Mark of the Multiversal Pretender

"I'm sorry but why is my room the same as Po's?" Leo monotonously stared at the Geese who escorted him and Po back to his own room!

The Geese simply shrugged their shoulders before using their flappy feet to walk away.

'Goddammit.' Leo cursed with a sigh.

"We share the same room! I mean, both of us are Dragon Warriors, so this is pretty normal." Unlike Leo, Po doesn't have any complaints in sharing a room.

After all, not only because Leo is his friend and not only a friend but a best friend, but he has already shared a room with him, so there's no hurt in sharing again.

'Yeah, it should be but your loud snoring is what keeps me from sharing the room with you.' Leo's mouth twitched as he heard Po's words and couldn't help but complain silently in his mind.

Leo doesn't want to say it out loud as he can't strain his relationship with Po, especially right now as he needed Po for the future events.

He can't defeat Tai Lung all by himself! He has read several rumors and theories that Tai Lung only lost to Po because of Luck and underestimating Po just because he's a big fat panda.

Not to mention General Kai who also underestimated Po not because he's a panda but because General Kai overestimated himself, thinking that only Oogway is his match.

What Leo is trying to say is that unless his Black Panther reaches 100% in percentage, he won't take any chances in this world and get as much help as possible if he needs it.

"So, which side will you take? I personally like to face the wall so, can I take the left side?" Po tapped his two fingers against each other while embarrassingly looking at Leo.

"Go ahead." Leo said, looking at the screen in front of him.

It's a Sub-Quest screen about being Po's roommate in the Jade Palace, it's pretty average along with its rewards, so it's not worth mentioning.

*Thud!*

*Gasp!*

"Master Shifu!" Suddenly being interrupted, Leo was about to turn to look at who disturbed them when he heard Po's words.

"Don't call me Master, I haven't accepted you as a student yet!" Master Shifu glared at the excited P and sternly said.

"Okay Mas- I mean, Shi- no, that's not right. How do I call you without sounding disrespectful? Mr. Shifu?" Po stuttered.

Ignoring Po's actions, Master Shifu shifted his attention to his recent student, Leo.

"Come with me, Leo. We're gonna have a talk." With that said, Master Shifu turned around and walked away.

"See you later Po and don't touch anything in this room without my permission." Leo patted Po's shoulders first before following Master Shifu.

***

"How did you go from 'Fetching a Friend' to 'Becoming a Dragon Warrior with a Friend'?!" Once they got in a uninhabitated corner, Master Shifu faced Leo who was startled.

"What? No, it was an accident! Me and Po were just rushing when the gates closed on us. We were left with no choice but to use the cart full of fireworks."

"Really? Are you sure, because from what I know, YOU can push that door open, why didn't you do so?"

'Oh fuck, that slipped out of my mind.' Leo's face slightly grimaced but thankfully, it only happened in his mind, on the outside, Leo was bearing a normal expression.

Putting his entire Con-Man persona to work, Leo quickly fabricated a good enough lie.

"It was too crowded earlier, I'm afraid I might accidentally injure someone when opening the door and besides, the event has already started, pushing the door open might attract attention and disrupt the event."

".....Did it pass through your mind that you can climb the wall silently and without any problem?" Just as Leo answered, Master Shifu stopped for a moment before asking.

"I can indeed lift myself up in the wall but not Po, I can't carry him, he weigh a fuck-ton."

"Language! We already talked about this!"

"Sorry, Master!"

"....Tomorrow morning, I want that panda gone. It doesn't matter how you do it, just do it." Master Shifu said before turning around to leave, however he didn't get that far when Leo spoke.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Master."

"....And why so?" Turning around to look at Leo in slight disbelief, Master Shifu replied.

"Because he is my friend." Leo answered in the most simple yet meaningful answer.

"A friend? You are treating this situation as a joke! The Dragon Warrior is not a joke, Leo! I can accept you being chosen but that big fat panda was chosen in an accident!" Master Shifu retorted.

"Nothing is an accident, Master Shifu. You are simply being blinded by your ideals and standards that you have forgotten that Kung Fu is not within your body structure or appearance because if so, then Master Oogway wouldn't have taken you as his student." Leo coldly said, he didn't like the fact that his first friend in this world is being insulted by Master Shifu like this.

