*Once again, thanks to everyone who's been reading and reviewing the story so far! Hope you enjoy Chapter 5, which is currently the longest chapter so far.
When Lucario reentered the Training Hall, the Furious Five were busy practicing their own respective skills. Crane and Tigress sparred with one other atop the Jade Tortoise of Wisdom, Monkey hopped from one Seven-Talon Ring to another using his tail, Mantis expertly dashed through the Gauntlet of Wooden Warriors, and Viper, last, but not least, slithered along the Field of Fiery Death without much difficulty.
Their performance, while somewhat inferior to his own abilities, was undoubtedly impressive. It showed that all five of them were, in fact, masters of kung fu.
Shifu took notice of the Aura Pokémon as he walked in. He noticed that his general demeanor was more relaxed than before.
"I assume that your talk with Master Oogway went well?"
Lucario regarded the red panda with a small, yet nonetheless genuine grin.
"Yes. He helped me acknowledge the more... positive aspects of my arrival here." He replied. "And that I should let go of what happened in the past... for the sake of forging a better future in this world, more or less."
Shifu nodded in understanding. Part of him knew that Oogway said more than just that, but he didn't make a big deal out of it. The tortoise had always been secretive about many subjects, particularly his own past.
"Good to know. Hopefully that advice is enough to put your mind and heart at ease, Lucario. Believe me, I do sympathize with what you've had to go through. I probably would have had the same reaction if I were in your shoes..."
"I appreciate that, Master Shifu, but I'd still like to apologize for my prior callousness. That wasn't fair to Tigress and the others."
"Well, then don't tell me. Tell them yourself."
The red panda snapped his fingers, signaling for the Five to stop their training and line up in front of them. They all looked upon Lucario with concern.
The Fighting/Steel-type closed his eyes and signed in response.
"I'm sorry for brushing you off earlier, everyone. I know that you were just trying to help me."
Tigress shook her head. "You have no need to apologize. You were resurrected in a world that, I assume, is far different from yours, Lucario. I can understand how much pain and confusion you must be going through..."
She then narrowed her eyes and fiercely glared at him.
"But that doesn't mean you have to go through it alone! You can belong here, at the Jade Palace, and protect everyone living in the Valley of Peace, just like you did at the Bao Gu Orphanage and the tree you mentioned sacrificing yourself to protect."
Lucario slightly recoiled at her reference to the past.
"We've all seen you fight, Lucario. You can use your abilities to help us and other people. Whether you become the Dragon Warrior or not, I know, for a fact, that you're a person that all of China can rely on." Tigress assured him in an almost pleading tone. "Your story doesn't have to end with what happened in the past. I mean, just look at me, for example. I used to be an orphan that no one wanted, yet... here I am now. I'm Master Tigress of the Furious Five and I'm proud of the person I am today."
Tigress pointed at him with her lips twitched into that of a small smirk.
"You just need to feel the same way about yourself, Lucario."
The South China tiger's words were a direct mirror of what Oogway said to him mere moments ago. He had a chance to choose how his life would progress from now on. He didn't need to be shackled by memories of Sir Aaron and his noble sacrifice.
In a way, it made Lucario feel more at peace than ever before.
"I'll try my best to do that, Tigress. I'd be happy to stay at the Jade Palace if you'll have me."
Viper slithered up to him and beamed. "Oh, of course! A heroic Pokémon like you will feel right at home here!"
Lucario chuckled. "I wouldn't consider myself heroic per say, but thank you, Viper."
"You sacrificed yourself to save a giant tree from dying, Lucario. If you're not a hero after doing that, then who is?" Monkey remarked in disbelief.
"Speaking of which, what does Pokémon even mean? Is it short for something?" asked Mantis.
"Actually, yes. It stands for "Pocket Monsters" since at one point, back in my world, Pokémon were captured and contained in technological devices called Poké Balls." Lucario explained. "These balls were then placed inside a person's pocket, hence the name."
