What You Really Want
He gasped uselessly; his lungs weren't needed anymore. The familiar green and blue swirls of an Aurora-like display danced above him. The Spirit World. "GRAAAAAAAHHHH! This again!? I thought once that yak absorbed me I could... of course." He sat on the small corner of a firm floating rock in a realm of other floating islands. He plopped his head onto his hand, muttering, "Of course it wouldn't work. The manic was just using me. Tsk!" He paused, got up, and stared off into the shifting colors of the Spirit World's sky. "No matter. I will find a way back to the physical world. And once I do, I'll be the Dragon Warrior that is truly meant for his title."
"And what happens after that?" said a voice. The snow leopard turned around. The person still had his iconic sash wrapped about his hard shell. His staff was different, made of cold jade stone in the shape of the Yin-Yang token. His master's old master. "Hello, Tai-Lung."
"Master Oogway," The snow leopard said with a small chuckle. "You're here at such an opportune time."
"Why?" The old tortoise asked with a smile.
"Who else has a wellspring of Chi for me to use?"
"Ah. So you hope to enter the world through Chi like Kai, hm?"
"How do I do it?"
"Do what?"
"Leave!" Tai-Lung bellowed. "I want to leave this place and claim my rightful place as Dragon Warrior!"
"Hmm. And you hope to take it from me?"
"I've got all entirety to do so." Tai-Lung stepped into a wide stance and lept at Oogway. The tortoise stepped aside, ducking his head. Oogway blocked his punches with his staff, cheekily grinning and ducking his head. Growling, Tai-Lung swung his foot. The tortoise jumped high and landed on the snow leopard's head. "GRRrrr!" Tai-Lung slashed at his head, but Oogway calmly floated to the ground.
"I see things have not changed. You still suffer from the same problem," The tortoise said.
"Oh?" Tai-Lung panted, more out of habit than actual breathing, "Enlighten me?"
"You're still fighting to get something that was never yours."
"Grrr. The Dragon scroll was mine! The Dragon Warrior Title IS mine!" Tai-Lung slashed. His hand phased right through Oogway's body. He blinked wildly at his own hand before looking at the grinning tortoise. "If you can't be touched, why were you attacking me?" Oogway shook his head.
"I never fought you. I merely defended myself."
"Grrr." Tai-Lung stopped for a second. Even if Oogway was solid for a moment, it would probably work against him. This was the same person that immobilized him and put him in Chor-Gom Prison.
Tai-Lung had to do this carefully. Maybe if he played along, he could find some way back home. The spotted feline straightened up, folding his hands behind him. "Very well, since I can't touch you, then why did you come and find me?"
"So you can help Po."
"The panda!" Tai-Lung spat out and laughed. "Why would I help that impertinent fool? He's not even worthy of the title."
"Mmm, and could you stop a cannon?" Oogway smiled.
Tai rose his eyebrow. "What is a cannon?"
"A device that shoots metal in a spit of fire. But maybe that's too much for you," Oogway chuckled. "Maybe you could fight Kai by making him explode."
"Explode? What are you talking about? Kai drained my Chi. I was trapped! I don't know what happened but-"
"The panda took care of that."
"What?!" Tai-Lung roared out. "Impossible. In order to do that, he'd have to be-"
"A master of Chi? Yes, I'm aware of that. And yes, he is the reason why you and I are free," Oogway said. Tai-Lung's growl gurgled in his throat.
"You're lying."
"You know I'm not."
"Well, somehow you are! Why would I believe the person that denied me my title?"
"Because it was never yours."
"I was destined to have it!" Tai-Lung shouted. "Shifu trained me for nothing other than that scroll!"
"I know. I was there," Oogway calmly said.
"I was supposed to have the scroll. I was supposed to have the honor and glory! I could have done ALL of what the... stupid panda did AND more!"
"You could have."
