Twin Dragons
Vengeance of the Owl
"Telling lies now, are we?" asked Fenghuang. "By the way Tai Lung, you're looking more formidable than the last time we fought."
"None of what I say is a lie," Tai Lung growled. "This owl you see before you, Po… she tried to kill Oogway and Shifu in the past."
"Really?" Po demanded. "How?!"
"A long time ago, before your time, Po," Tai Lung told him. "Both Shifu and Fenghuang were students to Oogway. Fenghuang was a true kung fu prodigy whose skill was unsurpassed for that era. She was truly Oogway's favorite in terms of fighting ability… but the one whom Oogway chose to be his successor as the master of the Jade Palace… was none other than Shifu."
"Whoa," Po sounded surprised by all this new information. "That's a lot to take in… why didn't I ever find this in the historical archives of the Jade Palace?"
"Because Oogway was so heartbroken by what Fenghuang did that he purged all the records of her, as if she never existed," Tai Lung told him.
"Po, clearly this snow leopard is not in his right mind," Fenghuang told the panda.
"I'll say," Po glared at Tai Lung. "I mean, this was the guy who attacked me after all."
"He was, was he?" Fenghuang almost smiled but quickly hid it. "Then it's a good thing I patched up all your wounds."
"Hate me all you want, Po," Tai Lung told him. "That's your right. But you also have a right to know the truth about everything."
As angry as Po was with Tai Lung, he still heard enough sincerity in the snow leopard's voice that he wanted to learn more.
"Fine, what really happened?" asked Po.
"When Oogway announced his intention to have Shifu be his successor as the Jade Palace's master," Tai Lung continued. "Fenghuang flew into a jealous rage and poisoned Shifu some days later. She challenged Oogway in hopes of taking the Jade Palace by force but Oogway defeated her, though not before she got away. Luckily, Oogway was able to cure Shifu of his poisoning but Fenghuang's betrayal struck him like a dagger through the heart."
"Did… did you really poison Shifu and try to kill Oogway?" Po looked at Fenghuang with confusion in his eyes, mixed with uncertainty.
"Of course not," Fenghuang shook her head. "Why would I need the Jade Palace when I already have everything I need right here?"
"I'm not done," Tai Lung told them. "Fenghuang wouldn't be content with just one attempt. Years later, when I was a student under Shifu during happier times, Fenghuang attacked the Jade Palace when Oogway was out on a mission in another part of the country. In that time, I fought her and she gave me what was the toughest battle of my life before I met you, Po. However, Shifu soon joined me and we drove her off together."
Po blinked, rubbing his eyes. Everything Tai Lung told him was information that hit him with the force of a sledgehammer, from Fenghuang trying to murder Oogway and Shifu to her being akin to a kung fu heretic who got purged from the Jade Palace's records.
"Po, listen to my voice," Fenghuang told him. "Everything Tai Lung is saying to you is to manipulate and use you. When you became a fugitive and lost everything, who was it that took you in without judging you? I did. Who knows what it's like to be a fellow fugitive on the run after we fought side by side against Pai Mei's forces? I do."
"Fenghuang, please tell me that you didn't try to kill Shifu and Oogway before," Po looked at her with pleading eyes.
"Of course not!" Fenghuang insisted. "I would never do such a heinous thing to my own master and fellow student!"
oooo
"Mr. Ping?" Zhen looked around at the noodle shop. "Are you there?"
"Where could they have gone to?" Tigress scanned the area.
"I hope they didn't get arrested by the Emperor's forces," Zhen tried looking inside the kitchen. "Who knows how far imperial forces might go to get what they want."
Both Zhen and Tigress searched high and low inside the noodle shop but could not find either goose or panda.
"I don't think we'll find them here," Tigress shook her head. "Let's head out and find some other lead."
As tiger and fox left the noodle shop, they bumped right into the people they were looking for.
"It's you!" Zhen cried. "I found you!"
"Eh, Zhen!" Mr. Ping looked surprised to see her. "Didn't think I'd bump into you today!"
"What are you two doing?" Tigress asked.
Both Tigress and Zhen noticed how Mr. Ping and Li Shan were wearing backpacks and looked like they were ready to go out on a journey.
