(DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE KUNG FU PANDA FRANCHISE/SERIES OR POKÉMON. KUNG FU PANDA (FRANCHISE/SERIES) BELONGS TO DREAMWORKS ANIMATION. POKÉMON BELONGS TO GAMEFREAK/NINTENDO).
Chapter 8: A Vision and a Backstory
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(Meanwhile, Ursaluna and Watchog were following Snorlax and Meowscarada on their Journey to Eindoak Town. Currently they were trying to traverse a narrow set of uneven mountainous steps overlooking an extremely high cliff below them, with Ursaluna giving Watchog a bit of help since the height between the steps was a little high. They were currently traveling in silence until Ursaluna broke the silence between him and Watchog).
Ursaluna: Not that I am worried, but... (Ursaluna then helps Watchog up another rock step) What if Mew knows we are coming? Why, she could be anywhere, anyone. (Ursaluna then climbs up the steps making sure to keep a bit of space between himself and Watchog).
Watchog: Ursaluna, would you please show a little backbone? (Ursaluna feels a little bad for feeling so nervous like he was as he confessed to Watchog).
Ursaluna: Well, I am sorry, but bravery was never really my specialty. (Ursaluna then helped Zacian to the next step as Watchog said to him, wanting to calm Ursaluna and reassure him).
Watchog: You do not have to be brave. You just need to act brave. (Ursaluna feels a bit more confident thanks to Watchog).
Ursaluna: Act brave? Got it. (Ursaluna then stomps his foot on the step he was on a bit too hard, causing it to begin shaking under his weight). Ah! (Ursaluna Screams as he becomes worried that he will fall to what just might be his end. Watchog begins to panic as well for his friend's safety).
Watchog: Oh! Oh (Ursaluna fall but luckily manages to grab onto the step where Watchog is standing) Ursaluna! (Watchog grabs onto Ursaluna's paw, intending to pull him back up while shouting at him). Hold on! (Ursaluna also screams back at Watchog feeling scared for what could be the end of him).
Ursaluna: Hold me, Watchog! (Ursaluna's paw begins to slip from Watchog's hand, but they refuse to let go of each other). It has all been for nothing! (Watchog continues begging for Ursaluna to not fall to the chasm below).
Watchog: Please, no. (But then Ursaluna slips out of Watchog's grip, falling to the Chasm below, screaming).
Ursaluna: But I am too young! (Watchog and Ursaluna continue screaming until they suddenly hear a "Thud" noise. After a moment, Ursaluna opens his eyes and discovers that he had just fallen and landed on a ledge directly beneath the steps that he and Watchog have been climbing. He then gets backup and asks Watchog). How was that for acting brave? (Watchog, while relieved that Ursaluna was okay, just sighs as he tells him).
Watchog: Keep working on it. (And with that, Watchog, the Action Survivor, and Ursaluna continued their journey to catch up with Snorlax and Meowscarada).
(Elsewhere, the sun was beginning to rise as Arrokuda and Cramorant's boat, the Brave Olivine was nearing its destination of Eindoak Town. Meowscarada sees the city in the distance, and sighs to herself as she smiles upon seeing it).
Meowscarada: Eindoak Town. It is going to be great to be back home again. (Snorlax walks up to Meowscarada to ask her).
Snorlax: Does your family live there too?
Meowscarada: They would. If I had a family. It was not easy being a little fox in a big city. (Then Meowscarada begins reminiscing her past as a Flashback begins).
(In her Flashback, Meowscarada was a much younger Floragato on the streets, having to stealthily steal bags of coins from citizens before they noticed).
Meowscarada: So, I had to survive anyway I could. (Then she tried to steal a bit of food from a stand, only for the owner to catch her in the act before she could get away).
Citizen: Hey!
Meowscarada: Grifting. Shilling. Gaffing. (Then she recounted an experience where a police officer tried to catch her shouting).
Male Police Officer: Stop running! Stop running! (Then an instance where she took shelter underneath a cart. Once there she sat down and took out an Oran Berry, she managed to get her paws on as she began eating it as the Flashback ended).
