And you won't believe the story of Liu Shang!
Chapter 9: Liu Shang's Backstory
Liu Shang takes a deep breath and tries to find the words to tell Musaki about everything and he looks at him and said, "What I might tell you is very personal for me because...you're the first person that I would talk about."
Musaki nodded his head in understanding and he was more than willing to listen to his friend's story as Liu began explaining everything to him.
"When I was growing up, I was only a young lion cub with a simple dream...be a great kung-fu master. And I figured that if I would ever have the chance to go for it, I would like do good things with it and make right choices for myself. I don't really care for the accolades or the respect of China. All I ever wanted to do with it is to be a good person and remain down to earth as possible. I've gotten some kung-fu training before when I was about two or three and I figured that it would be my first priority. Something that I would hopefully one day aspire to be. But the more I went for it, the more people gave a second opinion on this one because they would never think that a lion would even do kung-fu. I mean...yeah, we do have fighting skills, but those skills are for hunting only. I would go on to practice my kung-fu training on my own because every kung-fu academy I would enroll in would turn me down despite my talents, stating that a lion would not do these type of things."
Musaki had no idea that people never took Liu Shang seriously because of his kung-fu talent skills and fierce moves and that no kung-fu academies would bring him in just because he's a lion. He then asked, "What did your parents think about this?"
Liu Shang lets out a small growl as he turned himself away from Musaki and at that moment, he suddenly figured that this was a very damaging subject for discussion. He then asked, "They died, haven't they?"
"No. They're still alive, but even they didn't want me to be a kung-fu master. They say that it's for people that like to fight for all the wrong reasons and that it's a tool to take lives away. And I really don't think that's the case. They were scared for me because they didn't want to see me get hurt or die. But regardless of what they said, they never take my future in kung-fu very seriously. And even most of the citizens in my valley didn't think I have what it takes to even go for something like this. And when it came time for this competition, everyone pretty much objected me to participate, saying that I had 'better things to do' or assuming that I might be 'wasting my life' with it and I'm not wasting my life nor throwing it away just because of it. I was fed up with all of the bullcrap they gave me that I might measure up to anything with it and my parents butted heads about attending this round and they were like, 'If you go, consider yourself a place without a home' and...It's just...I couldn't just pass up that opportunity to even participate. You only get at least one shot for something like this and I just didn't want to let it slip away. Just once, I just wanna feel like a winner so that I'll have something I want to do for the rest of my life. I'm only 14 years old and I still didn't know why I did what I did." Liu Shang explained.
Musaki could notice Liu Shang's emotions ranging from frustration to determination and he could very easily understand him so well, defying any ounce of opposition from others who consider kung-fu a waste of time. As for the last part Liu pointed out, he then told him, "I think I might have the answer for that last part you said."
Liu turned his head to Musaki and he asked, "What's that?"
"You're following your heart. It's like you wanna go for something you really wanna pursue, but you're stuck with a lot of roadblocks on your life. We can't control what people say or do despite what they think or feel, but then again, we don't wan to pass up any opportunities like this competition. And it seems as though you made a very big decision at 14. But you had to do what you had to do and that's usually when they're like 17 or 18. But you know you got it in your heart and you just went with your gut instinct." Musaki added.
Liu Shang widened his eyes after hearing something Musaki had said to him and he asked, "Have you ever felt that way?"
Musaki sighed anxiously as he figured that he never experienced that same thing that Liu experienced and he hesitantly replied, "Nope. Never did. But I guess in a way if you had to make a choice for yourself, would you choose an easy one or a hard one? Everyone goes through the same thing like we all want to strive to be something we would hope to be, but the challenge is that you have to change the way you are into something you're not. The only way to prevent it is to stay true to yourself and keep your feet completely on the ground."
Liu Shang stared at Musaki for a while and he said, "I just want to make everyone else proud of me just once, you know? Just so I can feel like a winner. That's why I left my home behind...so I would find a place where people can take me and my kung-fu skills seriously."
Musaki looked at his lion friend for a minute and said, "We can't always win at everything, you know? We can try, but there's always someone else that outshines better. But don't be so hard on yourself because you did all you could do, even if it wasn't your best. Regardless of whatever might happen, you can still be a winner at heart. It won't change a thing."
"I never really thought of it that way before." Liu Shang said, softly.
"As long as you can stay true to yourself and be the best you can be, you'll already feel like you're a winner...even if you are one of the youngest." Musaki said.
Liu Shang lets out a smile and he said, "You're really a good friend, Musaki. I don't really find that many where I'm from. Because of my kung-fu aspirations, I'm pretty much an outcast in my hometown, Siko-Yao Village; where mostly lions, tigers and leopards live. But this is the first time I've ever met a panda before."
Musaki chuckled softly at that and he said, "Well, it's nice enough to know you can actually befriend one."
Then, Liu asked, "What about your parents?"
