Po and the Master
Don't own KFP
A/N: This will probably be my last multi-chapter story because college is around the corner for me. I will still be able to write Oneshots, but it will take some time. Hope I've, at the very least, inspire others to write better and more brilliant stories of Kung Fu Panda than I could ever write. You all have been a great audience (And a great critic board). Thank you.
"Then you put your left foot there and punch," Po said. Tigress did so, finishing the final attack. "Good, now let's see you go through the whole thing again." Tigress went to her starting position. She swung her arms around, doing circular motions as if trying to generate a wind current. Finally, she came to her signature "Tiger Strike" Pose. She did just as Po instructed and broke the wooden walls on the other side of the Training Hall. "Great! That's perfect!" Po exclaimed. Tigress returned to her standing pose and bowed to Po.
"Thank you, Master Po," She said with a smile.
"Well, what do you guys think?" Po asked. Shifu and the rest of the Furious Five thought about it for a moment. Mantis was the first to speak.
"Oh, it's official. You have done the completely impossible. You taught Tigress something," Mantis said. Everyone laughed, except Po who frowned.
"Thanks, Mantis," He muttered. Tigress rested her hand on Po's shoulder.
"I knew you could do it," Tigress smiled.
"Really, even after I caused you to nearly burn your fur?" Po asked.
"I said I knew you could do it. I didn't say I didn't have my doubts," Tigress answered. Po narrowed his eyes as Monkey patted him on the back.
"No offense, Po," Monkey said kindly. Po rolled his eyes but smiled as he gave Monkey a noogie. Being the full-time teacher at the Jade Palace was hard at first, but Po finally managed to get the hang of it. Teaching the others wasn't nearly as challenging as teaching Tigress. It was hard for her to adapt to Po's way of teaching.
"Alright," Po yawned. "That's it for me. I'm tired."
"Really? If anything Tigress should be tired after you told her to eat 30 bean buns and then do push-ups," Shifu commented.
"Hey, it's hard to teach. You know that," Po said. Shifu nodded in agreement.
"It is getting late. That should be enough training for everyone," Shifu said.
"Alright, a little late night snack and off to bed," Po cheerfully said. Tigress rolled her eyes with a smirk.
"There are days I wonder if you can go without eating," Tigress smirked.
"I can, just not today," Po replied. Tigress shook her head. After Po ate, he went to bed. That was the last thing Po remembered. The next thing he remembered was someone calling him in the middle of the night. He opened his eyes. His room was just as dark and solitary as he remembered. "Eh, must be hearing things," Po mumbled as he went back to sleep.
"Po," Said the voice. It sounded like a whisper. Po sat up again. He looked around.
"Monkey, is that you? Because if it is, it's not funny," Po said, getting up and going to Monkey's room, where the simian was fast asleep.
"Po," called the voice. The monkey was still asleep.
"Okay, so who's calling me?" Po questioned.
"Po," Called the voice again. Po followed the voice outside underneath the shining stars. "Po?"
"Who's calling me?" Po thought to himself.
"Po?"
"I'm... I'm here," Po said out loud. "Who are you? Where are you?"
"I am the Master," the voice said. This was all new to Po. All of this information was coming in too fast for a sleepy head.
"Okay," Po replied slowly. "The master of who?"
"I am the Master of Oogway, Master of all, Master of the universe," the voice said. Po was left in awe. Oogway had a master and it was the master of the universe? Po suddenly felt the need to bow. So he did.
"Wow, the master of Oogway is talking to me! SWEET!" Po thought to himself. He said out loud, "Why did you call me, Master?"
"I have prepared you for this moment, to serve all of China, of all the world, and to serve me. There are many who do not know me and many missions lie in front of you. You must teach them so they may know me. So they may stop living in suffering and evil," said the Master.
"All of China? Wait, wait, all of the world? How am I suppose to do that? I mean, I know I can do some awesome stuff, but I'm just one guy. Why not choose the Furious Five or maybe Shifu? He's a really great teacher," Po said.
"I have chosen you. For it was I who guided Oogway to choose you. From the cradle, I directed you to do this task. All you must do is decide to take it," The Master said. Po thought about it.
"What if I don't do it?" Po asked.
"Then I shall choose someone else," The Master replied.
"What if I fail?"
"I shall guide and protect you so that you will not fail," Said the Master. "You must go to the providence of Shin-Go. Tell the ruler of that region to set free the people he has enslaved, for the cry of their iniquity has come to my ear." After that, Po didn't hear any more from the Master. Po thought about it. He honestly didn't know what to do. A mysterious voice in the middle of the night was telling him to go on a quest that seemed simple. Just tell them that the Master of Oogway said set the people free. He had to tell the others about it.
