AN: (Cross-posted on AO3)
Our prayers have been answered! Kung Fu Panda 4 is officially set to release on March 8th, 2024. I can hardly believe it's real, it almost feels fake; and it's something I feared I would not live to see (reference, haha). Truthfully, though, I'd completely lost hope.
In honor of what's the best news the fandom has received in a very long time, I decided to write a quick story! I need to express my excitement somehow, don't I?
Enjoy, my friends!
Po hates the term "end." It's so final, so definite, and so sickeningly non-negotiable– and it's something he started particularly disliking after his run-in with Kai the Collector, in which he was almost certain he'd never again indulge in the little joys of life (or life at all, for that matter). Ever since, he's just had a thing with endings. It's not prominent, nor is it an issue for those around him, it's just a thing that exists.
He finds it odd how all those around him seem to be satisfied by endings, of all things. When a story is finalized with "the end," he's unnerved. Is it truly the end? Do the characters and their worlds just stop existing? Does their hard work no longer matter? Their families, friends, lovers, and journeys just down the drain because the most interesting portion of their lives is ending?
Maybe he's being pretentious; actually, scratch that, he's almost certain this is the case (Monkey made a point to call Po pretentious when he had talked about it once).
In spite of this, he can't help but dwell on the idea whenever it comes to mind– which, in all honesty, isn't often. Still, in the brief, late-night moments in which the concept presents itself to him in a silent taunt, he stares at his ceiling from his cot and thinks until sleep whisks him away.
Death is commonly considered to be "the end," isn't it? Po finds this odd, as he now knows from personal experience that death is not final (at least not in his case). With this in mind, he can't help but think "the end" is about convenience– maybe the concept of "the end" exists so people won't have to worry about the existential drag of existing, because there's an end (and maybe Monkey had a point).
Apparently people like to have an ending, a reassurance that everything's going to be smooth sailing from there on out because the story they've just been told is enough excitement for one life.
"What?"
"That's what I think," Tigress says, planting her elbows on the top of the wooden table the two are seated at (the noodle shop is truly the best place for deep discussions). She adds, "it's just for the sake of having peace of mind. The world would drive themselves insane if they viewed existence as something that just keeps going. Nobody likes endless."
"But I know for a fact that an ending doesn't exist, at least not that I can see," Po reasons, "it's just another kind of existence after being alive. Life beyond life, kind of? I don't know, it was weird."
Tigress just nods– Po may even say he saw a flicker of disturbance in her expression. After a moment of silence, she says, "to elaborate on what I said earlier, I also see endings as a way to section off intervals in some cases– as an example, think back to when you fought Tai Lung. Someone somewhere told that story and ended it with the obligatory "the end." Po nods faintly and Tigress adds, "it wasn't the end, though, was it? Tai Lung still has a legacy, and you're still the Dragon Warrior– and God knows your track record didn't end with him."
This earns a smile from Po, small and brief but still there. He continues, "I know, but even with that in mind, I can't help but think that, you know, what if I already passed my "end?"
"Then you passed one of them," Tigress sits up straighter. "Or maybe two, maybe three– that's my point. If we're looking at endings in a life-wise aspect, then I believe you can have as many as you want. And I know how odd that sounds, believe me," she sighs, "but what helps me is to keep in mind that if you choose to follow that ideology, you will have as many beginnings as you have endings– and should the endings never stop, neither should the beginnings. There is always more to come."
The silence is an empty crater, void of any life.
"That made absolutely no sense," Po starts, and Tigress falters for a minute before he adds, "but I also, somehow, kind of, maybe understood it, so?" He trails off and Tigress smirks.
If all endings truly are paired with beginnings as Tigress says, maybe Po can learn to be alright with them– she does have a point, after all. And to look on the bright side, between many endings and beginnings, there are wondrous stories to be told.
AN: Hi, all! It feels so good to write a story for you all again!
This teeny tiny lil' one-shot is the epitome of pretentiousness, but that was kind of the point– I got the idea for it after I started brainstorming about how I'd thought the series was done for good movie-wise, and then BOOM! Nope, guess not! That's kinda where I got the whole "endings aren't really endings" thing.
I made sure to write something as soon as I heard the news of the movie! I found out about it via Twitter, where I was initially convinced that it was fake. Then I saw that the announcement had been posted by the official DreamWorks account, and my mouth quite literally dropped open in shock. As I said before, I had fully given up hope.
I'm beyond excited for the movie and can't wait to experience the fandom in the months just before an installment, as well as the torturous yet thrilling waiting game we're all starting as we speak. One year, six months, three weeks and counting!
Thank you all very much for reading the story– and the annoyingly lengthy author's note. But would it really be a JustAnotherWriter140 story without the rambling commentary at the end?
Constructive criticism is encouraged and welcomed! Also, my DMs are open to talk about the fourth movie or potential story ideas!
Have a lovely day, everyone. :)