"Isn't it obvious?" Li Shan said to them. "We're going out to find our son!"
"Po's out there somewhere and we need to make sure he's safe!" Mr. Ping added.
"I appreciate your concern," Tigress told the two. "But wouldn't it be safer for you two to simply stay in the Valley? Besides, Po made me promise I'd look after you two."
"You make a valid point, Tigress," Li Shan looked down at Ping. "But we're both the fathers of Po and we showed the last time that we could take care of ourselves!"
"We've got some combo moves we've been working on!" Mr. Ping held up a pan.
"Is this that thing you guys did at the Panda Village when Kai attacked?" Tigress groaned.
"Hey, it held off Jombie Shifu, didn't it?" Mr. Ping pointed out.
"Guys, I'm tasked officially with staying here and training Zhen," Tigress shook her head. "If you leave this village, I can't protect you anymore. I know I made a promise to Po but I can't force you to stay either. Please reconsider what you're about to do."
"I'm sorry Tigress," Li Shan told her. "But Po is out there somewhere, with a former enemy that we're not sure he can one hundred percent trust. We need to be there for our boy."
"Tigress," Zhen pointed out. "When Po and I journeyed together to Juniper City for the Chameleon, these two were on our trail and showed that they were great trackers. Call me crazy, but I think they really can find Po and give him support on his journey."
"Nobody knows our son better than us!" Mr. Ping raised up a thumb, as did Li Shan.
"I'm probably going to regret this," Tigress sighed. "But permission granted… do what you need to do. Find Po and give him the support he needs during a time like this."
oooo
"I want to believe you Fenghuang," Po told her. "I really do… but there are a couple of things that don't add up."
Fenghuang tensed up.
"You said Tai Lung looked more formidable than the last time you two fought," Po pointed out. "It would give credibility to Tai Lung's story that you fought him a long time ago when he was younger."
"Well, so what if I did?" Fenghuang quickly tried to deflect. "I could've met him in some other context, like a tournament where we fought."
"That's not the only thing," Po told her. "You also said when we encountered Scorpion and Temutai that Pai Mei wasn't the only master you challenged."
Fenghuang suddenly realized Po was growing wise to her.
"It makes sense to assume that Oogway was the master you challenged in the past, wouldn't it?" asked Po.
"Oh fine," Fenghuang scoffed. "So what if I did challenge Oogway for the Jade Palace and tried to take over? Do you know what your problem is, Po? You're an idealist. You have this fantasy in your head that kung fu is all about heroics, honor, and glorious adventure. Well guess what? It's time for you to wake up from your daydream! Kung fu fighters and masters are also warriors, killers, and revolutionaries who seek power. THAT is the reality you never had to face while living in semi-luxury in the Jade Palace for so long!"
Po looked down, a little stung by Fenguang's words. Then he looked towards Tai Lung.
"Maybe you're right," Po told Fenghuang. "Maybe I am just a dreamer. But you know what? I'm alright with that."
"Listen carefully, both of you," Fenghuang told Tai Lung and Po. "Right now you both are outcasts from the Jade Palace, as am I. We need to stick together to be able to stand up to the forces of the Emperor and Pai Mei."
"Side with you?" Tai Lung sneered. "You're delusional, Fenghuang."
"Just let me know one thing Fenghuang," Po asked her. "Did you really poison Master Shifu? More importantly, do you regret doing that to someone who was your brother in kung fu?"
"Why would I regret that?" Fenghuang answered honestly, seeing no reason to hide the truth anymore now that everything was out in the open. "Shifu was weak. Unworthy of becoming the owner of the Jade Palace. I did what I had to in order to weed him out and claim what was always rightfully mine!"
"That answers my question," Po looked at her disappointedly. "I'm sorry Fenghuang, but I don't think I could be friends with someone who tried to kill Shifu and doesn't even regret it years after the fact."
"You'd turn your back on me?" Fenghuang demanded.
"Sorry Fenghuang, but I don't think this will work out," Po turned his back on her. "Tai Lung, let's go."
"You… walk away from me after everything I've done for you?" Fenghuang's expression darkened.
Tai Lung immediately realized what Fenghuang was about to do.
"Po, watch out!" Tai Lung cried.
