FA+
Shop
1311
Views
Views
4
Favorites
Favorites
Category
Story / Transformation
Species Panda
Size 50 x 50
File Size 16.1 kB
Report this content
More from OkuyasuTheFoolish
The first installment of A Very Different Trial, originally uploaded to my FF.net account.
At the end of the day, I was extremely dissatisfied with War Crimes and the way it allowed a certain ex-Warchief off the hook entirely, especially considering what he did in the events of Patch 5.4 (Siege of Orgrimmar). Given the things that the August Celestials are capable of...I decided to throw the script that Christie Golden established out the window entirely.
This is but the beginning. I will upload the next installments over the next few days.
...
He almost didn’t hear the footsteps. Time spent in a cell could do things to one’s mind…especially this cell, guarded by two of the damnable Pandaren warriors who seemed to have been carved from stone itself. His remarks did not register to them after more than two weeks. Only when he indicated his thirst did they respond. The glass they’d given him was good, yes…but insubstantial. And yelling did things to increase one’s thirst as well.
The cage might have been a simple one…but for the dark purple swirls of some arcane magic that swirled about the bars. The Shado-pan explained what they were doing curtly and not very politely, “Because you fell to the Sha so spectacularly, we are not about to allow history to repeat itself. The magic is also to contain any of the Sha that might remain within you.”
They’d let him out three times. Once on the first day of the trial, the second time on the third day, and the last time…on the day before yesterday.
In the opinion of the Pandaren that Garrosh was growing to despise, his behavior on the first day of the trial had demonstrated the need for the trial to be carried out in his absence. The smug face of Jaina Proudmoore on that day had just about made Garrosh’s blood boil. How he wished she was gone. How he wished…
His thick hands clenched into tight fists. How many plans had fallen apart? How was he in this cell when he deserved the death of a warrior? How long…was this farce of a trial to endure?
He no longer knew.
His eyes narrowed coldly as he stared out of the cell at the world beyond…or at least the tunnel beyond, which led to the outside world.
The footsteps he heard were cold, calculating…and very, very familiar. The hard eyes of one Garrosh Hellscream narrowed to lethal slits. He was here once more. The damnable Pandaren who he had tangled with in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms, the one he’d defeated and humiliated and cast down.
Ultimately, the Pandaren who’d been there to cheat Garrosh of a warrior’s death.
“You have a guest, Hellscream.” The cold voice of Taran Zhu contained a hard edge. “You may speak for no more than five minutes.”
“Who is it?!” Garrosh snapped, getting as close to the cage as he dared.
“As I understand it…I can’t exactly introduce you to Ji Firepaw.” Taran Zhu inclined his head and the thin edge of a wry smile appeared in the small gap that Garrosh could see between his ridiculous hat and his stuffy scarf. “I believe you’re already acquainted.” The Pandaren’s eyes narrowed to slits to match Garrosh’s. “As I said…you have five minutes.”
Taran turned on his heel and then left…and the heavy form of another Pandaren passed him as he walked back down the tunnel. Garrosh made out the two bowing to one another…and then the hulking form of a much younger Pandaren male approached. A Pandaren male that had been one of Garrosh’s allies.
But that was many, many months before.
The thickly built Ji was built much more heavily than Taran Zhu, and bore twin scars over his left eye. “Warchief Hellscream.”
“Have you something to say to me?”
Ji Firepaw seemed taken aback by that, but he recovered swiftly. “I did. I wanted…to thank you.”
This remark stunned Garrosh. “For what?!” He snarled.
“For opening my eyes.” Ji smiled, but the expression was not a kind one. “And those of the ones who followed me. I never realized until it was too late what you really were.”
“Speak plainly, Pandaren.” Garrosh snapped again. “What do you mean?”
“Surely the orcs must have nightmares or creatures that they mention to small children to scare them at night.” Ji suggested airily, sweeping his arms in a grandiose fashion. “You are one of those.”
Ji then did something that Garrosh did not expect. He suddenly took a running start at the cage, and the guards who flanked it on either side tensed up...as did Garrosh. What does this fool hope to accomplish!? Ji stopped short in his mad rush and panted heavily, shaking his head. He muttered more to himself than anyone else. “No…I will not give you that much satisfaction.”
Garrosh had never seen anything quite like this. Ji now peered through the bars of the cage, presenting the left eye and its scars and speaking coldly to Garrosh. “Your men left quite a few marks on me, Warchief. As a result…this eye cannot see as yours do.”
