Kung Fu Panda: Rise of the Hollow

StarfallRaptor · **Reply #20 on:** November 23, 2013, 09:04:00 PM

Makoto grinned, twirling the sheathed blade he carried.
"You needn't worry about me. And should it come to a fight, then I will do my best to protect all of you."
He said courageously...
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Tai Lung shook his head, placing a paw on Shen's shoulder.
"Yes, but at the time, you were not yourself. You were younger, foolish, and striving for something you already had. Much the same as I was. You have grown since then, so I feel that, given time, the Dragon warrior will forgive you."
He said reassuringly. Not too far behind, Boss Wolf nodded.
"He's got a point, boss. Besides, I shoulda stopped you back then, and I didn't. So we can split the blame."
He said, hammer resting over his shoulder...

Pterano · **Reply #21 on:** November 23, 2013, 11:45:21 PM

Viper was amused by Makoto's optimism. "Well... I'll be interested to see just how well you fight." she smiled.

Suddenly, Master Shifu appeared. "Master Shifu?" Viper asked.

"I've sensed him. Tai Lung... he's back." Shifu said, a serious look on his face. "But there's something... off about it. Something's... not quite right." he admitted. "There's no major destruction occurring in town. By now... he'd be ripping through the place to get to me."

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Shen glanced at the paw placed on his shoulder, and listened to Tai Lung with a thoughtful frown on his face, eyes on the ground. Younger... Foolish... wanted something he already had. His parents' love? He lifted his eyes now, and turned them to the wolf boss. "You... should've stopped me?" he asked slowly. His face finally fell. "Perhaps... though I don't know how to find peace over this. I need to find the secret... to let the past... not control me any longer. Shackle me to it."

He looked around now. "This... that was a long time ago... but I DID do things recently... within the last year too. I murdered... Master Thundering Rhino." he pointed out in slow tones. "I killed pandas thirty years ago, thirty years later... here I am... still a murderer at worst... disgraced lord at best." he mumbled.

StarfallRaptor · **Reply #22 on:** November 23, 2013, 11:58:30 PM

Makoto nodded, bowing to Shifu before turning and smiling a little.
"Then that is a blessing. Even as a warrior, I dislike having to resort to violence before words are given a fair chance."
He said softly, tucking the sword in his hand into his sash, grabbing a second sword and twirling it.
"Shall we?"
He asked calmly...
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Tai Lung shook his head.
"Think of it this way. You were still lost, but now you've found your way. We all end up lost from time to time. What you have to do now is make amends for the past, as do I. That is why we came here."
He said reassuringly, as Boss Wolf nodded.
"I'm just as guilty as you. So we'll work our way through this. Alright, boss?"
He said gently...

Pterano · **Reply #23 on:** November 24, 2013, 12:23:59 AM

Shifu nodded. "Very well. We'll go down there, together. Find out what's going on. From what I've heard... Lord Shen may have survived too. We'll see what this is all about!" he declared, and Viper nodded, moving with Mantis to start heading down the mountain.

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"Lost... yes... I was." Shen finally admitted, nodding sorrowfully. "My parents..." he said, but didn't finish that sentence. He gave the wolf a solemn nod. "Mmm very well. I'll try and do my best but ah... it appears our 'salvation' has arrived." Shen stated, turning to face the oncoming Furious Five, the Dragon Warrior, and Master Shifu. And what was this? Another newcomer in the group? So what... they were the Furious Six now or something?

Shifu stood at their head. "So... you've returned." he said sternly to Tai Lung. "Why? And Lord Shen... what is this? Some perverse attempt at seeking revenge? Both of you... listen... it's not too late... but I sense something different. Neither of you have attacked. What is it, then?" he asked.

StarfallRaptor · **Reply #24 on:** November 24, 2013, 12:27:48 AM

Tai Lung smiled softly, then bowed low to Shifu.
"Master. It's been far too long. Shen and I have come back...to address that a threat has begun brewing outside the Valley. One that, if we don't stop it, could easily consume the whole of our world. And we have also come to make amends."
He said softly, as Boss Wolf attempted to bow, but stumbled and ended up nearly falling over before righting himself.
"Y-Yeah. What he said."
He stammered...

Kor · **Reply #25 on:** November 24, 2013, 12:44:03 AM

Chaka watched from where he was. He didn't see any reason why the villagers had been running away. Not like the folks in the group were doing anything to make them want to run, and they didn't look like something not of this world. He shrugged, maybe it was a local custom or something, to run in panic from a visitor or stranger if more then 1 came at the same time.