Po turned around just as Fenghuang unleashed a powerful gust of wind that struck them both. However, Po raised his staff up just in time while Tai Lung raised both arms to block the blast. The two of them were pushed back by the wind but still managed to stay on their feet.
"If you two won't help me build my kung fu army, then I can only think of one solution to your insolence!" Fenghuang shouted.
"Be on your guard Po," Tai Lung warned. "She was trained by Oogway personally and when I fought her as a younger leopard, I wasn't able to beat her without help."
"Duly noted," Po spun his staff around a few times.
Tai Lung charged first, punching and kicking at Fenghuang. The owl blocked all the attacks and slashed at Tai Lung with her wings. Tai Lung ducked underneath and struck her in the stomach with a spin kick to knock her back.
"You've noticeably improved," Fenghuang complimented.
Po came in next, swinging his staff at her. Fenghuang avoided the hit and kicked Po back. Next, both Po and Tai Lung came in, attacking her in a two fronted attempt to wear her down.
As the two punched at her, Fenghuang flew into the air and dove down, smashing the ground with her feet and unleashing a powerful chi shockwave that knocked both opponents off the floor.
First, Fenghuang struck Tai Lung with the Thundering Wind Hammer, sending the leopard skidding across the floor. She then grabbed Po with both talons, spinning the panda around before letting him go and sending him flying into Tai Lung.
"She's tough alright," Po said to Tai Lung.
"Told you so."
Tai Lung got up and attacked first, striking at Fenghuang with multiple nerve strikes. Unfortunately for him, Fenghuang recognized what he was doing and avoided the attacks, even countering some of them and blocking them with her wings.
"Everything you've thrown at me I've seen before," Fenghuang told him.
Fenghuang struck back, hitting Tai Lung multiple times across the head and chest. Then she struck him with a mid-air kick, knocking the leopard into a tree.
Suddenly, Fenghuang was struck by Oogway's staff from the side, unleashing a powerful burst of chi as it knocked her back.
"Do we really need to do this, Fenghuang?" asked Po.
Fenghuang shook her head to get the cobwebs out of it after Po struck her and took a good look at Oogway's staff. And since everything was now in the open, she figured there was no need to hide anything anymore.
"Yes we do," Fenghuang told him. "And I'll get that staff one way or another."
"Sorry Fenghuang," Po told her firmly. "But Oogway's staff is not up for grabs!"
Po attacked her again, swinging the staff at her. Fenghuang avoided all the attacks and flew up, creating the Mongolian Fireball in her winds and hurling it down at Po who quickly had to roll out of the way to avoid it.
"Whoa!" cried Po.
"That staff will be mine even if I have to pry it off of your corpse!" Fenghuang shouted.
"I got a plan," Po told Tai Lung. "Think you can keep her busy?"
"What's the plan?" asked Tai Lung.
"Just get out of the way when I yell Ska-Blam," Po told him as both the panda and leopard dodged another fireball that exploded near them.
"Done," Tai Lung agreed and attacked Fenghuang.
Both snow leopard and owl began exchanging blows back and forth, punching and kicking at each other. In that moment, Po began to get to work on the move he learned with Oogway's staff.
"Stir the pot, roll the wok, serve the dish," Po said as he spun the staff around several times to generate energy.
At that moment, Tai Lung was still in the heat of it with Fenghuang.
"And SKA-BLAM!"
Po unleashed a powerful burst of chi in the form of a dragon from Oogway's staff. Tai Lung saw it and immediately leaped out of the way as they planned. The blast struck an unprepared Fenghuang, knocking her to the ground.
"Did you do it?" asked Tai Lung.
"I… I think I did it," Po smiled.
The two walked closer to the fallen Fenghuang.
"Did you kill her?" asked Tai Lung.
"Nah, don't think so," Po answered. "It didn't kill some bar brawlers I fought before with Zhen. And Zhen doing this move didn't kill the Chameleon either so Fenghuang should survive."
"How right you are, panda!" Fenghuang's eyes opened up.
The owl leaped up, kicking Tai Lung and Po in separate directions. In an instant, Fenghuang went after Po, striking multiple times before flipping him over on his back.
"That move of yours hurt," Fenghuang admitted. "But it won't be enough to stop a master of my caliber!"