(Now back in the present, having finished her story, Snorlax felt bad for Meowscarada and what she had been through, emphasizing with her).
Snorlax: Whoa, you are an orphan? So am I. Well, I mean I was. Well, my Watchog dad adopted me, and then later, my Ursaluna dad found me. (From the Helm of the Ship, was the Parent-Child Team of Arrokuda and Cramorant who were at the wheel of the ship. Arrokuda says having overheard what Snorlax and Meowscarada were talking about from inside Cramorant's mouth).
Arrokuda: Watchog dads, Ursaluna dads. Guess it takes all kinds. Right, Mom? (Cramorant then squawks in agreement with her Friendly Pirate son Arrokuda, who had warmed up to Snorlax after he saved the captain's life, despite being initially standoffish. And now, he had more approval of Snorlax upon finding out he is a fellow adoptee who ended up Happily Adopted just like him with his Cramorant Mother despite it being an Interspecies Adoption. Meowscarada then continues talking about her Ambiguously Absent Parents who she ended up separated from at one point).
Meowscarada: Then, one day, a local took me in. Put a roof over my head, gave me clothes to wear, food to eat. After that, I was never alone again. (Snorlax smiles at hearing that eventually Meowscarada's luck turned around).
Snorlax: I guess we both got lucky. (Snorlax was surprised to learn that Meowscarada was just like him, in that they both ended up left without their natural parents and adopted by someone else. Snorlax also hoped that he would get to meet the kind "Local" who took Meowscarada in when she needed it the most eventually. Snorlax then gave Meowscarada a cookie for a snack).
Meowscarada: I guess. (Meowscarada shrugged her shoulders as she began eating the cookie that Snorlax gave her. Before she thought of something she was curious about as she sat down to eat her cookie). Hey, tell me something. Back in Machine Town...
Snorlax: Machina Town.
Meowscarada: ... What did that angry Drake Parker mean...
Snorlax: Wushu Pokémon.
Meowscarada: ... When he said you had to find your successor? (Snorlax Sighs at ending up reminded of that before he answers Meowscarada's question).
Snorlax: Now that I am supposed to become Spiritual Leader, I need to find a worthy successor to take over as the Dragon Warrior. (Meowscarada, having finished her cookie put her hands behind her back to relax trying to understand Snorlax's predicament).
Meowscarada: Once you are on top, that is where you wanna stay, right? (Snorlax does not exactly disagree with Meowscarada, as he tries to explain his woes about this whole "Successor" situation).
Snorlax: No, it is just that... What do I know about being a Spiritual Leader? But I cannot even think of one of those cool-sounding proverbs. (Snorlax then tries to think of proverb). "Life's greatest enemy is" (But then he gives up) ... Uh, I do not know. Stairs?
(Snorlax was not particularly eager to choose a successor, since ever since he was young, he always wanted to be a Kung Fu Master. And once he finally became one, he found it to be much harder than he expected, especially since that meant that he needed to deal with all the threats to Michina Town and by extension Sinnoh as part of his new position as the Dragon Warrior. But the last thing he wanted to do was to disrespect the Great Zacian's name and legacy, especially after he learned that him becoming Zacian's successor and blossom into a teacher and Master who brings people together once he met the great Kung Fu Legend in the Spirit Realm after stopping Marshadow. It was also there that he learned that it was his Snorlax ancestors saving Zacian's life and teaching him the ways of Chi are what inspired him to create Kung Fu and become the paragon of virtue and tranquility he is known as, and that it was Zacian choosing a young Snorlax like him as The Dragon Warrior that was a signal for the end of his time in the mortal realm. Meowscarada then realized that her first assumption that Snorlax wants to keep the power that comes with being the Dragon Warrior for himself, not honestly thinking about the burden of responsibility that would come with the position, was wrong).
Meowscarada: Okay. (Then Arrokuda and Cramorant decided to Weigh in their thoughts on the discussion that Snorlax and Meowscarada were having here).