Once morning came, Po rushed into the kitchen to tell everyone. Needless to say, they had a hard time really...digesting it. "Wait, so let's get this straight," Crane said. "A voice in the middle of the night claiming to be the master who taught Oogway Kung Fu told you to serve him by telling other people around the world about him and most presently telling the ruler of Shin-Go to set free the slaves there that have been cruelly treated?" Po nodded. "Are you sure that Monkey wasn't playing with you?"
"I'm serious, and Monkey already said he was asleep. What should I do?"
"Stop eating late," Monkey commented, making everyone laugh. Po frowned.
"Po, we're not trying to make fun of you, but you do understand the... unlikelihood of it. Especially when Master Oogway never spoke of a master," Viper said kindly.
"Guys, this isn't some weird dream I had. Why would I dream about this?" Po asked. Shifu considered it.
"Well, why don't we go through our day and see what this 'Master' will have to say," Shifu said humorously. Po sighed. He wouldn't believe himself either.
"Okay, let me get my walking staff and I'll start teaching," Po said defeated. He went to his room where he stored his jade green staff that Master Oogway gave him. He looked at it. "What am I going to do?" Po asked himself.
"Po?" called a voice. Po recognized that voice. He looked around to see if anyone was there. "Po?"
"I'm here," Po replied.
"What are you doing?" the Master asked.
"I'm... going to teach," Po simply said. But he felt like he was being dishonest if he didn't tell the Master what was really troubling him. So, he decided to be open with the Master. "And I am confused."
"About what?"
"About who you really are, whether or not I should trust you, or whether I'm just imagining things," Po replied.
"Po, what is that in your hand?"
"This is the staff that Master Oogway gave me. I use it to lean on when I'm tired," Po explained.
"Just like that staff gives you strength when you are weary, I shall give you strength when you are tired. Do as I say, and I will give you the power to triumph over obstacles." With that, Po knew what to do.
By now, the others were wondering what was taking Po so long. Finally, Po came to them with his staff in hand. "Ah, Master Po, has this 'Master' spoken to you? Is that why you've been late?" Shifu said chuckling a little.
"Yes, he did," Po said seriously. "I'm going to Shin-Go to tell the ruler to free the slaves." The others could tell he was serious.
"Wait, how are you going to convince him to just set free the slaves, especially since having slaves is a way of life?" Crane asked.
"I don't know, but the Master will show me," Po replied.
"Po, be reasonable, a voice that tells you to do something like this is... not really a good thing," Monkey said.
"Did you think Master Oogway choosing me was a good thing at first?" Po asked. That silenced most of them. Po looked to Tigress. "What about you? What do you have to say about this, Tigress?" She was usually the one he looked to for advice. She was quiet for a while then said.
"If this is what you believe in, we have no right to stop you. We will not hinder the work before you," Tigress said. Po smiled greatly. "Shall we go with you then?"
"Not yet. I think the Master will let you come to Shin-Go later," Po said. "I'll see you all later." With that, he went down the mountain and away to Shin-Go.
"What made you agree with him, Tigress?" Viper asked.
"The look in his eye. I've only ever seen that determined look on one other person," Tigress replied.
"Who?"
"The person I see every time I look in a mirror," Tigress said ominously as she went back to training.
A two-day journey seemed to fly by so quickly, and the people here seemed to love Po. "It is a great honor for you to be here amongst us, Dragon Warrior," said the ruler of Shin-Go. Po ate like a king there. The high-status people of the town were all there. He would have forgotten the reason he was there had it not been for a servant girl who accidentally spilled water over Po. "Insolent child! Look what you have done!" shouted the ruler.
"It's okay," Po calmed, "It was just a mistake." But before Po could finish, the ruler smacked the servant girl across the face. Po felt the urge to fight the guy, but something held him back. As the servant girl went into the kitchen crying, the ruler returned to Po with a smile.
"Now what were you saying?" He asked. The panda suddenly remembered the message he had for them. He stood up and spoke in a loud voice so everyone could here.
"This is what the Master, Master of Oogway and Master of the universe, has said, 'People of Shin-Go, those who live in the high houses and grand palaces. You have done an evil that is a tragedy even in your own culture. You have mistreated the slaves and treated them worse than the criminals in your dungeons. Is it not true that a master shall care for the servant and the servant serve the master? Yet you have abused the servants and slaves you've acquired, doing things to them that you wouldn't even do to your criminals. Set free your slaves and let them live peacefully among you. Care for them as you would care for your neighbor. For if this deed goes on, I will surely destroy you, the ruler of Shin-Go. So says the Master of the Universe.'"
Po looked around at the shocked faces of the people. "I think that worked," Po said to himself.
"GUARDS! ARREST THIS REBEL ROUSER!" Ordered the ruler. Before Po could even react, he was taken in big handcuffs and shoved into the damp and dark prison. The gorilla guards laughed.
"Where's your master, now?" he jeered. As he walked away, Po was beginning to ask the same question, and he decided to ask the Master himself.
To be continued...