Shifu and the Furious Five looked unnerved by this answer. They awkwardly looked at each other in equal amounts of discomfort.
"That's both... disturbing and scary." Crane muttered. As a bird, being trapped in some random ball sounded like a death sentence.
Tigress scoffed. "Not only that. It sounds completely barbaric! Were you trapped in one of these balls too?"
Lucario frowned. He vividly remembered what it was like being sealed inside Sir Aaron's staff for hundreds of years. Even now, it was still a painful experience he didn't want to live through again.
"No, but... I've been through a similar kind of experience."
Tigress was about to ask him what he meant by that, but Shifa cut her off at the last second. This time, he looked just about ready to leave the Training Hall himself.
"Well, ridiculous pieces of technology aside, I believe it's time for the Dragon Warrior Tournament to begin." He went to a nearby table and picked up some pieces of paper. They were fliers made to advertise the Dragon Warrior's emergence. "Crane, pass out these posters. We need everyone in the village to attend this ceremony pronto.
The black-necked crane groaned. After that last session of training, the last thing he wanted to do was fly all over the place.
"Do I have to?"
"Yes. Now, hurry up and get going." Shifu repeated.
Crane dramatically sighed and grabbed the fliers using one leg.
"See you guys at the ceremony then."
With that, he exited the Training Hall, outstretched his wings, and took flight. Multiple pieces of paper could be seen falling down to the ground as he parted.
"And what should we do, Master?" Tigress asked.
"We'll be heading back to the Palace Arena, of course. Lucario's going to need to introduce himself in a big way during the tournament." Shifu curtly replied. He then smirked at his remaining students. "Perhaps having him spar with more of you should suffice."
Monkey, Viper, and Mantis froze. They looked at themselves in uncertainty, but didn't dare talk back to their master.
"Don't look at me." The green insect muttered under his breath.
Afterwards, everyone followed Shifu to the Palace Arena. It was now time to see which one of them would become the Dragon Warrior based on Master Oogway's decision.
It was this single choice that would determine the future paths that Lucario, kung fu, and China itself would take.
About an hour or so later...
Once Crane endured the overlong process of passing out fliers, the Dragon Warrior Tournament was now fully underway. Hundreds of citizens headed for the Jade Palace, launching firecrackers, puppeteering dragon-shaped sculptures, and throwing pieces of confetti in celebration of this historic event.
Kids even joyfully ran around the area in excitement for the once-in-a-lifetime performance they were about to witness.
"I'm a kung fu warrior!"
"Me too!"
Anyone ranging from ducks, geese, pigs, and rabbits came to see who would become the legendary Dragon Warrior. A certain panda, however, would have a tougher time attending this ceremony than others.
Po was stuck with dragging a small noodle cart all the way up the stairs. He tried to make his dad happy and continue fulfilling such an arduous task, but gave up once he realized how long it would take.
"No! Oh no!" He whimpered in dismay.
Two pigs then ran past the panda and looked at him sympathetically.
"Sorry, Po."
"We'll bring you back a souvenir."
Once they left, Po narrowed his eyes and gained a newfound sense of determination. His love of kung fu was far more important than serving some noodles.
"No. I'll bring me back a souvenir."
Taking off his noodle hat and apron, Po ran up the steps at a much faster pace than before. He just hoped that he wouldn't be too late.
Meanwhile, the Jade Palace's servants were busy setting up opponents and obstacles for the Furious Five to fight against. One such opponent was a wooden contraption that held battleaxes in each of its four arms.
Overseeing the Palace Arena were Shifu and Master Oogway. The Galapagos tortoise calmly walked down the stairs, accompanied by two rows of geese that bowed down to him as a sign of respect.
"It is a historic day, isn't it, Master Oogway?"
"Yes... and one I feared I would not live to see." He replied. "How is Lucario doing? Has my conversation with him put his mind at ease?"
"I believe so. He has been a bit more... accepting of his situation since then. Although, I still don't think he has much interest in becoming the Dragon Warrior..."