Fenghuang leaped up and stomped down on Po's stomach, unleashing a powerful surge of chi and making Po let go of his staff. In a split second, Fenghuang caught it with her wing, holding it and admiring it while Po seemed to fall unconscious.
"That staff was never meant for you, Fenghuang," Tai Lung told her.
"And Shifu was never meant to have become the owner of the Jade Palace," Fenghuang retorted. "But sometimes we just have to take what we want by force."
Tai Lung got into a fighting stance again as Fenghuang began twirling the staff around, feeling its power course through her.
"All this power and Oogway let some big fat panda have it!" Fenghuang cried. "Hah!"
"Wrong."
At once, Po leaped back into action before Fenghuang could respond and grabbed her in a headlock, sliding both hands through her wings and grabbing the back of her head in a tight hold, making her drop Oogway's staff out of surprise.
"I'm THE big fat panda!" Po told her.
"No!" Fenghuang cried. "Let go!"
"Tai Lung!" Po cried. "Do it!"
"But you're in the crossfire!" Tai Lung pointed out.
"Doesn't matter!" Po smiled. "Finish it and make sure Fenghuang doesn't get Oogway's staff!"
This time, Tai Lung didn't need to be told another time. Running forward, the snow leopard spun around and delivered a devastating kung fu mountain punch to Fenghuang, connecting both his fists to her stomach and head, unleashing his chi directly into her body at the same time.
The force of the blow struck her head-on as Fenghuang was flung back from the power of the dual punches along with Po. Both owl and panda flew through a few bamboo trees before landing near the edge of a cliff.
"Oh wow, I felt that," Po shook his head "Ouch…"
Despite his own pain, Po noted that Fenghuang had taken the greater brunt of the attack as the owl painfully tried to get up but collapsed again.
"Ack!" Fenghuang began coughing violently, realizing Tai Lung had done severe damage with that attack.
It felt as if all the nerves in her body were on fire and due to the chi-blocking nature of the attack, Fenghuang also felt as if she couldn't perform the Mongolian Fireball or the Thundering Wind Hammer, at least not without feeling some serious amounts of pain.
As Po got up, Tai Lung walked towards the scene, handing Po Oogway's staff.
"Thanks," Po smiled.
"It's over, Fenghuang," Tai Lung told the owl.
"Is it really?" Fenghuang managed to get up on wobbly feet.
"For you, I'd say so," Tai Lung told her.
"Perhaps," Fenghuang told them coyly. "There's no way I can defeat the two of you as I am right now… but don't forget, Po. In fighting Pai Mei's forces by my side, you've also made yourself a target of his Wudang splinter sect. And since you're his travel companion, Tai Lung… that makes you also guilty by association."
"Are those Wudang guys that good?" Po asked Tai Lung who merely shrugged.
"And if the two of you could barely defeat me together, just think of how much worse you'll fare against Pai Mei and his strongest Generals!" Fenghuang took one step back, putting her at the edge of the cliff.
With that, Fenghuang fell off the cliff.
"Fenghuang!" Po cried.
Both panda and snow leopard rushed towards the edge but they did not see Fenghuang plummeting. Instead, the owl was gliding through the winds and flying away. Because of how strong Tai Lung's attack was, she was currently unable to fly due to her injuries. However, she could still extend her full wingspan and glide across the air to escape. Cursing inwardly, Fenghuang realized that trying to get Oogway's staff would have to come another day. For now, she needed to escape and find a place to tend to her wounds.
"Well, I guess Fenghuang isn't going to be our friend," Po frowned.
"And we're better off for it," Tai Lung told him.
"We?"
"I've come to the conclusion, Po," Tai Lung told him. "That you simply don't have what it takes to survive on your own outside the Jade Palace. Henceforth, I'm going to accompany you on this journey and keep you on the straight and narrow."
"Whoa, really?" Po smiled.
"Don't let it get to your head," Tai Lung told him. "We're traveling companions, not friends. I'm traveling with you because you wouldn't last a month in hostile new territories. Besides, Shifu originally wanted us traveling together anyways."
"Well," Po admitted. "I guess I'm a little gullible sometimes. If you didn't show up, Fenghuang might've really had me going."