Then he noticed a group arriving who came from the temple or fort looking place. The villagers seemed to know them and he assumed it was more of a temple since it didn't have the looks of a military establishment from what he had seen of it. Though he had not been close so could not be sure. He thought he'd watch to see what happened, not much else to do but keep walking in a random direction. And he wasn't in the mood to meditate and it wasn't time to do one anyway.

Pterano · **Reply #26 on:** November 24, 2013, 12:50:35 AM

Shifu narrowed his eyes at this. "A new threat?"

"And HOW can we trust you guys exactly?" Mantis asked skeptically.

"Wait... let them finish." Shifu held up a hand. "You've come... to make amends?" he asked cautiously. One of Kung Fu's greatest aims was to heal rather than kill your opponent, and killing was only used as an absolute last resort in total self-defense. It seemed the wolf agreed with Tai Lung.

Shen looked down, narrowing his own eyes. "I... too... have... a... similar purpose." he said in slow, drawn out tones. "But I don't... how!" he suddenly shot up now. "How do you find peace!? What's the secret?" he asked desperately. "How do you make the past demons sleep?"

Shifu paused, giving Shen an odd look. "Inner peace is not something you can be told... or even taught. It's something that comes on its own... either through pain or suffering... or deep, intense, meditation. That's why it's called INNER peace, Lord Shen. It's not something given to you by an exterior source. Now... this threat... Tai Lung... continue." Shifu said, standing in a relaxed fashion before his former pupil.

Shen bowed his head, closing his eyes. Why was this so hard? He wanted to ask Po but... he couldn't do that right now.

StarfallRaptor · **Reply #27 on:** November 24, 2013, 01:05:23 AM

Tai Lung bowed his head again.
"Of course. After I was bested by the Dragon Warrior, I began to travel the land outside of the Valley, seeking some form of answer, and then, some form of penance. And as I did so, I came upon a village, burning to the ground, with none of the occupants alive. But as I buried them, I noticed one peculiarity. Their bodies, no matter how I tried, did not cast any form of shadow. And as I buried the last of them, I was set upon by an assailant. One who was, for all intents and purposes, a living shadow. While I bested him, of course, I began to wonder, and search for the truth of this...living, walking shadow. I found it. There have been many similar attacks in smaller villages of late. Lord Shen has seen it as well, as has the Wolf. I fear that this may be the harbinger of a grave danger."
He said, eyes clearly concerned as Boss Wolf nodded frantically...

Pterano · **Reply #28 on:** November 24, 2013, 01:27:22 AM

"A living shadow?" Shifu asked now. "This is some evil sorcery or... dark magic at work! All three of you have seen it then?" he asked, his voice rising.

Shen nodded solemnly. "Yes... it attacked the soothsayer... my old nanny." he said softly. "It came from the graves of those who died around Gongmen City. I don't know the reason behind it. I defended her... But I ran into Tai Lung afterward... I initially sought vengeance for my defeat but... as we encountered more of these creatures... I realized they weren't going to stop. None of it was. While he's had... his time to reflect I... haven't... fully done so." the peacock confessed.

"I see... this truth, you discovered, Tai Lung. What is it? And you mentioned besting them? So they CAN be defeated?" Shifu pressed.

Viper had to admit... shadow demons? She didn't really like the sound of that!

StarfallRaptor · **Reply #29 on:** November 24, 2013, 01:47:29 AM

Makoto stepped forward at that moment, nodding.
"If they are what I think the are, then yes. They can be bested. They are known as Youkai, or demons. They take the shadows and souls of those they've killed as trophies, growing stronger the more they consume. However, they are arrogant, as the moment they take one as a body, they become as vulnerable as any mortal being, if stronger. So we have a chance, but we will need to pool all our talents. We will need the Five, the Masters of Gongmen City, the Dragon Warrior, and of course, you three as well. And I do believe we could also use the aid of whoever is hiding nearby. You can come out now, by the way."
He said resolutely...

Kor · **Reply #30 on:** November 24, 2013, 03:20:58 AM

"I don't see how a simple traveler could help any." Chaka said, stepping closer. "I'm not anyone special." He said, not thinking anything was special about him. He saw himself as a regular person, nothing special. Though he was a mystic martial artist & had the training as well as that wasn't treated as any different then a blacksmith, baker, chief, and other things some folks choose to do.

Pterano · **Reply #31 on:** November 24, 2013, 02:23:35 PM

"You know of these creatures?" Viper asked Makoto, surprised and wondering at it all.

"So... once they take bodies, they become mortal." Shifu murmured. "So there is a way."

