The Tales of the Dragon Warrior

Oogway Ascends and Things that Need to be Said

"-where to plant the seed!", Shifu exclaimed, throwing the seed into the hole. He looked at Oogway desperately.

"That is no illusion, Master!", Shifu argued. Oogway kept smiling serenely.

"Ah, yes. But no matter what you do, that seed will grow to be a peach tree. You may wish for an apple, or an orange... but you will get a peach.", Oogway argued. Shifu stared at him pleadingly.

"But a peach cannot defeat Tai-lung!", Shifu screamed, completely frustrated with the symbolic philosophical debate he and Master Oogway were having. Oogway just kept smiling at him, completely calm throughout all of Shifu's angry rebuttals.

"Oh, but it can. If you are willing to guide it, to nurture it.", Oogway said as he walked over to the peach seed and kneeled down to cover it with dirt. Shifu watched this process carefully, trying to find some sort of hidden wisdom in the gesture.

"With time, that peach will grow into a mighty tree, that will tower over all others in the forest. All you have to do is believe in it.", Oogway told him, glancing up at his student. Shifu thought about his words, trying to find hope that his master was right. But in the end, he was still left with questions.

"But how? How? I need your help, Master.", Shifu pleaded, at a loss for what to do. Oogway stood up and shook his head, before looking his student in the eyes, his expression as imploring as Shifu had ever seen it.

"No, you just need to believe. Promise me, Shifu. Promise me you will believe.", Oogway pleaded. Shifu stood frozen for a while, before managing to give a hesitant answer.

"I... I will try, Master.", the shorter man agreed. Oogway nodded at him, looked up to the sky and smiled. The air around them seemed to change.

"Good.", the turtle-like man said. The wind picked up, and Oogway sighed contently.

"My time has come.", Oogway said. Shifu was confused about what he meant. Oogway turned around and held out his wooden staff to Shifu.

"You must continue your journey without me.", he told the shorter man. Shifu, still confused, reluctantly took the staff.

"What... what are you... ?", Shifu asked, unable to process what was going on. Oogway started walking down the ledge into a whirlwind of peach blossoms. Shifu seemed to realize what was going on, at least on some level, and rushed to try and reach his master.

"Master, you can't leave me!", Shifu begged. Without Oogway, the only people left to defend the Jade Palace would be just him and Jade. They would be sitting ducks without Oogway's strength and guidance. Oogway turned to look at him one final time and bowed.

"You must believe.", he said in a ghostly voice. Then he started to disappear in a swirl of peach blossoms. Shifu started to panic even more.

"Master!", he screamed, but it was too late. Oogway was already gone, his body and spirit disappearing with the blossoms on the wind. Shifu stared up at the sky his beloved master had disappeared into, and began to silently weep. He was the last senior master of the Jade Palace.

He was truly alone now.

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Jade woke up the morning after her la chancla idea in an unfamiliar bed, something she had been doing a lot lately. The Five didn't trust her to sleep alone anymore, because she kept wandering off and falling asleep in the worst places when she finally crashed (one time she fell asleep in a broom closet. The servant that found her nearly thought he had stumbled across a dead body). So she took shifts sharing each of their beds with them, which was something she didn't mind. It was basically a nightly ticket for free cuddles and a personal heater. That night's bed had apparently been Laofu's, because she could smell his scent all over the pillow and blankets. Then she realized that she was alone in the bed