"I," Tai-Lung froze. He turned to Oogway's smiling face filled with nothing but some mystical humor. Tai-Lung's face morphed from anger to confusion. The feline blinked several times, waiting for the tortoise to explain. When he didn't, the snow leopard simply asked, "What do you mean I could have?"
"You could have been the Dragon Warrior."
"But?"
"No buts, just fronts," Oogway joked. Tai-Lung rolled his eyes and pinched the bridge of his muzzle. Oogway's weird humor never made him laugh once in his natural life. "You could have been the Dragon Warrior."
"Then why didn't you give me the Dragon Scroll? Because there was darkness in my soul? Because the universe said otherwise? Because I was some-some pointless orphan boy that didn't deserve it, but some bumbling panda did?!"
"Because," Oogway said slowly, "It was never yours." Tai-Lung pulled on the fur on his head.
"What does that mean!?"
Oogway smiled, "Now, you are asking the question. Come with me."
"Do I have a choice?"
"You always had a choice, Tai-Lung, especially when Shifu isn't around." Tai-Lung rose an eyebrow but followed the tortoise in silence. Floating was difficult. Tai-Lung had to use the other floating islands to move anywhere. Soon they came to a massive island with a pool pouring into the unknown depths of the Spirit World. In the middle of this pool was a small inner island with a peach tree. "Ahh, home sweet home." Oogway got into a boat parked on the edge. He looked at the snow leopard. "Well? Are you coming or what?" Tai-Lung got inside the wooden boat. The gentle current took them to the inner island, and they docked there. Oogway sat at the island's edge, patting a small spot beside him for Tai-Lung. The water calmly lapped their feet. "Ah, now. Your question?"
"Why didn't you-"
"The other question."
Tai-Lung paused. "What does that mean?"
"Ah, yes... what do I mean by it was never yours," Oogway repeated. "Well, what would you have done with it?"
"I...I would have protected the village."
"Didn't you do that already?"
"Yes, but I would have the power to protect it."
"Didn't you have that already?"
"There's honor behind the name of Dragon Warrior."
"Didn't you already have honor?"
"Are you trying to say that I already had all I needed and the scroll blinded me or something?" Tai-Lung asked, irritated. The face on Oogway wasn't what he was expecting. The tortoise seemed lost in thought, and he took a long fingernail to his chin, looking up for a moment, and then shrugging.
"That is one lesson," Oogway said.
"What's the other?"
"Now that you know what the scroll has in it, do you know what you'll do when you get back to earth?"
"Get the Dragon Warrior title?"
"And then?"
Tai-Lung fell silent. He found himself in a bind. He couldn't say protect the village or power or honor or whatever. The snow leopard took a deep long breath and asked the tortoise, "What are you trying to tell me... Master Oogway?"
The tortoise gave a charming smile. "The title was never yours because it was never your dream. It was never what you wanted. Because everything you were looking for, you already had. You had the power to defend others, the honor, the glory,... and the women." Tai-Lung grumbled, crossing his arms and slightly reddening in the cheeks. "But the Dragon Warrior title wasn't your dream. It was Shifu's dream for you. You never wanted the title for the title's sake. You only wanted it because Shifu promised it to you. Tell me again, what were you going to do after you became Dragon Warrior." Tai-Lung was speechless. "And if Shifu wasn't your master, would you have ever wanted the Dragon scroll? Hmm. What was it that you said to Shifu?"
Oogway dipped his staff into the water and scenes from Shifu and Tai-Lung's fight flickered onto the water's surface. The angry words raged back at the snow leopard through reverberated echoes. "All I ever did, I did to make you proud!"
"In the end, Shifu was always proud of you. But... were you ever proud of yourself? Of who you were? Without the Dragon Warrior title, you're still Tai-Lung. And without Shifu promising you something that was never his to promise, you're still Tai-Lung. But you never experienced what life was like without these things. Without them, who are you?" Oogway asked. The silence hit like a mallet to the gut. Tai-Lung hung his head and watched his distorted reflection in the waves. Each moment, the truth sank deeper in his mind. He covered his eyes with his hand. For a while, Tai-Lung didn't say anything or even make a noise. The snow leopard stayed perfectly still until something dropped from his face into the pool.