The warchief felt something akin to sickness in his stomach at the sight of that eye. Normally they’d been green, hadn’t they? As green as many of the orcs who’d served the True Horde loyally, yes. The blood that surrounded Ji Firepaw’s left iris was not normal…a result of whatever damage had been done to him. “They had their orders. You did as well.” Garrosh made no apologies. His men should have finished off this damn fool in Orgrimmar…instead he lived.
“Orders to lead my people to final ruin in your service. Yes…” Ji shook his head and stood back. “I was supposed to follow those to the letter. Like a puppet. As I said…you opened my eyes.” Ji drew in a long breath. “And I can see what you are now more clearly than I did on that first day in Orgrimmar, all those months ago.”
“And what am I?”
“You are beneath my contempt.” Ji answered, that cold, ruthless grin on his face. He inclined his head in a mock bow. “I’d hoped I could heal the wounds I saw within the Horde. But your ambition undid all the good I could have done.” Garrosh glared balefully at Ji. “The path of the Huojin will endure among the ranks of the Horde…a Horde that needs you no longer.” Ji bowed at the waist. “Farewell…Warchief.”
Before Garrosh could think of any retort, Ji had spun about almost on the spot and left.
“I thirst.” This was all Garrosh could say…and it was the truth.
The guards said nothing. They almost never spoke. The glass was pushed through the small window at the base of the cage. Garrosh drank…and contemplated just how the hell he’d repay these stiff-necked Pandaren for their efforts.
It’d likely involve blood.
…
Instead of Taran Zhu proceeding down the tunnel towards him the next time, a much statelier looking Pandaren with white fur and gray hair arranged into a topknot approached. An eyepatch covered one eye…and they were not one of the Shado-Pan that Garrosh knew.
“What?!” Garrosh snapped.
The single blue eye of the Pandaren narrowed, and an absolutely lethal gaze pinned him to the spot. This Pandaren slightly shorter than Taran Zhu was and power fairly exuded from their being. After a moment, they looked to the guards…and then a flame seemed to gather in their hands.
Garrosh’s jaw dropped when the Pandaren swept the flame through the guards, sweeping them back and knocking them against the walls before they had so much as a second to think. They’d trusted him…he wore their uniform. Who was this one, and what did he want? The Pandaren knelt over both guards and nodded once. “They live. Good.” Now, they turned to him. “Warchief Hellscream.” The Pandaren bowed their head. “I have an offer for you.”
“Who are you?”
“My name is Kairoz.” The Pandaren smiled, but it was not a kind expression. “If you mean this body…well, this is Master Nurong of the Shado-Pan. He’s going to be in a rude surprise when these guards tell him he was in two places at once.”
“What do you want with me?” Garrosh demanded.
“As I said, I wanted to make an offer to you.” Kairoz inclined his head. “Have you ever heard…of the Dark Portal?”
“I have.” Garrosh answered.
“Suppose I were to offer you your freedom, wealth, and all the glories of the power you once held…” Kairoz shrugged their shoulders.
“What if I told you I wanted Azeroth?” The Warchief’s voice was harsh…as was the demand. He knew it would not be an easy task to regain what he’d lost…but he couldn’t accomplish that from inside a cell.
Kairoz took that into consideration. “The power you once held…that undeserving people have stolen from you. And the means to gain a measure of vengeance on those people. What if…all you needed to do to attain this once again…was to go through the Dark Portal?”
Garrosh actually liked the sounds of this. “There’s more to this plan, isn’t there? I’m interested.” Garrosh’s grin was not a pleasant expression at the best of times…but he wore it. “Go on…”
The smile that appeared on Garrosh Hellscream’s face grew larger and larger as Kairoz, in the form and voice of Master Nurong of the Shado-Pan, continued his explanation.
At the end of the day, I was extremely dissatisfied with War Crimes and the way it allowed a certain ex-Warchief off the hook entirely, especially considering what he did in the events of Patch 5.4 (Siege of Orgrimmar). Given the things that the August Celestials are capable of...I decided to throw the script that Christie Golden established out the window entirely.
This is but the beginning. I will upload the next installments over the next few days.
...
He almost didn’t hear the footsteps. Time spent in a cell could do things to one’s mind…especially this cell, guarded by two of the damnable Pandaren warriors who seemed to have been carved from stone itself. His remarks did not register to them after more than two weeks. Only when he indicated his thirst did they respond. The glass they’d given him was good, yes…but insubstantial. And yelling did things to increase one’s thirst as well.
The cage might have been a simple one…but for the dark purple swirls of some arcane magic that swirled about the bars. The Shado-pan explained what they were doing curtly and not very politely, “Because you fell to the Sha so spectacularly, we are not about to allow history to repeat itself. The magic is also to contain any of the Sha that might remain within you.”