Sure he will change in the movie for the better good but that doesn't mean Leo would stay idle and let Po take all the insult that he took in the movie.

He's already here in this world and he might as well as take advantage of his advantages.

Hearing Leo's words, Master Shifu stopped in his tracks, having a moment of realization in his mind.

The face of his father flashed within his mind, how he was abandoned in front of the Jade Palace for days.

Shifu remembered who he used to be before finding his path. He and his father were Con-Artists, selling fake amulets under the impression that they have supernatural abilities such as having good luck or increasing your spiritual mind.

Eventually, his father left him in the Jade Palace and told him that he'll be back for 5 minutes, only for those minutes to turn into days and almost a week.

And that's when Master Oogway took him in as a student.

"Master, trust me when I say this. Po is more than just a panda that you think he is." Finishing the conversation with those words, Leo turned around and went back to his room, he's afraid that if he's gone for a minute, Po had overtaken the entire bed.

Unknown to Leo, tears slowly dropped from Master Shifu's eyes, after having a short flashback of his past courtesy of Leo's words.

***

"Shifu." Watching the two despite being under the Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom, Master Oogway overheard their conversation and could understand the reason why Master Shifu teared up.

He was there to witness the abandonment of Shifu by his father.

Suddenly sensing that Master Shifu started walking towards him, Master Oogway went back to his meditative position and closed his eyes.

A few minutes later, Master Shifu arrived as he expected.

"Master.....what have I become?"

Master Oogway then watched as Master Shifu kneeled on the ground, deep regrets can be seen on his face.

Seeing his student having some trouble about life, Master Oogway has decided to use his specialty, in other words, his wisdom to help his troubled student.

"Tell me, Shifu. What has troubled you lately?" Of course, Master Oogway won't reveal that he can cover the entire Jade Palace with his chi, giving him almost slight omniscience over the entire Jade Palace.

Everything that happens inside can reach his ears and eyes.

"Master, when you took me in. Did it ever cross your mind that I don't meet the same qualities of a Kung Fu Master?" Master Shifu asked, one of his realizations is that Master Oogway might've just taken pity on him which is why he took him.

"Qualities? There are no qualities in Kung Fu, Shifu. Only dedication." Master Oogway got up from his meditative position and approached Shifu who still kept his head low.

"Look at me, Shifu." Hearing Master Oogway's words, Shifu raised his head and looked straight into Master Oogway's eyes.

"You might think of me as senile for choosing two Dragon Warriors at once but there are no accidents, Shifu. All is inscribed by the walls of destiny." Master Oogway then handed Master Shifu a peach that he got from go knows where.

"There are no....accidents." Master Shifu muttered, not expecting Master Oogway to say the same words that Leo said to him a few minutes ago.

Could Leo be as wise as Master Oogway?

".....I understand, Master. I finally understand." Master Shifu bowed his head again but Master Oogway stopped him in time.

"Stop bowing your head, Shifu or you might accidentally eat dirt, haha." Master Oogway slightly chuckled, shocking Master Shifu.

'T-This is the first time I heard Master's laugh!' Thinking of this, Master Shifu decides to cherish this memory of Master Oogway laughing.

"Now that you are here, I am here to tell you something, Shifu." Master Oogway's previous laughing expression suddenly turned grim, making Master Shifu notice the seriousness of this matter.

"What is it, Master?"

"I had a vision, Shifu. A vision where Tai Lung returns." Master Oogway then looked at the wide scenery that overlooks the entire Valley.

"I'm afraid he's coming back here, Shifu. To take what he thought is his."

"That's impossible Master! There is no way Tai Lung could escape the inescapable prison! He doesn't have the ability to do so!" Master Shifu quickly retorted, not even he himself could escape that prison, maybe his prime self but he's already an old man.

"Hmmm~" Just as Master Shifu was expecting Master Oogway to speak, the latter just simply closed his eyes and entered a weird deep sleep while standing, leaving Shifu to walk back to the Jade Palace and send a messenger to assure that Tai Lung hasn't escaped.

***

'It is time.' In a dark space, a pair of orange eyes glowed.

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[Next Chapter: Ch. 28 - The Great Pretender is not afraid of Tai Lung!]

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