A single drop of saltwater plopped into the pool and quietly disappeared. Tai-Lung gave a deep long sigh and looked at the ever-changing sky. Why? Why had he wasted all of his life just on something that was never truly his to begin with? He had everything and yet he wanted more. And why? Just because it was promised? Just because he thought it was his?
No.
There was darkness inside of him, but not caused by evil. It was dark because it was empty.
Another heavy sigh exited Tai-Lung's... lungs. He clenched his fists on his lap, but he slowly regained some more composure, sitting straight and tall again. One sad look from the tortoise revealed the mistake. Who was he trying to impress? No one, the snow leopard thought. He collapsed back into a hunch, yet somehow the weight left him.
"That," Tai-Lung cleared his throat, "That still doesn't make things right."
"Oh?" Oogway asked.
"Shifu's still guilty. In fact, he's guilter now than before you told me."
"And if he is... what does that add or take from your story."
"The villain."
"Haha, well," Oogway laughed, "I wouldn't go that far. We're more often a villain to ourselves than to other people."
"That also doesn't explain the panda. Why him? Weren't Shifu's students more worthy? Why him?"
"And who do you think would be a good Dragon Warrior from among Shifu's pupils?" Oogway asked. Tai-Lung sat quietly pondering. He looked at Oogway a lot before looking at the pool. "You're overthinking it."
"Because I know the tiger is a bad idea, even though she's the most qualified."
"And why is she a bad idea?"
"Because...she seems a lot like me. Strict on herself, stern, trying to please someone." Oogway rose a scaly eyebrow, making the snow leopard look away. "It's... it's not that difficult to find out. The best Dragon Warrior would be... similar to you: unpredictable... which is the panda is, I guess," Tai-Lung admitted begrudgingly.
"What do you think is the cost of being Dragon Warrior?" Oogway asked.
"Pain, isolation, brutal training, familiarity with loss, challenges, and sacrifices."
"Ah, yes," Oogway touched the water again and showed all of Po's life. "Pain, isolation, brutal training, familiarity with loss, challenges, and sacrifices."
Before Tai-Lung's eyes, scenes of Po being flipped around by the Training Hall, the Furious Five, and Shifu flashed by. He saw Po get shot by a cannonball and struggle against Kai. Shifu and Tigress's insults to the panda hit with the same intensity as the snow leopard's training regime, Tai-Lung watched as Po was teased by the Furious Five and his enemies. Po suffered lies and disappointment from his real father about his heritage and the pain of not being able to protect his friends. Hours flashed by of Po's lonely nights at the Peach Tree along with every scream and painful shout of Po's training to defeat Tai-Lung, Shen, and Kai. And when Po's mother sacrificed her life for him, Tai-Lung's eye shed a small tear. The loss felt too real, too familiar. But each time Po fought, stumbled, and fell, he rose again against Tai-Lung, Kai, and Shen, and...someone else.
"Wait," Tai-Lung stopped the tortoise. "There was something going on in that last one. Someone familiar."
"Ah. You have a good eye. This is what I've called you for," Oogway said. He touched the water and there the Furious Five, Shifu, and Po faced an army of militarized bandits with someone at the front. A brave, bold female snow leopard with a sword thrust into the air. The Furious Five fought them off, but Shifu and Po took on the snow leopard.
"Lei-Song."
"You remember her?"
"She... she and I had a private relationship until Shifu found out," Tai-Lung said. "He forced me... he told me that I wouldn't become the Dragon Warrior if I had earthly attachments. And I... broke things off with her."
The snow leopard sliced a bit of fur off of Po's face, but the panda ducked under the swing and knocked her back. Lei-Song shot up to her feet. Her eyes burned red with tears. "I will kill you for what you've done to Tai-Lung, Shifu! First, you take him away from me. Then you let that turtle put him away where I couldn't see him. And then... then you let this fat panda kill him!"
