Who I Am and What I'm Here For

I overslept. You would think that big gong would ring, but it didn't. I looked on top of the bed to see if Krystal was there. Yep, sound asleep. I got dressed and headed to the Training Hall, wearily opening the door. There I saw Master Tigress stretching and revved up. I hate the fact she's a morning person. "Well, I am ready," She said, very prepared. I groggily wiped the sleepiness from my eyes.

"No one can truly be ready. One must just be well-prepared for anything," I replied. "This is what we're going to do. I will be teaching you how to stand your ground. You'll be learning an earth style technique like you've been learning. The key is mainly to wait and listen, but you'll be learning to hold your ground."

"That's simple," She said getting into a stance. I shook my head.

"Come with me." So we went outside to the courtyard where I had constructed a big long tunnel, made from rock. It was securely supported into the earth. I presented it to a confused Tigress.

"What is it?"

"That is what I call a wind tunnel," I explained. "It's mainly just a tunnel I created, but it will focus all the wind I blow at you and test your balance and stability. Now, stand on the other side of the tunnel."

"Okay," she said, unsure. The tunnel was about six yards.

"Ready," I asked. She stood her ground. I air-bended a steady breeze and it gradually grew. I could already see she was having trouble. "Come on, Tigress. You can do it!" She replanted her footing and stood through the wind. It was about five minutes before I stopped the wind test. I saw on the other side of the tunnel that Tigress was on her four paws clutching the ground for dear life. "Good grip," I joked. She just growled at me a bit.

"Why," She asked as she got on her hind legs, "did I have to do that?"

"It's good to be able to stand your ground. Plus, it is something that you do use in earth-bending, and you can use this in your Kung Fu."

"How," She asked. I groaned.

"Try and come at me," I said. She tried to punch me with her left fist, but I blocked it. She jumped up and came down with her foot first. I grabbed her foot and threw her behind me. I heard her angry growl. I smirked as she tried to kick me from behind. I simply ducked. When she was in front of me, she tried to do a roundhouse and I ducked. Then she tried to do her famous 'Tiger Fist' where all the power in her goes out into one single two-hand punch. I replanted my footing and when she hit me, I only moved a bit. She, on the other hand, was panting. "It's important to become immovable in the face of adversity. You need to become stable." Tigress simply bowed.

"Yes, Ma-Lion," she corrected herself.

"That lesson applies to some parts of life, Tigress," I added, "You have to take a stance on things. You should be immovable. But never be unattainable."

"What is that suppose to mean," She asked, crossing her arms. I smiled as I walked to the kitchen.

"You'll figure it out. Now I need some food," I said. I saw Tigress roll her eyes. After we got there, the kitchen only had Krystal in it with Po. I was a little surprised. "Where's everyone?"

"Crane, Viper, Mantis, Monkey, and Master Shifu all went to get the masters to assemble. They said they'll be back by the end of the day," Po explained. "Are you two already done with the training?"

"Yes," Tigress said quite proudly.

"What did you have to do," Krystal asked.

"Stand against a windbag," I joked about myself. Only Tigress got the joke and smirked. "Anyways, tomorrow is your turn Po, but I may have to cut our training short because of the meeting." Po groaned.

"Why are we having a boring meeting," He complained. "What is it about now?" I looked at Krystal and Tigress.

"No one has told him," I asked.

"No," Krystal explained, "Everyone left early. That's why the going didn't ring." I sighed. I explained everything to Po. His eyes grew as he came to understand the importance of the meeting.

"You mean, if it's successful, I can get married and still have the Dragon Warrior title?"

"Yep," I affirmed, "That's why I need it." Po's face spoke more of quiet amazement and peace. Tigress noticed this better than me.

"Po, are you alright," she asked.

"It's just...if this is successful, I won't have to live alone," Po said quietly. I rolled my eyes.

"Listen, Po, living alone with this quote, 'awesome life', doesn't mean that you are living it alone. You have the Furious Five, Master Shifu, and others. You'll have friends," I said.

"Yeah, but friends naturally come and go," He said sadly, "One day...you...everyone will leave and do your own things or something...anyways I'm just saying." Krystal and Tigress looked sad. Krystal, of course, looked sadder than Tigress. I groaned.

"Pessimist," I muttered. Po seemed to get a little upset.

"I don't want to live a happy lie," he retorted.

