Mark of the Multiversal Pretender

Unknown to Leo, as he was sound asleep, a flying pigeon that was sent as a messenger is slowly approaching the quarters of Master Shifu.

On his face, fear can be seen.

But what could cause a pigeon to have such fear on their face?

*Flap!*

***

"Inner Peace."

In Master Shifu's quarters, the old red panda can be seen sitting on the mat in a meditative position, surrounded by candles that are lit up.

*Flap!*

"I-Inner Peace." However, the sounds of flapping noise outside was disturbing his meditation.

*Flap!*

"Whoever is making that flapping noise, turn it down!" Finally having enough, Master Shifu turned and looked over his shoulder and yelled, without even opening his eyes, clearly focused on his meditation.

Finally, thanks to Master Shifu's shouting, the flapping noise was gone, giving him back the silence that he wanted in order to meditate properly.

*Flap!*

"Quack!"

"Sigh...." Sighing in defeat, Master Shifu finally turned around to see who is disturbing his peaceful time alone meditating.

"Ah! Zeng! What good news have you brought for me?" Master Shifu's personality took a sharp turn upon seeing that it was the good 'ol messenger that he sent to warn the Prison Warden to tighten their security and assure that Tai Lung stays in prison so he won't be able to escape.

".....Ah-." Just when the messenger bird Zeng finally recovered, he was about inform Master Shifu of the bad news of Tai Lung escaping his prison, when he heared the excited voice of Master Shifu, he stopped and hesitated, knowing that if he tell Master Shifu the grave news, his excitement would turn grim and cause the entire Valley to evacuate in order to avoid facing Tai Lung's wrath.

Still, he's just a messenger and this is his job, so he recounted all the events that he witnessed during Tai Lung's escape.

***

"Master! Master, I have very bad news!" Upon hearing about Tai Lung's escape and how he's going back to reclaim the Dragon Warrior title even if he have to fight two of them, Master Shifu wasted no time and hurriedly rushed towards the Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom, where Master Oogway usually stays most of his time.

"Ah Shifu, there is just news. There is no good or bad." Staring at the stars and doing several stretches, Master Oogway turned around to face his student who looks like he's out of breath and said with a very calm expression, showing no sign of worry towards anything in life.    

"Master, your vision! your vision was right! Tai Lung has broken out of prison! He is on his way here right now!" Once Master Shifu stated his bad news, Master Oogway stopped in his tracks, showing a stunned expression on his face.

".....That is bad news." Master Oogway said, taking back the 'wise' words that he just threw at Master Shifu earlier.

However, just when Master Shifu thought that Master Oogway would once again stand up to put back the peace to the Valley, Master Oogway continued his words.

"If you do not believe that the Dragon Warriors can stop him." Then Master Oogway ended his words with a small smile, referring to the two Dragon Warriors chosen, Po and Leo.

"T-That Panda!? If it's Leo, I can understand and there is still a chance, but Master, that panda might be a Dragon Warrior but he's no match for Tai Lung! That panda wasn't even supposed to be here, he was chosen by accident!" Master Shifu retorted quite harshly, expressing the pent up anger that he has been accumulating in his heart after the choosing of the Dragon Warrior.

If it's Leo, he can understand but there's no way Po could defeat Tai Lung, and no he's not judging Po based on his fat nature, he has already learned his lesson right there but he's talking about the fact that Po hasn't even officially started the real training and now, Po is going up against a monster like Tai Lung. Even a toddler with a little brain would understand it.

"There are no accidents, Shifu." Master Oogway leaned forward towards Master Shifu and repeated the lines that he said yesterday.

"Sigh, yes I know. You've said that already, twice. Thrice if we're counting Leo." Sighing in defeat, Master Shifu truly can't argue with his master, no matter what. Unlike himself, Master Oogway is too wise that he's like using cheats in arguing or conversation, always having the upper-hand.

"Listen to me, Shifu. Everything will be fine as long as you let go of the illusion of control. You must learn to guide it, nurture it, believe in it!. Listen carefully Shifu, you must believe!"

"I'll.....try." Master Shifu hesitantly answered, still having a sense of doubt and helplessness in his heart.

"You must believe, Shifu." Master Oogway said for the last time as he turns around to face the night sky one more time before turning back to Master Shifu.