"From now on, until I'm certain you can survive outside of the Jade Palace, just follow my lead," Tai Lung told him.
"Okay, I can do that," Po agreed merrily as he followed the snow leopard down a path leading away into a forest.
oooo
Later on, both Scorpion and Temutai entered the Taoist mountain temple of Wudang with their heads held low.
Some of the other kung fu practitioners in the palace gave them dirty looks and it was apparent why. They did not return with the mission they had been assigned to, namely Fenghuang. And she certainly was not brought back either in chains or a body bag.
"Just let me do the talking," Scorpion whispered to Temutai as they headed towards the main door.
"Fine," Temutai rolled his eyes.
Soon, the two entered the halls leading to Master Pai Mei's throne room. Part of the halls was submerged in water. The two of them were essentially crossing a giant pond to get to their master.
Temutai looked down at the waters. He saw a large serpent-like shape moving through the pond as some amounts of electricity surged a little above water. At once, he stopped observing after seeing a glowing pair of eyes in the water and started moving along with Scorpion.
Eventually, they reached the golden throne room of Pai Mei.
From the ponds, a small goldfish leaped out before them, standing on her fins before the two.
"So you've come back empty-handed," Master Mugan told the two with disappointment in her voice. "Pitiful."
"You are correct," Scorpion confirmed. "However, we still request an audience with the Grandmaster because we have new information to share that he may be interested in."
"Oh?" Mugan sneered. "And what might that be?"
"Fenghuang is not alone," Scorpion told her. "She had someone assisting her against us and it's someone Pai Mei would like to hear about."
"Hmm, very well then," Mugan told the two. "It had better be good."
At once, the doors opened up as Mugan leaped into a smaller stream of water in Pai Mei's golden throne.
"These two failures have returned empty handed but they've still discovered something of interest," Mugan told Pai Mei.
An elderly Emperor tamarin in a kung fu uniform sat at the top of the throne room, stroking his beard. Right by his side stood an albino gorilla and a Chinese pangolin.
The pangolin looked like he wanted to make an example of the two but Pai Mei quickly raised a hand.
"Stand down, Sanzu," Pai Mei ordered as the pangolin backed off. "Tell me, what news could you have that's possibly worth my time after you failed your mission?"
"We did fail," Scorpion told him. "But we bring you important news. Fenghuang was not alone during our assault on her hideout. She had become friends with the Dragon Warrior, Po Ping, and the two of them are in cahoots together."
At once, Pai Mei stopped stroking his beard and walked down the steps of his throne.
"The Dragon Warrior, hmm?" Pai Mei said with great interest. "This is quite the developing story."
"Was not the Dragon Warrior recently stripped of his title for attacking the Emperor's troops?" asked Sanzu. "I think he already appointed a successor based on the intel we have."
"Whether he's the current or former, I don't believe Po should simply be let off the hook for aiding an enemy of mine," Pai Mei crossed both arms. "Scorpion and Temutai, you will not be punished for your failure on account of the important information you've provided."
"Thank you your grace," Scorpion told him.
"However," Pai Mei's eyes narrowed. "I will need someone of a higher caliber to find Po and bring him before me… people who are capable of hunting and tracking on a greater scale than the Qidan."
"Heilang!" Mugan barked out loud. "Your master has need of you!"
At once, a formidable armored wolf warrior wearing a mask appeared before the throne room in a puff of smoke. In the background, an entire gang of wolves also appeared in a puff of smoke.
"Heilang, are your Lin Kuei ready for a new mission?" asked Pai Mei.
"We live to serve you, Grandmaster Pai Mei," Heilang smiled, revealing his teeth. "What will you have me do?"
"There is a panda you will need to track down," Pai Mei told him. "He was formerly known as the Dragon Warrior and he's provided aid to Fenghuang. Find him and have him brought before me, preferably alive."
Pai Mei gestured towards Scorpion and Temutai.
"These two will take you to Fenghuang's last known location so you can get the panda's scent," Pai Mei told him. "It should be easier to track than Fenghuang's on account of her flight."
"Rest assured, my Lin Kuei and I will follow that panda to the ends of the earth," Heilang promised as he gestured towards the rest of his wolf pack who howled in unison.
To be continued.