The Last Chance

33. The Dragon Warrior Speaks

Master Storming Ox added his pressure on the lord's neck. The ruler closed his eyes with defeat. He had no force to fight. If it was his destiny, he would accept it. Now Master Croc appeared next to Master Ox. Meanwhile, the guards have reached them and circled all around. Also around the ones who had attacked their rulers. And it didn't take much time and all the others came. But before they had arrived, Po walked forward.
"Master Ox? Master Croc? How did you come so fast?"
Master Ox snorted. "After we had read the message, we let all fall and ran here." The lord cried silently when Master Ox gave the peacock's neck a hard squeeze. "And he will get what he deserves. Without interruptions!"
With that, the ox hoicked the lord brutally. When Shen's feet felt the ground again, he was going to break away from that kung fu ruffian. But sharp swords and spears encircled him, and he knew, there was no way of escape. Not without his full energy. He still felt his injuries under his new grown feathers.
"Po?!"
Po shocked at the presence of his father. The gander barged his way through the crowds, because meanwhile the whole village had come together.
"Po! Are you okay?"
Po looked contritely. "Uhm, how should I explain it, dad? It's..."
"Po!"
The angry voice of Master Shifu let him freeze.
"Po! You ruin everything because of your stubbornness!"
"But Master Shifu," Po tried. "It was the fault of..."
In the next moment, the guards brought the leopard group on the public yard.
"That's not the point," Shifu muttered angrily. "You risked a war over our village."
Po took a look at the two rulers who weren't injured after that robbery.
"Eh, they don't look angry, do they?"
He tried a smile, but it was killed by Shifu's glance.
"It's the best we bring that behind us as fast as possible."
His glance wandered to Master Ox with the captured lord. The peacock's posture was firm. He was tired of running away.
"Drag him away from that place!" Shifu cried. "He should never enter this sanctuary again."
Master Ox grinned. "It will be a pleasure for me! Bring some chains!" he shouted to the guards. The lord breathed louder when Master Ox added his pressure around his wings. "And you will make a last little journey!"
Shen struggled. The ox touched his old injuries deliberately that it hurt.
Po was conflicted. "No, let..."
"Spare your words, panda!" the lord ordered. "I outlived your friend; I will outlive that bastard, too."
That insult let Master Ox move his fists. Shen had the chance to avoid a few centimeters, but the hit of the ox force kicked him hard to the ground. Master Ox would have smashed the peacock if Master Croc hadn't had stop him. "That's enough!"
Master Ox let out a scream, but he stopped his beatings on the lord. Meantime, the guards came with the shackles in their hands and were going to shackle the bird.
"But, but..."
Shifu interrupted Po's speaking tries. "Po!" Master Shifu came closer. "Po, I told you..."
"No!" Po was frightened about his own words. "Uhm, I mean, Master Shifu, let me speak a word, just this one time."
"No! You made mischief enough."
"But..."
He watched how the guards held the lord's wings with firm grabs. Shen tried to keep still, but the ox still hurt him without to stop his pre-torment.
With hesitation, Po lifted his paw. "Eh, listen, I..."
"Po!"
"But master, I..."
"Po? What happened?" Mr. Ping asked.
The village people talked across each other, while Po tried to say a word.
"But..."
Suddenly, a gigantic loud trumpet of an elephant banged through the air that all had to close their ears. It happened several seconds, until it stopped.
Dong lowered his trunk and pointed at Po. "The Dragon Warrior wants to say something."
For a moment, Po was silent. "Uhm, yes, thank you."
Everyone was silent and looked at Po, who tried to search for a few words.
"Eh, you!" He pointed at the guards. "Bring the intruders to me."
They did. Now Po could see it was five of these leopard fighters.
Po looked to the leader and came closer. "Say, what's your name?"
"Bailong."
"Okay, Bailong. Maybe we had a bad start with communication, but please tell me, what did Shen against you?"
Bailong snorted and looked with so much hate at the lord that Po got a deep shiver under his thick fur.
"We denied him our metal. After that, he destroyed our whole village. With many dead people."
Po remembered how the wolves had also robbed a village in their near to collect the metal. But they had the luck that nobody was injured.
"Okay, that explains everything."
Po rubbed his forehead. He waved his glance at Shen, who didn't move a face muscle. He didn't seem to regret that. Then he turned at Master Ox.
"Master Storming Ox, as the Dragon Warrior I ask you to release him so that I can see into his eyes."
Master Ox snorted, but when Master Croc tapped his shoulder, he loosened his grip and let the ruler free. The peacock coughed a little, but he laid together his wings like he used to do and showed more pride than before and stared at the panda.
Po cleaned his throat. "Shen, come closer, please."
The lord narrowed his eyes, but he did. Shortly before he arrived him, he whispered at him: "Are you going to do, what you wanted to do the whole time, panda?"
Po ignored the peacock's sarcasms and continued.
"Listen folk of Bailong," Po said loudly. "I know about your situation. Shen killed your conspecifics, and I know how you feel. This lord," he pointed at Shen. "He took my family and all what I had he wanted to steal from me, too. Because of him I lost my father and my mother. I have to be the one who would bring him to death the most."
Shen put a smile on his beak. He didn't disagree and lowered his glance a little. But he lifted his head immediately again. Master Ox was the only one who seemed to be satisfied with that speech.
Po relaxed his face muscles with a smile.
"But you helped me to save my home. You saved my current family. And I'm thankful for this."
Shen winced. Was that panda kidding?
"I can't undo what you or I have done, but we still have the chance to move it in a different way. You are a prince with extraordinary abilities. Today it's a day of peace. Many years ago, two nations fought here in this place where we are standing at the moment, as you know all the story. Today, their offspring of the nation's came here to celebrate our peace in this valley. And today I proclaim my peace offer to my biggest enemy. With deep respect."