Oogway gave him a funny look and smiled. "It does not matter. I have already told him that he can choose whatever path he wishes to take in life. After all, even those who aren't chosen to be the Dragon Warrior can still accomplish extraordinary feats. Look at me, for example."
"That is indeed true, Master Oogway. One of my students should more than suffice as the Dragon Warrior as well. They're all ready for whatever choice you end up deciding upon."
"But know this, old friend, whomever I choose will not only bring peace to the Valley, but also to you."
He then walked past him, leaving Shifu to think over Oogway's vague, ambiguous statement. The red panda raised an eyebrow before shaking his head and heading over to the tournament stage himself.
With the Palace Arena's stands filled to their maximum capacity, a pig wearing golden robes rang a gong and shouted, "Let the tournament begin!"
Outside, Po managed to slowly, but surely make it to the top of the stairs. The doors were about to close right as he made it, however, much to his shock.
"Oh no! No, no, wait! I'm coming! Wait, wait, you guys!" They then abruptly shut and smacked him in the face. "Oww!"
He plopped onto the door in pain, but managed to shrug it and start knocking on the doors, hoping that someone would hear him.
"Hey! Open the door! Let me in!"
His pleas fell on deaf ears. Desperate to see what was going on, he ran up to a nearby window and looked through it.
While multiple pigs banged on their drums, Master Shifu took it upon himself to verbally announce the Dragon Warrior Tournament's festivities.
"Citizens of the Valley of Peace, it is my great honor to present to you... Tigress, Viper, Crane, Monkey, Mantis... the Furious Five!"
"Ahaha!" Po squealed in childlike excitement.
From directly above the arena, all five masters flipped around in midair and showed off their respective fighting styles. They then landed in sync with each other and posed as one single group. The crowd, as expected, broke out into loud, uproarious cheers of admiration.
Crane placed himself in the center, shooting out a gust of wind that covered up the window Po was looking through.
"It's the Furious Five! Doh!"
As a result, Po was sent crashing into the ground from an uncomfortable angle.
"And I'd also like to introduce a new student of the Jade Palace."
"Wait, what? New student?" The panda gasped. He peeked one of his green eyes through a hole in the door. "Who is it? I need to know!"
"His past and power are shrouded in mystery. He is known simply as the Aura Guardian..."
Shifu silently nodded his head, signaling for Lucario to enter the arena. From somewhere behind him, the Aura Pokémon somersaulted into the air and used Extreme Speed to transport himself in front of the Furious Five.
He lifted up one of his knees and stood in a similar combat stance to the others. Particles of Aura could be seen emerging from Lucario's paws, bringing a great sense of intrigue to everyone in attendance.
"...Lucario!"
Po widened his eyes in recognition. "That's the guy who I saw with Master Tigress! He still looks friggin' awesome! Aha!"
"Whoa! Look at that guy!" A middle-aged pig shouted while blocking Po's view.
"Hey! Get out of the way!"
With no other way to see what was going on, the panda started to think of a way to sneak into the arena. He tried everything from punching the door, using a bamboo stick to fling himself across the wall, and sling-shotting himself in the air using a tree. Each option, sadly, resulted in a minor bruise, injury, or worse.
Lucario, of course, had no idea the panda was going through any of this. The Dragon Warrior Tournament still continued to progress as usual.
"Now, warriors prepare! Lucario shall face both Crane and Monkey in combat!" Shifu announced. "Ready for battle? Good! Let's get started!"
Each fighter got into position and circled around Lucario's place in the arena. Tigress, Viper, and Mantis, on the other hand, stood on the sidelines as temporary spectators.
Two at once, hm? This should be interesting.
"Go easy on us, alright? This is just a simple little exhibition match." Monkey whispered with a single hand pressed up against his mouth.
Lucario smirked in the midst of focusing his Aura.
"No promises, Monkey."
