The Ticking Contingent: The Countdown vo.2

"Big Fan."

Kai walked into the onyx room, the komodos bowing to him in terror. He walked up to the Chameleon who was busy admiring her latest handiwork.

"What do you think?" she asked, holding up a staff that looked very similar to Po's.

"Very impressive," Kai admitted. "It's almost seamless!"

"Thank you. Now if you're ready, let's implement the next phase of my plan."

"Kai laughed, "This ought to be fun," he remarked callously. "Sure you really want him? Beating him was a cakewalk."

"Yes, but he had potential. Besides, I love a good rematch."

The two made their way towards the opposite sides of the onyx room, putting a great distance between them with the komodo army standing beside them at the ready. Chameleon closed her eyes in deep concentration, Kai following suit, and soon a bright orange and black glow began to form in the center of the room. The glow soon formed a door and the door soon formed a portal, and the light began to glow brighter. The process seemed simple, but took a long tedious hour, Eventually though, a shadowy figure started to emerge and soon a very confused snow leopard had been pulled into the room. As he landed on the floor, Chameleon addressed him with a satisfied, "Tai Lung."

The snow leopard looked over in her direction, surprised at the identification and still very confused.

"Big fan."

Tai Lung stood up to look at her and then proceeded to look around the room at the large army. He then looked back at the Chameleon and asked, "Did you pull me out of the spirit realm?"

"You're welcome."

The snow leopard looked at her suspiciously and looked around at her army.

"I won't hurt you," Chameleon promised. "As long as you do your part and cooperate."

Tai Lung narrowed his eyes at her. "What's the catch?" he stated. "Usually when strange people with chi approach me, it's to take power or beat me to a pulp."

Kai laughed from behind the portal and dissipated the chi to see the newcomer better. Tai Lung spun his head around and glared at him. "Not you again," he growled.

"Aw, what's the matter, kitty cat? Sore I bested you in a showdown? Too easy."

Tai Lung looked back at Chameleon with a serious expression. "I appreciate being brought back, lady. Really," he told her. "But I'm not going to have anything to do with your little ragtag group. Seems like more trouble than it's worth."

Chameleon grinned at him. "I was hoping you would say that," she remarked. She stomped her staff onto the ground and the komodo army immediately charged at the former master. Tai Lung cracked his shoulders and immediately launched into a flurry of kicks and punches, knocking multiple guards out at once, launching weapons into the air and against the wall, and even freezing the chi of multiple attackers. After a few minutes, some of the komodos started scampering away, afraid of getting frozen mid-punch. Chameleon stayed exactly where she was.

"Impressive," she admitted gleefully. "You're much stronger than I had hoped."

Unfazed by the compliment, Tai Lung charged at her with the intention of throwing her to the other side of the room and freezing her solid. However, Chameleon whipped her tongue at him, causing Tai Lung to glow, and pulled all the light into her own body. Tai Lung collapsed to the floor as all the energy was sucked out of his body. He winced as he hit the floor roughly.

"What did you do?" he muttered weakly.

Chameleon chuckled and started to shift. Her eyes began to change from red to a bright blue and she had soon taken on Tai Lung's exact form. Tai Lung looked a little horrified at the sight, but still got to his feet. Chameleon cracked her new back. "This feels nice," she remarked, though her voice came out more in Tai Lung's tone.

Tai Lung faced her. "Okay, you've made your point," he grumbled. "Now give me my chi back. Or...whatever you took exactly."

Chameleon, in her new form, immediately nerve struck Tai Lung, forcing him to fly across the floor and once again whack his head. However, she didn't freeze his chi, so Tai Lung once again was free to get up. After he had taken a moment to catch his breath.

"There are many ways to take chi," she remarked, shifting back into her old self. "Taking knowledge, taking skills, taking all of ones whole being. Personally, you're of much better use to me here in the flesh. But just know that one false move, I'll have more than just your kung fu at my disposal."

Tai Lung groaned. "Fine," he conceded.

Chameleon smiled at him. "Good boy," she said, and flicked her tongue back at him to return his kung fu.

Feeling reenergized, Tai Lung took a dep breath and stretched out his arms. "So what exactly are you up to that you need me here?" he questioned.

"Leave the big plans to me," Chameleon told him. "Just worry about your part. It's very important."

"And what does the lady want me to do?"

Chameleon walked up to him, folding her arms into her sleeves elegantly. "I heard about your prison break," she admitted. "And your sudden increase of chi despite your incarceration. It was very impressive."

"20 years gives you a lot to think about."

"Then think about this: if you can learn accurate pressure point strikes in prison, imagine what you could do with a full access to an actual library? And I need someone to learn how to wield chi from the very air we breath. A chi guard, if you will, to keep the Jade Palace masters under control once our plan comes to fruition."

Tai Lung raised an eyebrow at this idea, but then thought more about it and agreed.

"Sounds like a challenge," he admitted with a big smile. "I love a good challenge. Especially if it comes with a dose of revenge."

Chameleon grinned. "Glad to hear it," she said.