"Hey! I've gotten thinner," Po muttered. Lei-Song threw a smoke bomb. Po and Shifu coughed up smoke until Po felt something knick his leg. "DAHH!" He fell back, and when the smoke cleared, the snow leopard stood above him with a sword pointed at his throat. "Hey, hey, hey. Come on! You don't want to do this!"
"You don't know how much I want you to be the red panda. But you'll settle." She swung the sword down. Po flinched right, grabbed her foot, and tripped her to the ground. Lei-Song was about to get back up, but she ran headfirst into Po's fist, knocking her clear out. Panting hard, the panda stared down at the unconscious snow leopard.
But under his gasps, his eyebrows furrowed together as he lifted his head. He glared at Shifu. "Take her and the rest back to jail. I'm done for the day."
"What?" Shifu and the rest muttered.
"Po, what's wrong?"
"I just need some space, Shifu," Po answered back. The red panda stepped in front of Po, matching the panda's glare.
"That's no way to talk to your master."
"Really? Because I was starting to wonder who deserves to be called master here," Po argued.
"What's that supposed to mean-"
"Why didn't you tell us about Tai-Lung's girlfriend? Why did we have to figure out after the raids for you to talk?"
"I... I didn't think she would...I thought she would've moved on."
"Did Tai-Lung move on? Did Shen move on? Why would think that the person you told Tai-Lung to get rid of wouldn't retaliate?!"
"Po," Tigress spoke up. "That's enough."
"No," the panda snapped back. Tigress flinched back. Po spun back to Shifu. "Do you know how frustrating this is? We nearly got wrecked because of your 'high and mighty ambitions'?!"
"Ambitions!?" Shifu exclaimed. "It wasn't my ambition that made her this way!"
"But seriously? Holing Tai-Lung up and then saying that 'relationships are a hindrance'? What were you thinking!? And then you expect absolutely NOTHING to happen and didn't even think that it was important to at least tell us!? She could have killed us in our sleep!"
"It was in the past, and it was none of your business! I made a lot of mistakes, Po!"
"THEN WHY AM I ALWAYS FIXING THEM!" Po shouted. Suddenly, the air had knives, stabbing everyone that heard the panda. Even Tai-Lung winced. "You know what, I need to go." He turned the other way, passing Tigress on the way.
"Then am I a mistake?" she asked. Po flinched hard and slowly looked at the tiger's burning eyes.
"I-I-I-I didn't mean- "
"I think we both need some time... alone," Shifu growled. Po scowled at the red panda.
"Fine by me," He muttered as he stormed down the mountain. Tigress glared into the panda's head. But it was no use. A small part of her felt... wounded. She silently glanced back as she followed her master up the stairs.
"Okay," Tai-Lung sighed as the waters' reflective surface returned. "I'm convinced."
"Of what?" Oogway asked.
"That I was never meant for the Dragon Warrior title, that Po is worthy to have the Dragon scroll..." Tai-Lung slowly sighed. He stared into the water and wished that things were different for once. That a big clock would reverse the years of waste. But worst of all, there was something staring back at him, summarized in the words, "And I don't know who I am."
"Well," Oogway smiled, "I've heard there's a panda that can help with finding your identity." The snow leopard stood up along with his master and faced him.
"What shall I do?"
"First, go to Po."
"And then?"
"I would say that you can make sure that Lei-Song is... taken care of," Oogway cryptically said, "But I'll leave you to interpret that in the way you choose." Tai-Lung, for the first time since his exile, smiled.
"What about Shifu?"
"You leave him to me," Oogway sighed. "I think my pupil has a lot to learn."
"And... the tiger?" Tai-Lung asked. Oogway rose an old eyebrow.
"I don't know."
Tai-Lung smiled again and bowed before his master's master. "Thank you, Master Oogway."
Maybe a leopard can change its spots.
The End