"But you don't," I replied, "You have friends now, you have a family now. So cherish those moments. If I remember correctly, Oogway told you that yesterday was history, tomorrow was a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it's called the present." Po looked at me strangely.

"Oogway and I were alone when he told me that. How in the world did you know that?" Po asked.

"I know many things," I said confidently.

"How," Krystal asked, practically shattering my pride. I stuttered.

"Wha-what do you mean," I asked.

"How do you know," Krystal clarified. I had to come up with something quick.

"I...can...read people's mind sometimes," I lied. Then I heard something.

He can, I heard Tigress think.

"Yes I can," I said to Tigress. Her eyes widened. "Didn't you say 'He can?'?" I asked. I didn't know that I just read her mind. She just shook her head.

"I was thinking it," she said. I was surprised, but I kept the ruse on.

"Sssseee? I can read minds," I recovered. Then I saw Krystal grow a face of realization and wonder. "Krystal?" She got up from her chair and planted her hands on the table in excitement and awe.

"You're the Lion Warrior," She exclaimed loudly.

"What!" Tigress and Po exclaimed.

"You...you mean that you've heard of the Lion Warrior," I asked, completely surprised. I didn't think that the legend of the Lions was real.

"Who doesn't! They're supposed to be able to raise rivers, move mountains, breathe fire like dragons, make things float, and-"

"Okay, I get it," I said, stopping Po's rant. So people do know the story, I thought to myself. Tigress looked at me.

"You are the Lion Warrior," She asked.

"I...guess I fill the requirements," I said, unsure. "I'm not sure all about the legend." I scratched the back of my head.

"That would explain why you're able to do all those things," Krystal realized. "And why you keep saying you just dropped out into this world. Lion Warriors are supposed to be from different worlds!" My eyes went wide. "Are you from a different world?" I looked at Po, Tigress, and Krystal.

"Yes, I am. But I would like to make sure that only you guys know about this. Like everyone inside of the Jade Palace. This is all new to me as well as you."

"Why," Po asked.

"Because in my other world, I don't have Lion Warrior powers. I'm just a normal person," I said a little sad about it. Krystal got up and sat right next to me, surprising me a bit.

"What is it like on your other world," she asked, excitedly. I thought for a moment.

"It's um...futuristic, I guess, considering the timeline here. In fact, your lives are actually seen and watched by other worlds," I explained.

"You mean there are people beyond our world that are watching us," Po questioned.

"Don't. Do. Anything that you wouldn't want trillions of people watching you see," I stopped him before he could do anything stupid. "But yes, my world is watching your world." I felt like this was going to be a long discussion.

"So that's how you know us," Tigress realized, "You don't know us. You've just been watching us." I could tell she was a little upset.

"Why are you upset," I asked.

"I thought you would have known us by studying us or stalking us like Po does," She said.

"Yeah," Po agreed. "Hey!"

"Well, I have studied you. I've studied all of your styles, your dislikes, and likes. Your personalities and some of your secrets. Of course, I don't know all of them. So I do know you, but you don't know me," I explained.

"Have you ever seen me," Krystal asked. I became a little nervous.

"Um...no. In fact, you're the only person I don't know about. That's why I'm learning more about you," I replied, smiling. "But I never thought I would get to meet you guys in person."

"Wow! The Lion Warrior," Po exclaimed. I thought about it for a while. Then that means that...It couldn't be. If the story of the Lion Warriors was true, then that means that the other stories I wrote are also true. But then that means.

"Oh dear," I muttered under my breath.

"What's wrong," Po asked. I remembered where I was.

"Nothing," I replied, "I think my life here just got a lot more interesting. Actually, I would like to make a visit. You guys in?"

"Sure, where are we going," Po asked.

"You'll see," I smiled. I took them down the mountain, past the village, and into the bamboo forest.

"Where are we going," Po asked again.

"You'll see," I reiterated. We finally got through the forest to see a little house with smoke coming out the chimney. I walked up to the house and knocked on the door.

"Who lives here," Krystal asked. Before I could say anything, the door opened to an old wolf with a hunched over back, cane in hand, and glasses. The glasses were something I didn't expect. I smiled kindly as the wolf smiled back.

"Hello, may I help you," the wolf asked.

"Hello, we were wondering. Are you Ru," I asked.

"Why yes. Why do you ask?" Ru replied. I bowed.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Mr. Ru," I said. "Mr. Ru this is Tigress, Krystal, Po, and I am Lion. I've heard so much about you, Mr. Ru."