Musaki figured that one was coming and just when he was about to speak up, in comes Taji coming in and he went in between him and Liu Shang and he said, "Thought I'd find you guys here. So, what's up?"
Liu looked at Taji and he said, "Musaki was about to tell me about his parents."
Musaki took a deep breath and he said, "Yeah, about them...they died."
Liu Shang was surprised to hear this and so was Taji and he never really asked Musaki about his parents before and all Liu could do was say, "I'm sorry to hear that."
"What happened to them?" asked Taji, curiously.
"They...they got murdered." Musaki said, hesitantly.
That shocked Liu Shang and Taji to the core when they heard the term 'murdered' come out of Musaki's mouth and they asked, "By who?"
"Have you guys heard of a notorious villain named Tai Lung?"
"I think I might've heard of him, actually. Some of the kids would always play Tai Lung vs. Dragon Warrior where I came from and some of the kids would be the Dragon Warrior and one would be Tai Lung." Taji said.
Musaki chuckled and said, "Yeah, well...he was the one that actually killed my parents when I was only three. It kills me to say that I was there, watching them die and I became an orphan for 10 freakin' years. And when I turned 13, I ended up living at a new home with a new family and I've stayed with them for 4 years now."
"Who'd you live with?" asked Liu Shang.
"The Furious Five and the Dragon Warrior." Musaki answered.
That answer totally shocked Liu Shang to the core because they're the most well-skilled kung-fu masters in all of China taught by Master Shifu himself and he was completely amazed to hear this and he asked, "Seriously?"
Musaki nodded his head and he immediately pulled out his satchel and brought in a picture of himself along with Po, Shifu, Crane, Viper, Tigress, Mantis and Monkey and gave it to both Liu Shang and Taji and both of them were totally blown away that this is the real deal and Liu asked, "And you live with them?"
"Yep. More than anything, I wanted to be a kung-fu master and to use those skills for good and to make right choices with it rather than all the accolades and respect from China. I just want to stay true to myself and still keep myself grounded and because of them, I'm able to do that. I still got a long way to go, but I'm already on the right track." Musaki added.
Taji gives back the picture to Musaki and he puts them back and Taji asked, "I just have to ask; who's your favorite Furious Five member out of all of them? Mine would personally have to be Tigress. I mean, she's got a body and awesome moves that just won't quit."
Musaki looked at Taji with a weird glare like an 'are-you-serious' look and he said, "Well, she's okay...once she doesn't expose her bad side."
"Yeah, but what I really like is Viper. She's like the embodient of awesome, more so than Tigress. I seriously have a massive crush on her and I drew a little picture that says 'Viper and Taji; kung-fu couple' when I was 13." Taji added.
Musaki totally agreed with Taji on this one and he said, "She's one of my favorite members more so than Tigress. At least she's got a heart of gold. But my most favorite alongside Viper is Monkey. He's got brute strength, but has a laid-back, humorous personality. Someone that I would hang out with every second of the day."
Liu Shang looked up and he said, "I like the Dragon Warrior a lot. He went from like noodle shop worker to kung-fu master so quickly. Maybe that's why I look up to him; because he wants to do something that sets his heart into. My biggest hope is to just meet him someday."
"Po's a good dude. He can be a little weird, but he's very loyal and not to mention, the coolest person in kung-fu. I gotta let you know though...he can be somewhat of a fanboy. Probably the first kung-fu master to be a fanboy at the same time. But he's a really cool person if you really get to know him." Musaki added.
Liu Shang chuckled and then Musaki said, "By the way, those moves you used...no wonder you've taken it so seriously. You've got a gift."
Liu chuckled softly at that and said, "Aw, come on. Nah, not me."
Taji agreed with Musaki on that one and said, "Yeah, you. You kick serious ass...at the age of 14."
Liu didn't know how to respond after that statement and he said, "Well, I won't be repeating what you just said. But I guess it's true."
"You and Musaki were like fire and ice. It's like you two could be dual kung-fu masters." Taji added.
Liu and Musaki looked at each other for a second and then looked at Taji and both said, "Let's not go too quickly into it."
Musaki then said, "I guess we all have to turn in tonight because we have a big day tomorrow. This time, we get to bring in our weapons for the competition. Now this is definitely awesome because I brought in two key weapons; my sai and my samurai sword."
Taji chuckled softly and he said, "Dude, I brought in my wooden bo staff. Let's see if your sai and sword will go past me."
Liu Shang chuckled at that and he said, "I've got my nunchucks. These things always come in handy."
Musaki chuckled softly and said, "I bet they are. See you guys tomorrow?"
"You betcha!" Liu Shang and Taji, in unison.
Musaki knows how to give someone advice and lift them up when they're down, doesn't he? That's what he wants to be as well as an aspiring kung-fu master. Well, there's plenty more as we bring in the finalists!