushy tail into her original lizard tail to ensnare Zhen's staff and kick her away. Sure enough the chimera stomped toward Zhen…fist curled, "look at what you've done to yourself, Zhen…to Mei…your greatest mistake was believing in that stupid, useless, panda…"

"No…" Zhen stood up…brandishing the staff…gritting her teeth in response, "my mistake was never seeing you for who you really are…"

Chameleon-Zhen jumped toward the true fox and both began fighting again. Sure enough, they jumped and anchored their tails against a downed pole. Zhen blocked punches and kicks from the lizard with her green staff. Sure enough, they break away as the fox pants heavily, "I'm going to finish what Po started…"

The vixen charged again but Chameleon-Zhen sidestepped…soon reverting to her true form. In retaliation, the evil sorceress used her long tail to ensare Zhen, "how many times do I have to tell you, don't slouch!"

Now the heroine was being choked but was soon kicked away before tumbling across the concrete floor.

Po and Master Wolf managed to make it to me…along with Po's two dads and Han.

"Mei…" Han sniffled.

"She's breathing" the Mongolian Wolf stated.

I began to regain consciousness upon feeling Han's paw on my face. I smiled softly toward him…

Po turned toward Zhen, clutching his stomach. He observed the fight. The gray vulpine stood up…brandishing the staff toward the Chameleon. The flabby panda's thoughts went to his new apprentice, you're ready Zhen…I know you'll do it!

The Chameleon hissed at her former student, "how can you ever hope to defeat me, I am you…I know all your moves, Zhen!" She proudly exclaimed…throwing her scaly arms out.

Zhen narrowed her eyes and barred her teeth at the evil creature standing across from her, "not this one…" Very soon she would perform a Coup de Grace.

Everyone watched in awe as Zhen danced with the Staff of Wisdom as it began glowing majestically to her touch, "roll, stir, serve…" she was about to complete the ultimate move that Chameleon had never seen before…the same one Po taught her in the Den of Thieves. My eyes widened at the sight…I couldn't believe it, she was about to unleash the golden dragon!

"And…Skablam!"

Suddenly all the Chi she had consolidated is unleashed in the form of a powerful blast the shape of a dragon! Lady Chameleon could do nothing but stand in the way in stunned horror just as she is hit by the blast! The evil Empress is carried by the golden stream and collides with a wall as it collapses around her.

"Second rule…someone always gets hurt…" Zhen muttered softly. That's when we all cheered for the Corsac Fox! Is it over? It must be…she did it: we won!

Zhen made it to us as the crowds of people applauded and embraced each other nearby. Wolf helped me up from the floor with some struggle: it's clear I might not be able to walk on my own for a while…but it didn't matter: I'm alive. Zhen quickly made it to me…embracing me before pulling away to be met by the two Masters.

Po smiled at his new apprentice…using whatever strength he had left to stand up, "now that…is a cool move" he chuckled.

"Pfft, you SCARED me! First you make me think you couldn't escape that cage in the river, then you go and make people think all hope is lost!" The vixen scolded the panda. Master Wolf had an adverse reaction, "wait, is she for real?"

Po looked toward her and nodded.

"You put all of China at risk…for what…me?" Zhen sighed softly. The Dragon Warrior placed a heavy paw on her shoulder and said wholeheartedly in response, "how's a peach pit ever supposed to become a tree…if you never give it a chance to grow?"

I looked toward the gray vulpine, and I could see her mood switch as she understood the message (bringing on a lighthearted smile in the process.)

Master Wolf crossed her arms and shook her head, "I think you need to downplay how you teach this stuff a bit, panda."

"Eh, maybe…it made everything a bit more exciting though, right? RIGHT!?" He jumped up with a fist before clutching his stomach in pain, "look, the point is…we kicked major butt today! All of us!"

Sure enough, everyone (the Spirit Masters in their cages, the Dads, Han and the Thieves, as well as the townspeople) erupted into cheer again.

Suddenly, Po lifted a hand as if that was enough to silence everyone and he soon looked down toward the Steppe Fox, "I do have pointers though."