"Excuse me," Po butted in, "Who is Mr. Ru and why did you bring us to see him? Not that we don't want to see you sir, but we barely even know you."

"Oh, I forgot about that. Everyone, this is Ru the Reborn Poet," I presented. Tigress's eyes widened and Krystal's and Po's mouths dropped.

"THE Ru?! How do you know about him," Po asked.

"Like I said, I watch you guys," I replied. Tigress bowed in front of Ru.

"It is an honor to meet you, Mr. Ru," said Tigress. Ru's eyes lit up.

"Ah, I remember you, dear," Ru recognized. "You use to hit the ironwood trees near my house." Tigress looked a little embarrassed.

"Sorry about that," she replied.

"No need. I needed the wood. I still have some from the last one you forced down," Ru said. "It's been a while since I've seen you."

"I've heard and read so many of your 'Reborn' poetry," Krystal said excitedly.

"Why don't you come inside? I've just finished making some food. It's more than enough for everyone," Ru invited. Po was the first to get inside and went straight to the table.

"He never moves that fast for training," Tigress remarked. We all went inside. Ru was a character that I made for another fan fiction. I wondered if he was real because I didn't think my stories would come alive. But by meeting Ru, they were real. (Ru is from my story A Month if you're wondering.)

That also means there were other things in my stories that would come to bite me in the butt. I groaned. "What's the matter," Krystal asked. Then there was Krystal. She was to be my help in all of this. I thought about it for a while.

"I'll tell you when we get back," I whispered to her. She nodded.

I stretched as we got back to the palace. By now, overexcited Po probably told all the returning masters about me. Tomorrow's going to be interesting. I went into my room when I heard the door shut behind me. I forgot Krystal was behind me. "So what did you want to talk to me about," she asked. I looked around to make sure no one would hear us.

"I...I am the Lion Warrior, but not in the way you think," I told her. She was confused. "At my home world, I wrote stories about Tigress and Po, and it seems that my stories are coming alive."

"What kind of stories did you write," She asked me.

"Eh, most of them were romances between two people," I said. Then I realized what Demi meant. "Krystal, I'm going to tell you the reason I'm here."

"To train Tigress and Po," She guessed.

"No. I'm here to...and please don't laugh or get overly excited about it...I have to get Tigress and Po together. As in a relationship." I could see her trying to suppress laughter. I looked at her as she tried so hard to contain it. I sighed. "Go ahead, just don't burst."

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" She ripped out. For two full minutes, she laughed and then settled down. "Okay, I'm good. Whew! You think that's even possible?"

"Many people in my world at the very least want Po to be married to someone cute looking, but you're already married to me so-"

"Wait you were going to offer me to Po?!"

"I'm kidding," I laughed at her overreaction. "But seriously, Po deserves to have someone close to him, don't you think?" She pondered about it and then nodded.

"But Tigress?"

"Demi told me that my stories would be brought to life to see if it would bring them together. That's why I wanted to see Ru. I wrote about him," I said.

"So anything you wrote it came to life?" I nodded. "Then what about me?"

"Demi provided that. I didn't know about you," I replied. She seemed upset. "I mean I can tell that Demi has my taste in women, but I didn't have a choice in that."

"Oh," She said, perking up and having a mischievous smile, "So you do like me?" I became nervous. I chuckled nervously. Then I remembered something.

"Wait, I did write about you! You were my wife in one of my stories. I just never elaborated on how you were," I explained. (See Life of Po)

"So I was your wife even in your stories," She asked, still a little upset. I looked at her seriously.

"Krystal, would you have agreed to just be my friend if you had the choice," I asked.

"Well..." She paused for a while, "I don't know you all that well, yet. I don't know, honestly. I'm sorry."

"It's alright. I appreciate your honesty," I smiled. "But that's why I'm here. And I know it's impossible. That's why I'm writing the book. When it's completed, I can go home."

"Wow. Demi's a real jerk," Krystal said. I laughed. She was right, but it was the way she said it that made me laugh.

"Yes, yes he is."

"But...I'm coming to like you a bit."

"Aw, just a bit," I joked. She giggled. I yawned. "But for now, I have to get some sleep. I have a big day tomorrow." Krystal rolled her eyes.

"Are you always tired," She asked.

"Yes, yes I am."

to be continued.