"My time has come. You must continue your journey without me." Master Shifu then unconsciously took the wooden cane that Master Oogway handed over to him with a stunned expression, not expecting Master Oogway's words.

Why does it sound like Master Oogway is passing away?

"Master?"

"You must believe Shifu, believe." Master Oogway slowly floated up in the air while pink petals of leaves surrounded him.

Realizing what is happening, Master Shifu tried to run towards Master Oogway until he reached the end of the cliff, forcing himself to stop in his tracks.

"No Master! Please, don't leave me!" Master Shifu tears up slightly, stretching his arm towards the old turtle, having the illusion that he could reach him and pull him back to the ground.

Unfortunately, Master Oogway drowned in the pink petals until his figure was entirely covered. 

That night, Master Shifu was left with Master Oogway's cane, no sign of Master Oogway in the physical world anymore.

***

Opening his eyes, Leo yawned and stretched his limbs as if he was some kind of snake.

"Haahh~" Inhaling and exhaling fresh air, Leo smiled happily.

'Weird, this is the first time I wake up with no limbs of Po staying atop of me.' Suddenly, Leo felt odd and turned his head towards the place where Po is supposed to be.

"Woah! Po! What happened to you?"

In front of him, Po has red eyes with an unkept fur, looking at him with an unknown glint in his eyes before smiling when Leo notices him.

"H-Hey Leo, I'm fine. I was just....too hungry last night." Po lied through his teeth, scratching the back of his head.

'Lying.' Leo whispered to himself, already knowing that Po was lying. After all, the Po he knows would sneak to the kitchen even in the middle of the night if he's truly hungry.

"Well, since you're hungry, come with me to the kitchen. We'll be cooking your family specialty for breakfast." Although he caught on Po lying, he felt like there was no harm to it, so he ignored his current state and got up from the bed.

"O-Okay." Po stuttered before also standing up.

***

Cooking noodles in the kitchen with Po made Leo's life much easier, maybe because of the fact that Po is much more experienced than him in the kitchen, especially since they're cooking noodles.

In just 5 minutes, they managed to cook large enough noodles to feed the Furious Five, Po and Leo himself.

"Bon Appetit." Leo made a kissing gesture on his fingers as Monkey sat down on his chair first.

"Noodles again? Nice!" Monkey rubbed his hands together and inhaled the aroma of the bowl of noodles in front of him.

"It smells even better than the previous one!" Monkey exclaimed, making the other Furious Five lick their lips out of instinct.

"It's to be expected. After all, the panda right next to me is the son of the one who taught me how to cook these noodles." Leo grinned and grabbed both of Po's shoulders before pushing him forward, proudly presenting him to the Furious Five as if he was some kind of trophy.

"L-Leo!" Po embarrassingly placed his bowl down as he was busy slurping his noodles and softly glared at Leo before nervously chuckling as he noticed that everyone's eyes were on him.

"H-Hi there." Po waved his hand with slight distress. Although this is not the first time he's facing, talking, and meeting his idols eye to eye, but it still makes him so nervous.

"...."

For a few seconds, there was silence, making it very awkward for Po who wanted to bury himself to the ground before the Furious Five suddenly started laughing out loud, only Tigress showing a modest laugh instead of a full-blown.

"HaHaHaHa! Y-You h-have HaHa something on your...." Monkey tried his best to hold his laugh so he could explain why they're laughing, however whatever they're laughing at seems to be so funny that they can't stop.

"W-What?" Seeing that Monkey tried to point something at him, only then did Po noticed that there's a noodle lying on between his nose and lips, giving him a mustache made of a single strand of noodle.

"Here, take this." Behind him, Leo grabbed toe empty bowls and gave them to Po, who looked at it confusingly.

"Ears." Leo smirked and gave a hint.

"Huh? Ohhh...." Po then realized what Leo meant and without disappointing him, Po placed the two empty bowls behind his ears, making him look like Master Shifu.

"Po! Lose that belly fat and start working out!"

"HaHaHaHa!" Watching as Po was imitating everything about Master Shifu, Monkey can't help but slam his palm on the table, causing the bowls and forks to rattle.

Meanwhile, on the side, Leo was also holding his laugh.

No, he's not laughing because of Po imitating Master Shifu, he's laughing at what's about to come.

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[Next Chapter: Ch. 33 - The Great Pretender trains as the Dragon Warrior]