Arrokuda: Everyone knows life's greatest enemy is time. (Then Cramorant Squawks. After processing Arrokuda's Philosophic words, Meowscarada continues sharing her thoughts with Snorlax).
Meowscarada: Well, I bet it is just easier to hold on to the life you know than move on to the one you do not. (Snorlax is a bit impressed with Meowscarada's view of life, telling her with a smile on his face).
Snorlax: Hey, that was quite good. (Then Arrokuda says chiming in again, cheekily suggesting to them, having approved of her own personal worldview).
Arrokuda: Yes. Likely she should be the Spiritual Leader of Snowpomp City. (Cramorant then takes a swig of her drink of water, having Cramorant pour the drink into her mouth and having Arrokuda be the one to truly drink the water that she was pouring into her mouth. Having seen how their captain was behaving just now with the way it was consuming that drink, Meowscarada feels a little weirded out by it saying to Snorlax).
Meowscarada: Whoa, that guy. He drinks like a fish.
Snorlax: Should he be driving?
(Snorlax was feeling a little weirded out by this too. Not to mention, he did see Cramorant feed Arrokuda a glass of flaming water from a canteen, resulting in what sounded like slightly incoherent speech. And now, he was responsible the ship that was taking him and Meowscarada to Eindoak Town, suffice it to say, Snorlax was not feeling too certain about letting him oversee the ship. But Snorlax decided to keep his comments and thoughts about it to himself, after all, Arrokuda and Cramorant were kind enough to give them a ride to the city, and he was not going to look a gift Mudsdale in the mouth. So, Snorlax and Meowscarada's voyage to Eindoak Town to stop the evil and villainous Mew continued).
(Speaking of said evil and villainous Mew, she was busy somewhere, having her Kommo-o army hard at work on something. A machine had a large pot tip over, pouring magma onto something where the hot liquid spread all over it. Then a bunch of powerful and strong hammers used by her Kommo-o servants began pounding the spot where the hot magma ended up poured onto. Thereby strengthening it into a strong and exceptionally durable piece of metal. Then the Metal pieces had chains hooked up to them, before the Kommo-o began pulling on the chains to bring all the pieces together, making it into a Cage. Then Mew came by to inspect the Cages that her Kommo-o army were making. Then she went and hovered over a platform that allowed her to Tower over her minions, including the Crime bosses, Chesnaught, Dracozolt, Excadrill, Grovyle, and Turtonator. Grovyle spoke up for his fellow crime bosses, telling Mew).
Grovyle: We have come to pay tribute, as you asked. (She then inspected the tribute they brought, and did not look too satisfied with it telling them).
Mew: Looks like a bit light. Go back out and get me more! (Chesnaught was not happy with this request of Mew's, asking sounding upset with it. Especially since he had an arm in a sling due to the very nasty fall he had before causing him to get a broken arm because of it).
Chesnaught: More? (Turtonator then tried to plead with Mew).
Turtonator: But... But Mew... (But she dismissed them not willing to ease up on them in the slightest).
Mew: Go! Before I toss you down another flight of stairs. (The Crime bosses begin murmuring to themselves as the left with their tributes. Once they were gone, Mew got an evil smirk on its face, as she was one step closer to achieving her Master Plan). At last, my destiny approaches. (Mew makes her eyes glow Blue as she makes her cages glow Bright Pink with energy while dimming the lights in the room. Then she continues her evil monologue) I will expand my rule from Eindoak Town to every city and town and village from here to Machina Town and beyond! (She then imagines her rule including setting everything in the world on fire). They will all know the name of Mew! (Then suddenly a voice managed to pierce through Mew's grand illusions).
Voice: Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! (Suddenly there is the sound of a "Slap").
(Suddenly, Snorlax wakes up and screams before realizing that Meowscarada was the one who slapped him just now, and it was her voice that was telling just now to "Wake Up").
Snorlax: Ah! Meowscarada! (Snorlax then sits up, still panicking a bit at what he just experienced) I had a vision. Yes, I saw Mew. (This gets Meowscarada's attention as she goes wide eyed upon hearing this from Snorlax). She is gonna take over cities and towns and Machina Town. (Meowscarada then asks, looking worried and alarmed about this).
