A/N: Welcome back! This chapter's just over 1500 words. I believe that future chapters will progress in length and detail, once I get into my groove. Anyways, onto the story!

Read & Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Dream Works or Kung Fu Panda. I only own this specific plot and my OCs.

One year earlier

The Spirit Realm

Golden rays of chi flowed and aesthetically lit up the Spirit Realm. Brought to peace by the Dragon Warrior, all the masters lived in harmony. Master Porcupine was practicing Tai Chi on his small island; the Badger Twins were sparring, and so forth.

All seemed well. However, a certain turtle would soon receive terrible news.

Master Oogway was balancing on his 'bigger' jade staff next to his Peach Tree, at the center of this realm.

Oogway sighed in content, "Finally, Inner Peace."

Suddenly, his mind was assaulted by a flurry of images and hallucinations.

*Vision*

China was in chaos. Cities and governments were being overthrown by villains. Kung Fu Masters being executed left and right. Only the Jade Palace remained.

Dead bodies littered the remains of the Valley of Peace. The housing and buildings were torn and burned to the ground, while bandits looted and slaughtered the remaining innocents. "Where are the five?" yelled a middle age goat, who was trying to fend off multiple wolves. His pleas were left unanswered as he was cut down. Any resistance from the villagers was quickly overwhelmed by the increasing number of enemy forces.

High above the valley stood the Jade Palace, however, it was burning. The last scrolls of Kung Fu knowledge with it. The Furious Five and Shifu were being led down the mountain in chains. They looked miserable and hopeless as they were prepped for execution; be-heading. Tigress was forced into the guillotine. Seconds away from death, she stole a glance in the direction of the destroyed town. All the criminals had ceased their actions and began gathering in a crowd to watch a historic event; the death of the Five, the death of Shifu, and most importantly, the death of Kung Fu. However, something had caught the tiger's eye. A figure was standing on the roof of one of the remaining buildings, Po Ping. A sense of hope filled Tigress as she called out to him, "Po, help!"

Po coldly stared but made no move to help her. His formerly Jade green eyes were gone, replaced by a malevolent blood red.

The executioner hoisted up the blade. Tigress pleaded to Po with her eyes, 'Please, help us! Help me!'

The blade dropped, a gasp cut through the air, Po smirked.

"Good Riddance," he sneered.

*vision end*

After the vision ended, the normally elegant turtle master came crashing down off his staff.

Breathing hard, Oogway's eyes widened at what he had just witnessed.

He shook his head and muttered to himself sadly, "After all that he's lost and all that he has done, there is more pain and grief in his future than ever before."

In that moment, Oogway then showed an emotion that he had not in an eternity, anger.

"Why? Why must you continue to make him suffer? He has done nothing but good! What has he done to deserve such an abysmal life?" he cursed at the universe.

Immediately calming down, the turtle sighed. He already knew why.

While he had invented Kung Fu, there were many criminals before him and many fighting styles more ancient than Kung Fu. Po may have been the first Dragon Warrior of the last several hundred years, but he was definitely not the only one.

Over the centuries, there have been a dozen or so warriors who possessed the qualities that the universe deemed worthy of the mantle. And not just in China, but all over the world. The Dragon Scroll was said to have been created by the original warrior of legend; from the finest gold and silks in the land, forged in the heart of a volcano and enchanted by sorcerers. It was then passed on. Once the current warrior's time was finished, the scroll would disappear, only for it to appear in the region of the next.

Every Dragon Warrior in history was bestowed the same curse that came with the title; a life of misery and solitude; and every Dragon Warrior in history ended up going insane and dying a pre-mature death or worse, turn evil. Oogway could recall the last Dragon Warrior as if it was yesterday.

*Flashback*

The famed warrior had been a panther in his late thirties. It was several hundred years ago. Oogway was running down the street of The Valley of Virtue. He was a boy; curious, playful, and troublesome.

"Haha!" young Oogway chortled as he ran with his kite through the busy streets, bumping into countless people.

"Hey, watch it!" exclaimed a pig merchant.

"Oops, sorry," apologized Oogway.

He then ran in front of a rickshaw driver, "Out of the way!" he fumed.

"Sorry!"

Oogway continued to bump into people.

"My dress!"

"Sorry!"

"Scram punk."

"Sorry!"

"I hate kids!"

"Sorry!"

