Kung Fu Panda Fanfic - The Rise of a Hero

(V) Brother in Arms

Po and Crane walked out the front door of the restaurant, leaving Pos worried parents behind. Running, Po had to be careful not to hit the citizens, who were running in fear in the opposite direction to where they were going. Po finally made it to the street where the Furious Five could be heard fighting a never-before-seen enemy; as Crane said earlier. Even Master Shifu's voice could be heard, but they were not on the streets. As Po suspected, the battle was taking place on the surrounding rooftops. So he hastened to climb the balconies, but what he saw simply stunned him.

The six masters were fighting against three living jade statues. To Po's eyes it seemed simply impossible, straight out of an ancient legend.

Tigress: - Po! Wake up! We need help. - She yelled to get Po out of the state of shock he was in.

Po shook his head in confusion and joined them instantly, though he had no idea how to face such a formidable foe. The statues also had good Kung Fu skills, as well as handling different weapons. Still, the masters had the advantage in numbers.

On one occasion, Viper was able to wrap her body around one of the statues and immobilize it, allowing Tigress to land a powerful blow to its face, however, it was Tigress who took the most damage on her fist.

Tigress: - They are too hard. - He said while squeezing his injured knuckles.

Po: - What are those things? -

Tigress: - Some kind of zombie... made of jade. -

Po: - Wait a minute, I recognize these guys. Those are the master badgers and that is the master Porcupine. - He said amazed.

Monkey: - I thought they had died years ago. -

Shifu: - And they did. -

Viper: - How will we stop them, master? -

Shifu wasn't able to find a clear answer, so the battle continued for a while as the masters tried to find a way to defeat the jade statues, but it was a race against time.

Unlike the masters, the statues did not complain of pain or exhaustion, something that was already beginning to affect mortals. The statues, on the other hand, still possessed the abilities of those who were once alive.

The badger masters used jade wands and coordinated in perfect harmony. Each statue covered the back of its partner, making the two of them a nearly unstoppable force that none of the Furious Five was capable of defeating.

On the other hand, the master Porcupine had an impenetrable armor of thorns that also served as weapons if his opponents got too close, added to his incredible precision with the jade bow he carried, with which he launched his own spikes that he tore from high speed.

The combat lasted long enough to start wreaking havoc on the bodies of the masters. Most were beginning to suffer from fatigue, and parts of their bodies were very sore from contact with the hard jade statues. Finally, they left the roofs and the conflict spread through the streets of the town. Until.

Li: - Po! Take! Use this! -

Po turned around and saw Li throw a huge stone hammer at him from a distance. Po grabbed the hammer with both hands and looked at it for a few seconds, instantly recognizing that it was the same hammer that Li used to defend him from the clutches of Shen's minions.

The hammer was made of solid rock, hard and heavy enough to send the badger statues flying with one mighty blow. The badger masters landed several meters away, a huge crack in their heads made by such a powerful impact. However, they both managed to get to their feet and charge at Po.

Viper: - Po! We will help you. -

Po: - No. Go help Shifu. I take care of these. -

The Furious Five went to help their former master from the shower of arrows the porcupine provided while Po dueled with the badger masters. Both were fast and managed to slip past Po's defenses, but the panda's dominance in combat was evident. The badgers were helpless against the huge stone ball bearing down on them, and were unable to prevent Po from smashing their heads in with one blow.

The jade shards from the destroyed statues began to glow and eventually turned into a green miasma that disappeared right before Po's eyes, and he didn't have much time to think about what had happened, since he had to help his companions. .

The masters were hiding behind cover to avoid the dangerous quills that the Hedgehog master fired at them. Among them, Monkey had received an arrow under his stomach and was losing blood while Viper tried to stop the bleeding with a rag. Crane had lost several of her feathers, and Tigress still had a spike embedded in her right bicep that Mantis was carefully trying to extract.

Cautiously, Po approached the porcupine's back and landed a mighty blow before it could turn around, crushing its left hand along with its bow, and restraining the statue face-up on the ground with his great weight and the hammer to the throat The masters slowly approached the defeated statue, but it began to laugh out loud and speak before they could say a word.

Statue: - I see you, panda. Your Chi is strong, and it will soon be taken over by me, Kai. - The statue laughed again and disappeared, wrapped in the same green miasma that Po had seen before.

A moment of silence reigned in the streets of the town while the masters looked at each other in confusion.

Shifu: - Kai... Ka. - He asked himself, doubtful. - We must return to the palace immediately. po. Take Mono to the infirmary immediately. Tigress -

Tigress: - I can still walk, master. - He cut him off.

Shifu: - Good. Accompany Po. The rest of us, let's go to the records room. We must find out who this Kai is immediately. -

As Shifu ordered, Po left Monkey and Tigress in the infirmary and went to the records room to try to find any clues about Kai. Upon arrival, the hall was a mess, with scrolls scattered everywhere, and master Shifu, Viper, and Mantis searching the shelves for some information while Crane read the tomes that were already on the floor. And at the entrance to the chamber, Po's two parents waiting with concern.

Shifu: - Here it is. - He said as he pulled a roll from one of the highest shelves in the room. - All answers should be here. -

Shifu took the scroll out of the jade-ornate metal container that contained it, and began to read it in a worrying voice.

Shifu: - It is written by Oogway's own fist. -

Viper: - And what does master Oogway say? -

Shifu: - "A long time ago, I had a brother. A brother in arms. I was an ambitious and young warrior who led a powerful and vast army. And fighting by my side, there was Kai, my colossal friend. But one day, we were ambushed... and I was seriously injured. My friend carried me for days, searching for help. Until we reached a secret village... hidden in the mountains. An ancient healing place. A village... of pandas." - Those present were amazed to hear Oogway's stories.

Po: - It can't be. Panda? -

Shifu: -"Panda who used the power of Chi to heal me... They showed me the way to gift my Chi... ah, but Kai wanted all that power for himself. He saw how those who could be given, could also be taken away ...I had to stop him. Our battle shook the earth, until, finally, I sent Kai to the spirit world. If he ever managed to return to the mortal world, he could only be stopped... by a true Chi master." - Shifu concluded.

Po: - A master of Chi... - He said thoughtfully. - Like you, Master Shifu. -

Shifu: - Like me? - I said exalted. - In the way of Chi I hardly consider myself a student. I would need years to be able to consider myself a masters. -

Master Shifu continued reading Oogway's scroll and warned that the more Chi Kai gained, the more powerful he would become, striking fear into the hearts of the other masters present. Everyone except Po, who was lost in thought, looked at the painting of the panda village that was engraved on the ancient scroll.

Li: - I can teach you. - He said, taking everyone by surprise.

Po: - Can you do that? - He asked, still amazed.

Li: - Of course I can. After all, I am a panda. -

Po: - Of course. That may be the reason why you received a message from the universe. What should I do? -

Li: - You will have to come to the secret village, with me. - 

The comment planted a small ray of hope in Po's heart. Mr. Ping, on the other hand, felt severe chest pain.