The Ticking Contingent: The Countdown vo.2

A new legacy

"Pick a new Dragon Warrior?!" Li exclaimed in shock. "Why?! You're doing just fine!"

"One act of tardiness shouldn't diminish your title, Master Po," Master Storming Ox seconded.

"And you love being Dragon Warrior!" Monkey chimed. "Childhood dream fulfilled, you know?"

"I know, I know, and totally is," Po replied, trying to keep the confused expressions reigned in. "It's not any of that. When I was opening the door to meet you guys," He gestured to the Master's Counsel before readdressing the entire group,"I had a really weird vision. I didn't quite know what was going on, but I was losing chi, and I was tired, and there were petals everywhere....it was kind of like being back in the spirit realm, just with no Kai or Oogway...."

"And...?" Tigress prompted.

"And the Dragon chi I used to kick Kai's butt went flying everywhere and over to some shadow...I don't know who. Didn't catch the face. Or a name.... Or species...."

The group was now standing and staring in surprise. Po didn't get visions despite having spent a good amount of time in the spirit realm and even getting confirmation from Oogway. Sometimes he thought he did, but it turned out that they were just dreams of being back there in his super cool spirit realm ensemble. Shifu used to get visions, but since Po's defeat of Kai and Shifu's retirement from kung fu, the universe messages started getting intercepted by Li Shan, though not very often and usually they were just encouraging messages for days when Po felt a little overwhelmed with being the new grandmaster and kung fu teacher.

Yet here was Po with his first official vision. It was a bit strange, but definitely appropriate considering his position now. It was just a surprise it took this long for him to have one.

Master Shifu, who had come up for his usual monthly visit, stood off to the side staring at Po for a bit, lost in thought. He was quiet while Po was interrogated about who he thought would be the next Dragon Warrior.

"Hey, maybe it'll be one of us this time," Mantis suggested a little hopefully.

"I don't think I get to really pick," Po pointed out. "Everyone expected you guys to get the Dragon Scroll the first time. Even I was! That's why I was desperate to get into the arena when I got up the stairs so late. But then Oogway picked me, and...well, here we are."

"He has a point," Tigress seconded, as Mantis sighed a little disappointedly. "This new Dragon Warrior could be someone completely random. Maybe even one of the villagers."

"What I don't understand is why now?" Viper noted with a look of confusion. "You haven't been Dragon Warrior that long. That ceremony wasn't even ten years ago!"

Po was just as baffled, but he had finally recovered from flopping to the ground during his vision attack and got to his feet to properly address everyone. He told the group he wanted to keep this quiet until he had more details on what to do next, only for Shifu to finally mutter from the side, "That's what he meant."

Everyone turned to look at him. "What who meant?" Po asked.

"Master Oogway," Shifu replied, still a bit lost in thought. "He used to get visions about the Dragon Warrior, but he only told me bit and pieces though. I don't know if he ever...." Shifu trailed off, but then after a second looked up at the restored Sacred Hall of Warriors and dashed right up the stairs.

"Shifu?!" Master Croc called out, but he got no answer. The masters, and Li, all quickly followed after him hoping to get some kind of answer about what was going on, and soon arrived at the top of the stairs and found Shifu rummaging around the moon pool, the one thing that hadn't gotten damaged during Kai's attack on the valley just a few years earlier.