With that Po put together his palms.
"Master."
He bent down his head almost to the ground. Shen didn't know what to say and stared at the bowing panda. All people looked at each other. The Dragon Warrior bowed down to his worst enemy.
"The Dragon Warrior spoke a wise word," Dong said.
And now, Shifu didn't believe what he was seeing. The elephant made a few steps forward and bent down like Po was doing. The hippo Gang accompanied and bent down in the same way. Gong, the gazelle, did what his rulers did and let fall himself on the ground. Now Mr. Ping bent down, too. And more and more people bowed to the lord.
Shen was still like in trance, and stared at the bending down heads in front of him, which became more and more. At last the Furious Five imitated the gesture. Shifu trembled with rage, but he didn't want to speak a word because of the big respect of the nation rulers. And then, after inner war, he lowered his glance with tensed posture.
Master Ox and Master Croc constituted the exception. Master Ox was going to scream around, but Master Croc retained him.
Meanwhile, Shen looked around. These people bowed down without an order. His eyes kept on the soothsayer, who nodded at him softly.
"Don't throw it away."
His eyes became wet. He looked down at the still bowing panda. Then he clenched his wings.
Suddenly, Shen jumped aside and grabbed a spear. Some people's eyes grew bigger. The lord ran at the panda and...
"AHHHH!"
With a loud cry, the peacock rammed the spear into the stony ground in front of the panda. The peacock had lowered his face, his eyes closed, his cramped wings wrapped around the hilt. He panted a little.
"You are so stupid, panda," the whispering words reached the panda's ears. "So stupid."
Then he left the spear and let it stuck in the stone slaps. Then he put his wings together, lowered his head and bowed. Po lifted his head a little and was going to stand up, but...
"No hugs," the lord said with still closed eyes.
"Okay," Po whispered back.
"Wait! Wait! Wait!" Master Ox interrupted the silence. "Are you all out of your mind?! In front of us stands the most dangerous enemy of China and the one who wanted to destroy kung ku! He deserves the capital punishment, nothing else."
"Not after a peace offer," Gang countered. "This would be against the law of our nations."
Master Ox snorted. "That's against my law of Gongmen City!"
"But we aren't in Gongmen City, are we?" Po replied and stood up. "He has a right to prove himself."
The ox was shortly before to get a tantrum.
"Listen, Master Ox," Po said and looked at Shen. "Master Shen, I respect your free will, but let me know what you are going to do now?"
The lord was still confused and thought about all. It was against his will to stay calm, but then the goat appeared behind the panda and was looking at him with pleading eyes. It wasn't over yet.
All of her words echoed through his mind. Was it that, what his parents had hoped so long?
"What's your answer?" Po's words brought him back.
The lord sighed. "Panda, if you let rest your weapons, I will rest my weapons, too. If you promise me that you swear your peace for me."
"I promise and swear it!"
"In this case," Dong said. "It's validated."
Master Ox stood there like all dressed up and nowhere to go, but he found back his language. And it showed more than anger.
"So, if you trust that miscreant, then it's your funeral! But he can't go back to Gongmen City! Never again!"
Po looked at the peacock, but the lord didn't say a word. His expression was emotionless. But he knew, it wouldn't bring something to protest.
The panda rubbed his fur. "I think, in this case we are in complete agreement."
"But you will hang if he tries a new conquest expedition," Master Ox added with rage.
Po felt the eyes of the nation rulers and lifted his upper body. "I authenticate him. I'm sure he will never do that again." He interrupted himself. "Would you?"
The peacock gave him a skeptical look. "Are you going to break your promise, panda?"
"No."
"Well then."
The ox walked forward to the peacock. The lord's muscles tensed. With a warning gesture, the kung fu master pointed at the lord.
"Should you ever enter one step into the city, it will be your death!"
Shen hissed warningly. Both stared at each other.
"We will see," was Shen's only answer.
The ox lifted his fist. "Don't dare!"
"Uhm, listen, maybe it's the best to go," Master Croc said.
Master Ox gave Shen a last warning wave, then he turned around.
Po lifted his paw. "Eh, don't you want to stay?"
"With that bastard?" Master Ox was angry enough. "Never I will share my place with him. If I were you, I would cut through his head. And if something happens, I will cut you."
Po was pale a little. "Uhm, okay. That's a word."
"We disappear." With these words, the kung fu masters went away.
Po looked after them and didn't believe what had happened.
"Po?" He looked at Shifu. "It wasn't a wise decision to contradict the kung fu masters."
Po sighed. "I know, but what should I do instead?"
Shifu lay back his ears. "How can you trust more someone who is a danger for China, instead of your own people?"
"Master, I know, it sounds crazy, but I believe him that he will hold his word."
Master Shifu wasn't sure about it. "Like Master Ox said, it will be your funeral, if not."
Po swallowed. "Okay."
"Hey!"
Po's eyes wandered to the leopards. "What about us?"
"What is it about you?"
Bailong crossed his arms. "As I see it, you don't want that we kill him."
"That's what I expect."
"But what about our destroyed village?"
"Your village? Eh, your village."
"Great Dragon Warrior," the elephant Dong said. "For your deeds, we will give you what you need."
Po looked at him in surprise. "And what should it be?"
"We could make good any damage what all happened to them. And for your own village."
Po made big eyes. "That's what you would do for me? Wow. Thanks, buddy!"
He took the trunk of the elephant and shook it. Then he looked around, because all had set eyes on him.
"Well, the day is not over yet. We have still the chance to celebrate our festival of peace."