"Pointers!?" She rolled her head to the side as I giggled at this.

Unbeknownst to us…Chameleon awakened and she stared at our group with daggers…murderous intent. She began slithering toward us. We were still oblivious, of course.

"Yeah, you stirred faster and rolled higher" he said, referring to the staff.

The Chameleon jumped high into the air, finally getting the attention of everyone: she was on a collision course with Po…the latter saw what was coming and snapped his head to Zhen, "the staff!" The fox quickly gave him the weapon and the panda used all his hidden power to suddenly direct his Chi toward Chameleon. She never had a chance.

She is struck in the face…and is brought down once and for all.

"Skadoosh!"

Once the staff made contact with the empress: all of the Chi she had stolen from the Kung Fu Masters returned to them in epic fashion. Beams of light traveled in all directions all over the city square: entertaining the onlookers as they watched with delight. The Masters from the Spirit Realm are freed from their cages and they soon join our group in the center. Zhen and I kind of expected the worst. Hopefully they don't wanna fight us…it'd be quite anticlimactic…wouldn't it? Tai Lung now had his full power again, and could technically still threaten all of China.

Instead, he offered condolences, "maybe Oogway was right about you." Po, for a brief moment, gave a puzzled look, "you aren't completely useless after all, Po."

The panda was flabbergasted but also excited to hear this from his former nemesis, "oh my gosh, thank you much…that's totally awesome coming from you, Tai Lung! We should go to the Jade Palace…hang out and do stuff!"

"Don't push your luck" Lung retorted with an annoyed tone soon afterward.

Sure enough, he and the rest of his group behind him bow in respect to Po, the Dragon Warrior. Master Wolf soon put a paw on his back and laughed, "you really are a piece of work, Po." I just had to nod in agreement to her statement.

Ultimately, the deceased Kung Fu Masters were returned to the Spirit Realm by Po, with Tai Lung taking the Chameleon (who paled in comparison to him) with them as retribution. The reptile tried all she could (with irate despair) to convince Zhen to save her. The small gray warrior wasn't having any of it. I joined her side…narrowing my eyes at the person I once called my mentor.

"Sorry, I'm letting go of bad habits" she said.

"Zhen…I am your mother…I RAISED YOU!"

The corsac fox looked toward Han and me, smiling at us before turning back, "third rule: no one is interested in your feelings."

Chameleon breaks down as Tai Lung stops by the golden entrance to the Spirit Realm…looking back at us with a soft smile, "Until next time, Dragon Warrior."

Po nodded before the two finally left the mortal realm. We soon turned toward Master Wolf, who sighed softly to herself, "I should go…but…." I stopped her as I used Po for support to stand, I shook my head. I didn't want her to go…after every, I just…couldn't. Plus…Wolf knew more about what happened to us in Hu-Man City…much of which I still needed to know. She seemed to know how to get back. I could tell she really didn't want to go right away…for my sake…

The panda suddenly got in the way, which took the gray canine by surprise, "nothing says you HAVE to go right away…why don't you stay for a while?"

The master looked toward me, nodding in response, "you're right…there's unfinished business to take care of. I have a lot of explaining to do for all of you regarding Mia…but we can cross that bridge later."

Everyone, especially me, couldn't agree more.

And so, once the gate to the Spirit Realm closed only Master Wolf remained. The crowd behind us cheered.

Po reunited with his dads, Zhen and I had a heartfelt reunion with Han, and everything seemed to fall in place afterward.

We can finally rest.

…

Phew! That was a lot to take in! It feels so strange: Chameleon is now defeated and a massive weight has just come off everyone!

Regarding some segments from the final battle, obviously somethings were changed drastically. I wanted to add the bit where Chameleon became a monster and such, but I felt it was too much. I didn't want to drag on the fight for too long.

There will be a final chapter to the main story in the next segment.

Main story, you say? Why yes, this story will have a "bonus" epilogue that will explore more of Mei and her story.

For the time being, that's a wrap and I hope you enjoyed. Take care!