They’d let him out three times. Once on the first day of the trial, the second time on the third day, and the last time…on the day before yesterday.
In the opinion of the Pandaren that Garrosh was growing to despise, his behavior on the first day of the trial had demonstrated the need for the trial to be carried out in his absence. The smug face of Jaina Proudmoore on that day had just about made Garrosh’s blood boil. How he wished she was gone. How he wished…
His thick hands clenched into tight fists. How many plans had fallen apart? How was he in this cell when he deserved the death of a warrior? How long…was this farce of a trial to endure?
He no longer knew.
His eyes narrowed coldly as he stared out of the cell at the world beyond…or at least the tunnel beyond, which led to the outside world.
The footsteps he heard were cold, calculating…and very, very familiar. The hard eyes of one Garrosh Hellscream narrowed to lethal slits. He was here once more. The damnable Pandaren who he had tangled with in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms, the one he’d defeated and humiliated and cast down.
Ultimately, the Pandaren who’d been there to cheat Garrosh of a warrior’s death.
“You have a guest, Hellscream.” The cold voice of Taran Zhu contained a hard edge. “You may speak for no more than five minutes.”
“Who is it?!” Garrosh snapped, getting as close to the cage as he dared.
“As I understand it…I can’t exactly introduce you to Ji Firepaw.” Taran Zhu inclined his head and the thin edge of a wry smile appeared in the small gap that Garrosh could see between his ridiculous hat and his stuffy scarf. “I believe you’re already acquainted.” The Pandaren’s eyes narrowed to slits to match Garrosh’s. “As I said…you have five minutes.”
Taran turned on his heel and then left…and the heavy form of another Pandaren passed him as he walked back down the tunnel. Garrosh made out the two bowing to one another…and then the hulking form of a much younger Pandaren male approached. A Pandaren male that had been one of Garrosh’s allies.
But that was many, many months before.
The thickly built Ji was built much more heavily than Taran Zhu, and bore twin scars over his left eye. “Warchief Hellscream.”
“Have you something to say to me?”
Ji Firepaw seemed taken aback by that, but he recovered swiftly. “I did. I wanted…to thank you.”
This remark stunned Garrosh. “For what?!” He snarled.
“For opening my eyes.” Ji smiled, but the expression was not a kind one. “And those of the ones who followed me. I never realized until it was too late what you really were.”
“Speak plainly, Pandaren.” Garrosh snapped again. “What do you mean?”
“Surely the orcs must have nightmares or creatures that they mention to small children to scare them at night.” Ji suggested airily, sweeping his arms in a grandiose fashion. “You are one of those.”
Ji then did something that Garrosh did not expect. He suddenly took a running start at the cage, and the guards who flanked it on either side tensed up...as did Garrosh. What does this fool hope to accomplish!? Ji stopped short in his mad rush and panted heavily, shaking his head. He muttered more to himself than anyone else. “No…I will not give you that much satisfaction.”
Garrosh had never seen anything quite like this. Ji now peered through the bars of the cage, presenting the left eye and its scars and speaking coldly to Garrosh. “Your men left quite a few marks on me, Warchief. As a result…this eye cannot see as yours do.”
The warchief felt something akin to sickness in his stomach at the sight of that eye. Normally they’d been green, hadn’t they? As green as many of the orcs who’d served the True Horde loyally, yes. The blood that surrounded Ji Firepaw’s left iris was not normal…a result of whatever damage had been done to him. “They had their orders. You did as well.” Garrosh made no apologies. His men should have finished off this damn fool in Orgrimmar…instead he lived.
“Orders to lead my people to final ruin in your service. Yes…” Ji shook his head and stood back. “I was supposed to follow those to the letter. Like a puppet. As I said…you opened my eyes.” Ji drew in a long breath. “And I can see what you are now more clearly than I did on that first day in Orgrimmar, all those months ago.”
“And what am I?”
“You are beneath my contempt.” Ji answered, that cold, ruthless grin on his face. He inclined his head in a mock bow. “I’d hoped I could heal the wounds I saw within the Horde. But your ambition undid all the good I could have done.” Garrosh glared balefully at Ji. “The path of the Huojin will endure among the ranks of the Horde…a Horde that needs you no longer.” Ji bowed at the waist. “Farewell…Warchief.”
Before Garrosh could think of any retort, Ji had spun about almost on the spot and left.
“I thirst.” This was all Garrosh could say…and it was the truth.
The guards said nothing. They almost never spoke. The glass was pushed through the small window at the base of the cage. Garrosh drank…and contemplated just how the hell he’d repay these stiff-necked Pandaren for their efforts.