Eventually, the young turtle tripped on a rock and his kite floated off into the sky.

Oogway looked crestfallen, "Oh man! That was my favorite kite!"

Suddenly, a carriage zipped around a building corner and was heading straight towards him.

"Hey! Watch out kid!" hollered the driver.

Oogway looked up and closed his eyes, bracing for impact. It never came. He opened his eyes to see a muscular panther that had stopped the charging carriage. The cat picked up the young turtle and turned towards the driver.

He gruffly apologized, "Sorry for the inconvenience."

"It's fine. I'm just glad the kid is alright," the driver jested and then continued on his way.

Once the carriage was out of sight the panther set Oogway down.

He looked down at him frowning. Oogway just put on an innocent smile on his childish face.

The rescuer sighed, "It's dangerous to stand and run around in the middle of a busy street," he chastised.

"I'm sorry. It won't happen again, especially since I just lost my kite," the turtle replied glumly.

"What's your name?" the feline questioned.

"Oogway, and yours?"

The cat hesitated, "Raphael, my name's Raphael."

"Can I call you Raph?"

"No."

Oogway smiled, "I'm gonna call you Raph."

Raph shook his head, fighting a smile, "Come on, I'll buy you a new kite."

The two ended up buying a new kite and spending the rest of the day together.

As they watched the stars, Oogway voiced a question,

"What do you do for a living?"

Raph laughed, "Besides rescue little troublesome turtles?"

Oogway punched him in the side.

"Ow!"

"Wrong answer," the turtle huffed.

"I fight bad guys," Raph answered.

"Are you the Dragon Warrior?"

The cat looked over in shock, "How'd you find out?"

Oogway rolled his eyes, "I'm a kid, not stupid."

"Well, yeah I am," he replied.

"That's so cool! You get to kick butt and people cheer for you! I want to be the Dragon Warrior when I grow up!" Oogway gushed.

Raph smiled sadly, "Kid, let me tell you something. This title ain't a gift. It's a burden."

"Why?"

The panther looked off into the distance, "Let's just say this." He then looked Oogway in the eyes, "You either die a hero, or you live just long enough to see yourself become a villain."

Oogway's eyes widened, "But you're so good. You'll never turn evil!"

The feline looked away in silence.

"Promise me you'll never turn bad! Pinky promise!" Oogway urged, holding up his pinky.

Raph smiled with tears in his eyes and intertwined his pinky with Oogway's, "I promise, kid."

A couple months later, news came out. After several showings of erratic behavior, the Dragon Warrior seemed to be following in his predecessor's footsteps. He even injured one of his teammates out of anger. But Raph, did something that none of the other Dragon Warriors before had the guts to do.

That night Raph entered his room, shut, and locked the doors. Knife in hand he had a steely resolve and he was going to keep his word. As he moved the blade up to his neck, a tear rolled down the side of his cheek. Seconds later his body tumbled to the floor.

His last words were, "I promise, kid."

*Flashback End*

Oogway learned from his encounter with the last Dragon Warrior that only a chosen few can handle the strain that the mantle brings. He knew this at the time of the ceremony, and it was yet another reason the universe had chosen Po. None of the Five were pure or good-natured enough to handle the curse.

The panda genocide at the hands of that wretched peacock was just the first of many unfortunate events that would plague Po's life. Years of bullying and abuse during his childhood by the other kids of the valley followed. It was the universe's way of testing him, to see if he was worthy of the title. Like Oogway had said. It was no accident, it was destiny.

The turtle master broke out of his thoughts with only one goal on his mind; he had to warn Po. As he picked up his staff, he began to mumble incoherent words when a golden aura began to surround him.

"What are you doing?" a gruff voice cut through the air.

"Warning the Dragon Warrior of his impending doom," Oogway explained not missing a beat.

"Master, if I may," the voice continued.

Oogway cut him off, "No, you may not,"

"But, he's going to need all the help he can get!"

"Your time is yet to come," the creator of Kung Fu responded in finality.

Seemingly the end of their argument, Oogway continued to concentrate on his incantation.

The figure sighed, "I hope that fat panda knows what he's doing."

A/N: Finished with Chapter 1. Hope you guys enjoyed. Remember to pay me any feedback if you want. Any ideas and tips from reviews are not only welcome but endorsed. Anyways, have a good one until next time.

Frost2001 Out.