Shen nodded at this. "Yes... from what I could see, the one that attacked the soothsayer did inhabit mortal flesh. It took several blows to finally bring it down." Shen informed them. "But they CAN be vanquished."

Shifu looked at Chaka now, who stated he wasn't really sure just what he could do. "You are more than welcome to test your skills against any of us." he said, bowing his head at the eagle. "If you feel uncertain about them, that is. You might surprise yourself." he commented, before turning to Tai Lung.

"Now then... do these Youkai seem to be coming from a certain source, or are their appearances random?"

StarfallRaptor · **Reply #32 on:** November 24, 2013, 03:03:50 PM

Makoto nodded grimly..
"I have. They're responsible for the devastation of my home. They are monsters, devoid of any semblance of mercy or goodness. But with all of us...we have a chance."
He said resolutely...

ddmkm122 · **Reply #33 on:** November 24, 2013, 07:02:21 PM

Cool, a new thread!

Pterano · **Reply #34 on:** November 24, 2013, 07:07:46 PM

((I'm sorry but this thread is for RPing ONLY. If you're going to make an OOC comment, then please put it into double parentheses. Also, you're not officially a member of this RP, but if you'd like to join, post in the discussion thread, NOT in the RP thread. These kinds of posts just serve to vandalize the RP and break up its flow, so please keep OOC comments out and join if you want in the discussion thread.))

Viper nodded at Makoto now, a bit curious as to how his home was lost.

Shifu was wondering the same thing, and turned to the cheetah. "Your home was devastated by these creatures? And how far do you live from the Valley of Peace?"

"Also... from what you guys could tell..." Mantis gestured to Tai Lung, Shen, and the wolf boss. "Are these creatures... coming here?" he gulped.

Shen looked over at Tai Lung now. "Well... I haven't encountered them as frequently as Tai Lung has. From what I could tell, not right away. Did you observe anything different, Tai Lung?" the peacock asked.

StarfallRaptor · **Reply #35 on:** November 24, 2013, 08:19:14 PM

Makoto smiled bitterly at the memory of his home.
"My home is far to the east of here, located on a mass of islands. The Youkai attacked there many years ago. They were routed by one of the many lords that dwell in the area, and many believed them to be vanquished. They were wrong, it seems."
He said softly. Tai Lung nodded a little, then looked around at the others.
"I doubt that they will move on the Valley immediately. However, I think that they will likely attempt to grow their ranks and strength, going after villages until they have enough of a force to utterly decimate anything in their path..."
He said, voice clearly concerned...

Kor · **Reply #36 on:** November 24, 2013, 10:48:50 PM

Chaka shrugged, "If you wish to, though there seems to be more important things at hand." he said in his usual relaxed manner, "I know what I have learned, though what one has learned is but a drop in the ocean of what one has not yet learned or experienced."

he listened to what the others were talking about, not sure if he had heard of such a creature before or not. He had heard of many myths and legends, as well as real events and some things that were a blurring of the 2.

Pterano · **Reply #37 on:** November 24, 2013, 10:53:28 PM

"Well, it is entirely up to you if you wish to practice with us or not. If you're confident, so be it." Shifu nodded respectfully at Chaka. "Well if we're not under immediate threat..." Shifu looked back at Tai Lung now. "I think our next course will be to try and halt their advance at one of their next targets. However... there are some things I'd like to do first. Namely..." he still looked at his former pupil. "Tai Lung... if I may see you in private back at the Jade Palace?"

Shen looked up at this, but didn't immediately say anything. "Oh, you're all invited!" Shifu added, noticing Shen's look. "I just have some unfinished business to address first."

Shen briefly glanced in Po's direction, then sighed. Why not? "I... suppose I could join you at the palace for a bit." he said heavily.

StarfallRaptor · **Reply #38 on:** November 24, 2013, 11:00:36 PM

Tai Lung bowed his head respectfully.
"Of course, Master."
He said respectfully...

Pterano · **Reply #39 on:** November 24, 2013, 11:09:53 PM

Shifu gave him an odd look, but merely turned and started heading back for the palace. Shen followed the group, his armored legs clinking along the ground as he moved. He took his guandao from the boss wolf, who'd been carrying it for him. He twirled it behind him, but otherwise, simply walked up the long steps, feeling stranger and stranger the closer he came to this place. "How? How did he do it?" he murmured under his breath.

The climb reminded him of his father's tower... it was all too familiar. Narrowing his eyes as he stepped into the main courtyard, and he glanced around. So... this was where the panda trained.

Shifu headed for the palace proper. "Tai Lung... in here if you please." Shifu entered the the main hall, where Oogway had once resided.