Meowscarada: A vision? (But then she drops her alarmed look in favor of not looking worried or alarmed as she crosses her arms). While you were asleep? Well, I am quite sure that it is just a dream. (Snorlax denies this telling Meowscarada sounding profoundly serious about it).
Snorlax: Not a dream, (Snorlax's shouting caused him to shoot a spitball that hit Meowscarada in the head) a vision. (Meowscarada goes to wipe Snorlax's Spitball off her head as Snorlax rubs his belly). Either I had a bad dumpling before I went to sleep, or it is a Dragon Warrior thing. We got to get to Mew and take her Down. (Snorlax was beginning to feel truly scared and anxious about what he saw in his vision. Only for Meowscarada to smile in response to Snorlax's worries).
Meowscarada: Well, then you are in luck. Welcome to Eindoak Town. (Meowscarada then moved off to the side to allow Snorlax to see that their ship was about to go through a Gate and enter the city of their Destination. Once they passed the gate, Snorlax went wide eyed in amazement at the sight of the city before him).
Snorlax: Whoa! (Then Meowscarada went on to praise her home city to Snorlax).
Meowscarada: This is the place where you can be whatever you wanna be, do whatever you wanna do, and steal whatever you wanna steal. (She then realized what she just said and said to correct herself as Snorlax who was giving her a disapproving look). Uh, if that is your thing. (As they were quickly approaching the city's docks, Arrokuda said getting both Snorlax and Meowscarada's attention).
Arrokuda: Land ho! (But then the ship goes and crashes into the dock into it, causing a vibration that knocks Snorlax and Meowscarada off their feet. Realizing that they had just crashed into the dock, Arrokuda said, trying to play it off the Captain Crash mistake of crashing into the dock even though he was not the one driving). Whoa. That came out of nowhere. (Arrokuda then goes and closes Cramorant's mouth pouch to save face due to not wanting others to hold him responsible for the damage he just caused. After such a long journey, Snorlax and Meowscarada have finally arrived in the city where they would find and stop the villainous evildoer, Mew, which also just happens to be Marshadow's hometown, for they have finally arrived in Eindoak Town).
[A/N #1: Here is a bit of Fun Trivia about Kung Fu Panda 3: In a case of Real-Life Relative: Father and son Wayne Knight and Liam Knight voice Big Fun and Lei Lei].
[A/N #2: I do have one more update to announce here, I will also be working to publish a Brand new Chapter of my other story, "Ashes of Confidence" soon after I publish this chapter, which means you can expect in the next day or two. (Simply, before the end of 2024 (and the Start of 2025))].
[A/N #3: I actually finished making this chapter late last night, but I had a lot of trouble uploading the document to the "Doc Manager" for really stupid reasons (that I don't want to get into). But thankfully I managed to fix it. (In a manner of speaking). I just hope that it was a temporary glitch or something like that and that it will not happen again].
Replies to my reviewers:
Ashpoke55: Thank You. Yes, the titular "Tavern Brawl" with Po and Zhen against the other Patrons was quite fun (especially when Zhen kicked the bowl of Hot Potatoes into the one patron's face) and had great background music during the whole thing. And if by "Cranky Thief" you mean Han, the Sunda pangolin (who is the leader of a den of thieves) played by Famous actor, Ke Huy Quan, then unfortunately I cannot deny nor confirm that I will be using Sandslash to play him. (But I will say this great, that is an incredibly good guess). However, one question is still unanswered, if I do choose to use Sandslash to be the Pokémon equivalent of Han, which Form of Sandslash will I be using? Cause Sandslash has two forms, a Kanto Form where it is a regular Ground type, and the other is its Alolan Form where it is an Ice and Steel Type. But which Sandslash will I use to play Han (If I Use Sandslash at all), you'll just have to wait and see. And I hope you have a Happy New Year too. :)
Please Review
-To Be Continued-
Next time on ... MASTER FIGHTER BATTLES 4:
Welcome to Eindoak Town