Acting almost immediately, Tai Lung bolted out of the Sacred Hall of Warriors in pursuit of the shadowy figure. It clearly meant trouble and Tai Lung didn't want the rest of the valley to be put in danger. He wasn't really sure what exactly would happen if he caught a criminal since he was considered to be one himself. However, Tai Lung had at one point been the ultimate chaser of assassins, so the thrill of the chase was still ingrained deep in his mind. So he opted to chase now and think of the consequences later.
The figure reached the front gates of the Jade Palace and proceeded to leap onto the top of the fence. It then launched itself into the air and glided gracefully down to the bottom of the valley. Tai Lung did a double-take, but then threw open the gates and continued after it. He saw the figure dart sharply through the woods and proceeded to leap off the stairs, land firmly on the ground, and dash after it. Within seconds, the valley was long behind them, lost in a dark blur and soon hidden by layers of trees. Tai Lung kept a sharp eye on the cloaked figure. It ran very quickly and any distractions from either direction could cause Tai Lung to lose sight of it.
The two whipped past more and more trees, pushing branches and bramble out of the way until they reached a clearing. Seeing how the far left side led to nothing but the edge of a waterfall, Tai Lung darted forward and slowly moved over to the right. When he had caught up with the dark cloaked figure, he veered sharply to the left, steering the figure over to the waterfall. However, the dark cloaked attacker simply leaped from the cliff and safely glided down to the bottom. Tai Lung attempted to grab their cloak, but he simply put a small hole in the fabric.
"Are you kidding me?!" he grumbled angrily. "Who GLIDES off of cliffs?! Fly, maybe, but glide?!"
Tai Lung groaned and got back to his feet, upon which he quickly began to make his way down. There wasn't really a slope to walk or run down, so Tai Lung made due by simply jumping off the cliff. He kept a close eyes on the trees down below and planned out how exactly he was going to land safely. Granted he probably should have figured that out before he jumped, but that was valuable time wasted letting the mysterious assassin get away.
You know, I think Shifu mentioned that to me once, Tai Lung thought to himself as the tiny shrubs of trees came closer into view. It was...right after the battle of the Sunset Armada, right after I jumped on the boat to get General Orsha and the troop set it on fire. And I found out General Orsha had a secret getaway boat. I mean, I got off okay; all I had to do was go to the bottom of the boat and make a hole so I could force my way out before any of the gunpowder went off....But Shifu was pretty scared for a second. Okay, for a lot of seconds....And I did get badly burnt.....I guess that's just another trait I need to work on....
The trees suddenly came clear into view and Tai Lung quickly stretched his arms out to grab a hold of one of the branches. He was able to get a firm grip, but as he violently swung above the ground, the branch snapped in half and sent him plummeting to the ground. Tai Lung smashed through several limbs before violently crashing underneath the trees. The snow leopard groaned and winced as he tried to get to his feet. He felt a bit tingly and there was definitely what felt like a nasty bruise on his face, but other than that he was okay.
Not bad for hurtling to the earth from the top of a waterfall, he thought to himself as he began to walk around. Alright...now where did they go?
The mysterious figure was long gone at this point much to Tai Lung's annoyance, but it had glided towards the other side of the forest, so it was possible he could still catch it. Undeterred, the snow leopard dashed in the direction where the figure was last seen. He kept his eyes peeled open, hoping to at least catch a glimpse of it. Anything to get him back on track. However, after a few minutes of running and searching, Tai Lung slowed down to catch his breath. Whatever (or that is to really say whoever) had blown up the ceiling in the Sacred Hall of Warriors was too far ahead. They were a worthy adversary, dare Tai Lung admit it, and they clearly had the upper hand. The snow leopard sighed and turned to walk away, only to freeze dead in his tracks. He then turned back around only to be greeted by a flying blade. Tai Lung quickly ducked as the blade just missed his ears, whizzed past his head, and hit the tree behind it.
Tai Lung quickly glanced up and caught a glimpse of the figure throwing more blades at him. He ducked again and maneuvered his way through several trees in order to avoid getting hit.
"I was wondering where you were," he mocked. "For a second I nearly mistook you for a coward. Even I didn't run from the scene of a crime."
"But you did," the cloaked figure replied, startling Tai Lung for a second. "Granted, that master was the one who was injured...maybe killed, who knows...but you ran. You ran after me."
Tai Lung frowned angrily and stepped forward as the dark cloaked figure gracefully hopped down from the tree he was sitting in.
"You set off that explosive," Tai Lung snarled.
"You're a wanted criminal...Tai Lung, right? Who'd believe you?"
"Shifu," Tai Lung answered immediately. "He was there with me when you attacked, and even if I didn't help him, someone must have after the explosion went off!"
"Who's to say you didn't plan it, Tai Lung?"
The snow leopard narrowed his eyes at the figure. "How do you know my name?" he asked. "I don't recognize your voice."
"We've never met," the dark cloaked figure confirmed. "I'm simply being paid to kill."
"Paid to kill? Who's trying to kill Shifu?"
The dark cloaked figure said nothing. Then he laughed. Tai Lung had never heard such a noise in his life. It sounded like a wheezing intake of breath combined with a throaty cackle.
"Shifu?!" the assassin laughed. "Who said anything about killing Shifu?!"
"You blew up the ceiling in the Sacred Hall of Warriors and nearly crushed him!"
"Well I wasn't aiming for him. I was offered a very fine reward to kill you."
Choose what happens next. Skip to chapter:
o- Tai Lung captures the assassin
p- Tai Lung is injured