Crane then ascended into the air and spun his body around like a living drill. The bird picked up more and more speed as he prepared to crash headfirst into Lucario.
"Hyah!"
Anticipating this attack, Sir Aaron's apprentice used Detect to evade Crane at the last second. Monkey picked up the pace by bouncing off of his tail like a spring and attempting to kick Lucario in the face.
He ducked underneath this kick and blocked a subsequent swipe from Crane's mere seconds later. The three of them then exchanged a rapid flurry of blows, consisting of multiple kicks, punches, and any other blow they could possibly land.
This exchange was interrupted by Crane attempting to use his beak like a knife. Lucario bobbed his head from side to side to dodge each subsequent pierce until, finally, he found an opening. Transferring Aura into his left paw, the Pokémon smacked him in the face with a swift jab.
"Gah!"
Fresh spit flew out of Crane's mouth as he haphazardly bounced against the ground like a pebble in water. He attempted to retaliate with a powerful flap of his wings, but Lucario was just too fast. He sprinted up to the bird and, after activating Bone Rush, smacked him back down to the ground with a brutal, finishing blow.
Crane squawked out a single, strained cry of defeat before crawling back over to Tigress, Mantis, and Viper. Thankfully, he managed to give Lucario an 'ok' sign with his wing to assure him that everything was aright between them.
"That's one down then." Lucario whispered.
He quickly spun his bone around and brandished it in front of Monkey. The simian master didn't look nervous at all, though. He simply smirked and had one of the servants give him his own wooden staff. As a master of Monkey Style Kung Fu, it was essentially his trademark weapon.
"I think this should even the playing field a bit."
"Agreed."
The two combatants flipped from one part of the arena to the next, hitting bone against staff at a quick, yet even pace. Monkey even managed to wrap his tail around the staff and attack Lucario that way a few times.
It was an unusual way to fight, but it proved quite effective, regardless. Monkey proved to be much faster and more unpredictable than Crane was, at least.
His conservation of energy, however, was another story. Lucario could tell that each progressive swing of his staff was rather exhausting for Monkey. It would only be a matter of time until he wouldn't be able to keep up with the Pokémon's superior speed and stamina.
With keen focus, Lucario swiped at Monkey's legs to throw off his balance. This surprise turn of events gave him the opportunity to snap his staff in half with Bone Rush. He then jabbed the energy-based bone against Monkey's stomach and uppercut him across the chin.
The kung fu master had to erratically side-flip in order to prevent himself from falling flat on his back. Luckily, he managed to land on one foot instead.
"And that's two."
Seeing Lucario defeat two kung fu masters singlehandedly, everyone in the crowd went nuts and cheered him on. He really wasn't used to getting this much attention, so the Fighting/Steel-type shyly nodded his head and rejoined the others.
"Maybe I should have held back a little..."
Crane used one of his wings to pat him on the back. "Nah, don't worry about it. I appreciate you for going all out against me, even if it does hurt... a lot."
Monkey nodded his head. "Yeah, tell me about it. That Bone Rush technique is no joke."
"I'm just glad I didn't have to fight him. Ehehe." Mantis laughed in a nervous tone. The others rolled their eyes and waited for Shifu to continue his commentary.
The red panda in question was impressed by Lucario's skill in combat. He could tell that Lucario had prior experience with fighting multiple opponents at once. Maybe this had something to do with protecting that so-called tree.
"As you can see, Lucario is not someone to be messed with. None of the Furious Five are, in fact! That especially applies to our very own, Master Tigress!" He shouted. "Believe me, citizens, you haven't seen anything yet!"
Tigress walked into the arena while glancing back at Lucario. "Wish me luck."
"Good luck."
This moment caused Viper to look at Lucario with a mischievous, almost cheeky grin on her face. He quirked a brow in confusion.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Oh, nothing. Nothing at all." She assured him in a playfully innocent tone.
Lucario was about to question her further until he sensed a large energy coming from outside the palace entrance. It was the same one that panda, Po, had earlier.
