Aftermath
[3rd POV]
Master Rhino remained on the ground even after Tai Lung had disappeared from sight. He sighed and shook his head while he digested what Tai Lung had said and done to him.
"The guy does not hold back does he?" He said to himself while chuckling. He slowly pushed himself up from the ground and got back to his feet.
Maybe he needed that humbling. He had indeed gotten prideful of his own achievents and position in the passing years. That'd happen to anyone when you are the leader of the Kung Fu Council where the greatest masters in China worked under you and also have the greatest city under your rule.
All of these had almost made him forget the ultimate truth of this world. That is individual strength reigned supre.
His influence, his rule and his prestige were nothing in front of overwhelming strength. The fact that Tai Lung had just walked all over his pride and got away scot-free was proof of this.
He went to the other masters one by one and checked on their condition. They were all fine, no one was on death's door although so were beaten pretty badly.
He undid the nerve attacks Tai Lung had left behind but even after they were free, no one moved. They prefer remaining on the ground for a while, sulking in their defeat.
Master Rhino laughed, "You better get used to it now that he's back."
He found it funny that once Tai Lung terrorised his generation and now he is back, after 20 years and still looking not a day old, to terrorize the new generation.
"You almost sound happy to have him back." A voice ca from behind Master Rhino and when he looked back, he saw the Monkey King.
He was also battered up pretty badly, but Master Rhino had seen him in worse states before.
"You chose to co back right when it's all over?" Master Rhino asked while raising his brow. His voice held a hidden amusent as if he was continuously holding back from laughing at Monkey King's current state.
"What do you want to do? Co back to the guy that just sent flying a mile with just a kick? No thank you, I was waiting for him to leave." Monkey King admitted with a smile.
Master Rhino shook his head, "You should've co back sooner. He was giving the Tai Lung treatnt and you missed it."
Monkey King paused and his eyes opened wide like a saucer, "Are you kidding ?"
"Nope. He told to make sure there is humility in every step I take from now one."He said and the Monkey King started laughing.
He even started making monkey noises while slapping his knee. He wiped a tear from his eye, "You might be the only master in China who gets the Tai Lung treatnt not just once but TWICE!!"
"How can soone be so unlucky?" Monkey King asked with his laughter slowly dying down. "But I guess it was needed, you were getting pretty cocky."
It was true indeed. Master Rhino's ego was hurt when he lost that badly to Tai Lung and he believed that Tai Lung won purely because he sohow attained inner peace.
So when Monkey King, who also attained inner peace finally ca to Gongn City, he thought together they would definitely be able to take Tai Lung down for good.
But there was also his anger at Tai Lung for attacking the land of his citizens. Yet it was true that if Monkey King was not here, he would not have gone after Tai Lung.
"Don't act innocent, you also called him arrogant." Master Rhino rebuked.
Monkey King sheepishly scratched his cheek, "I did, didn't I? I didn't think I would be beaten that badly in the beginning too. In fact, I thought I had a chance after achieving inner peace."
"Guess I was wrong."
"By a mile." Master Rhino added while smiling at the double aning.
"It was your idea."
"Which you imdiately agreed with because you think you can beat him."
"How long has it been since he broke out of prison?" Monkey King asked after thinking about it for a while. To be beaten so thoroughly was sothing he never thought was possible considering how much he had grown.
"About a year."
"I see." He did not see. "Wait, a year?!"
"A little less." Master Rhino said.
"Then that ans he was always that much stronger than us. I have attained inner peace and although it gave you more enhancent and the ability to do the impossible, it is nothing much. Especially if you only had ti to get used to it for a year." Monkey King said. "What a monster." He added.
"What do they feed him in prison?" Master Rhino questioned, "Do you think I should go to prison too? Try my luck in attaining inner peace or sothing?"
"I think its just a Tai Lung thing rather than due to his imprisonnt." Monkey King said as his eyes wandered around and observed his fallen comrades.
"The others..."
"They are fine." Master Rhino said, "Strangely enough he left everyone with their life and with no permanent injuries. Of course except Ox, Tai Lung broke his horn."
"That's a minor thing. It won't affect his fighting power much other than the need to get used to his imbalance. He can make a sword or other weapons with his horn." Monkey King said while stroking his beard. He seed a bit confused and deep in thought.
"Why did he spare us? Showing rcy is not like him, especially to those who so blatantly crossed him."
"He thinks he is good by doing so." Master Rhino said, "I think his desire to be the Dragon Warrior did not fully die down. He still wants to be the hero from what I can tell."
Monkey King scoffed, "That's funny."
"it is. You'd expect soone who attained inner peace to be more aware of their true nature. He is not the type at all, in fact, none of us are." Master Rhino said.
"Well, inner peace is simply about accepting yourself and being at peace with whatever you have happened to you in your life or what you have done. The journey of self-discovery is never-ending. The road continues on until the end of your life." Monkey King said, "Take today for example, I never knew I was this helpless against soone else."
Master Rhino thought about that for a while and in the end, just remained silent. It was good that Tai Lung at least still wanted to be the hero. It was good for everyone who ca across him and the world itself.
He had never missed the old tortoise more than he did at the mont. Soone needed to keep Tai Lung in check.
At least he hoped the new Dragon Warrior would get strong enough to equal Tai Lung. If anyone had a chance, it was the warrior selected by Oogway himself.
Finally, his soldiers reached the battlefield and he ordered them to take the fallen masters back to the city while he went towards the farmland of the Wi house to check what exactly happened.
He did not find anything suspicious of course, as the fight provided enough ti for Lord Shen and the Wi family to clear out any evidence.
In the end, they said that the explosion was caused by the fireworks they kept at the storage which were ant to be used for celebrating the Lantern Festival.
The Lantern Festival is celebrated in the first moon after Chinese New year and its significant to farrs because it marks the beginning of spring and the start of farming activities like planting seeds and ploughing.
Master Rhino believed that as it seems reasonable. And he had no reason to trust Tai Lung's words more than his own citizens.
In the end, he just chalked it up to a way for Tai Lung to vent his anger like he did in Mielin City. He had heard Tai Lung was not welcod well into his city and left in a rather foul mood right after Gazelle talked to him.
He needed to do sothing. At least he needed to spread words about Tai Lung's strength to everyone. The old tales needed to be retold.
He'd rather not have anyone ss with Tai Lung and piss him off at the mont.
And he needed to talk with other kingdoms as well. They need to make a plan on how to neutralize Tai Lung I case he went on a rampage again and the Dragon Warriro was still too green to stop him.
They didn't have Oogway anymore so they have to find a way.
To Master Rhino, it was only a matter of ti until Tai Lung turns evil and go on a rampage again. He did not believe for a mont that he was good because even Oogway said so.
Tai Lung wanted to be hero? Like the Dragon Warrior and Oogway?
What a joke.
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[IMAGE]
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