It’d likely involve blood.
…
Instead of Taran Zhu proceeding down the tunnel towards him the next time, a much statelier looking Pandaren with white fur and gray hair arranged into a topknot approached. An eyepatch covered one eye…and they were not one of the Shado-Pan that Garrosh knew.
“What?!” Garrosh snapped.
The single blue eye of the Pandaren narrowed, and an absolutely lethal gaze pinned him to the spot. This Pandaren slightly shorter than Taran Zhu was and power fairly exuded from their being. After a moment, they looked to the guards…and then a flame seemed to gather in their hands.
Garrosh’s jaw dropped when the Pandaren swept the flame through the guards, sweeping them back and knocking them against the walls before they had so much as a second to think. They’d trusted him…he wore their uniform. Who was this one, and what did he want? The Pandaren knelt over both guards and nodded once. “They live. Good.” Now, they turned to him. “Warchief Hellscream.” The Pandaren bowed their head. “I have an offer for you.”
“Who are you?”
“My name is Kairoz.” The Pandaren smiled, but it was not a kind expression. “If you mean this body…well, this is Master Nurong of the Shado-Pan. He’s going to be in a rude surprise when these guards tell him he was in two places at once.”
“What do you want with me?” Garrosh demanded.
“As I said, I wanted to make an offer to you.” Kairoz inclined his head. “Have you ever heard…of the Dark Portal?”
“I have.” Garrosh answered.
“Suppose I were to offer you your freedom, wealth, and all the glories of the power you once held…” Kairoz shrugged their shoulders.
“What if I told you I wanted Azeroth?” The Warchief’s voice was harsh…as was the demand. He knew it would not be an easy task to regain what he’d lost…but he couldn’t accomplish that from inside a cell.
Kairoz took that into consideration. “The power you once held…that undeserving people have stolen from you. And the means to gain a measure of vengeance on those people. What if…all you needed to do to attain this once again…was to go through the Dark Portal?”
Garrosh actually liked the sounds of this. “There’s more to this plan, isn’t there? I’m interested.” Garrosh’s grin was not a pleasant expression at the best of times…but he wore it. “Go on…”
The smile that appeared on Garrosh Hellscream’s face grew larger and larger as Kairoz, in the form and voice of Master Nurong of the Shado-Pan, continued his explanation.
Category Story / Transformation
Species Panda
Size 50 x 50px
File Size 16.1 kB
I really like this so far. Garrosh grew to be one of my favorite lore characters, but even I have to admit he deserved a worse punishment than what happened to him...escaping scot-free, but the Celestials were gonna forgive him anyway.
I look forward to what you have in store!
I look forward to what you have in store!
I'm quite glad you liked the introductory section! Rest assured there is more to come.
When I started this...it was out of massive dissatisfaction over War Crimes. The Trial lacked Ace Attorney aspects (most important) and evidence seemed to be of the Q variety (the trial from the pilot episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation). Somehow all orcs were guilty of Garrosh's crimes (and the other way round) because visions from the past were admissible evidence? I had a hard time justifying whatever logic was at work.
Then he escapes, and the Pandaren look utterly foolish in the process. Not a fan of that. I know they're getting fridged come Draenor, but I don't have to like that.
When I started this...it was out of massive dissatisfaction over War Crimes. The Trial lacked Ace Attorney aspects (most important) and evidence seemed to be of the Q variety (the trial from the pilot episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation). Somehow all orcs were guilty of Garrosh's crimes (and the other way round) because visions from the past were admissible evidence? I had a hard time justifying whatever logic was at work.
Then he escapes, and the Pandaren look utterly foolish in the process. Not a fan of that. I know they're getting fridged come Draenor, but I don't have to like that.
In retrospective, as a pandaren fan the only way to stomach War Crimes myself was to imagine that it was a dog-and-pony show (no pun intended) for what the Shado-Pan were "really" going to do until Kairozdormu and company intervened, with the Alliance and Horde joining in the facade for the chance at political sniping.
(Why "the Shado-Pan" specifically and not the August Celestials: considering the wild contrast between what the game depicted of pandaren culture in 5.0 through 5.2 and the wildly different depiction in Trial of the Red Blossoms, I've tended to wonder how much of what we saw in-game was really just the Shado-Pan putting on a show for the foreigners...)
(Why "the Shado-Pan" specifically and not the August Celestials: considering the wild contrast between what the game depicted of pandaren culture in 5.0 through 5.2 and the wildly different depiction in Trial of the Red Blossoms, I've tended to wonder how much of what we saw in-game was really just the Shado-Pan putting on a show for the foreigners...)
Comments