I was wondering why I hadn't seen him or his father in the crowd.
He then squinted his eyes and attempted to see if he could spot the panda's current location. While he did this, Tigress made preparations to battle the multi-armed wooden contraption from before. It hadn't shown up until this very moment.
"Master Tigress faces Iron Ox and his Blades of Death!" Shifu announced.
It was there that Lucario, to his surprise, saw Po be flung in the air using a nearby tree. The panda had a crazed smile on his face as he watched Tigress begin her match.
"Hahaha!" He laughed before bouncing off the roof and crashing into the ground. "Owhowho!"
No one else in attendance noticed Po, so Lucario decided to take actions into his own hands. He pinched the bridge of his nose and used Extreme Speed to jump outside the front doors. It was better than watching the poor panda embarrass himself from afar.
Viper tilted her to the side once she noticed that the Pokémon was gone. "Lucario?"
Right as Tigress was about to finish Iron Ox off, Oogway raised up one of his hands. The entire crowd went silent and gazed at the wise old tortoise in growing awe.
"I sense the Dragon Warrior is among us..."
Shifu nodded his head and motioned for the Furious Five to stand side by side in the Palace Arena's center. They all collectively stood up straight, but Tigress broke her stance once she noticed that Lucario was missing.
"Citizens of the Valley of Peace, Master Oogway shall now choose the Dragon Warrior!"
Tigress nudged Crane in the shoulder. "But where's Lucario? Have you seen him?"
"I don't know. He just went... poof somehow!"
"Last time I checked, he was standing next to me. I think something outside the arena was bothering him for some reason." Viper whispered.
"Ergh. Well, that idiot better get back here soon then."
Lucario materialized himself in front of Po. He was laid collapsed on a pile of fireworks and other related accessories.
"Ugh..."
The Pokémon frowned. If all pandas were like this, he'd a hard time believing that Oogway's story even happened. Then again, there was no denying that Po's Aura, or chi, was quite large in size, especially for someone with no combat experience whatsoever.
"Do you need some help there?"
"Wait, what? Huh?" Po looked from side to side until he saw Lucario standing in front of him. "Oh, oh! You're that one Aura Guardian guy! Awesomeness! H-How did you get... uh... here, though?"
"I was simply fast enough to go outside without anyone noticing." Lucario briefly explained. "But never mind that. You want to see who the Dragon Warrior will be, right?"
"Yes! 100 times YES! Can you let me inside? Please? I'll do anything just to see the Five up close. They're... erm... kinda like my heroes. Hehe."
Knowing that Oogway would be announcing the Dragon Warrior any moment now, Lucario narrowed his eyes and looked from Po to the front entrance.
"Considering that the ceremony is already in progress, the best I can do is throw you over there."
The panda gulped. "Excuse me?"
"I have precise control when it comes to my own strength. I should be able to throw you just high enough for you to get in. Is that fine with you?"
"Uh... sure, yeah. I'm cool with that! As long as I get to see the Dragon Warrior, I'm cool with anything." Po nodded. "Just... try not to hurt me too much, okay?"
"Don't worry. I'll make this quick."
Lucario then grabbed ahold of Po's arm and was about to toss him inside. Unfortunately, he was stopped by an angry, panicking Mr. Ping. Seeing the old goose run up to him took him far more by surprise than he expected.
"What in the world are you doing to my son?! Let go of him right now! He has noodles to sell!"
Po widened his eyes and began to panic the same way.
"Go, man! Do it! Throw me already!"
"Are you sure you don't want to explain everything to your... dad first?"
Mr. Ping glared at the two of them and placed both wings on his hips.
"Yes, please explain, Po! I thought you finally had the noodle dream!"
"I lied. I don't dream about noodles, Dad."
Having enough of this conversation, Lucario kneeled close to the ground, charged up his Aura, and threw Po in the air.
"I love kung fuuuuuuuuuu! Awaaah!"
This throw proved to be much more powerful than anticipated. Po practically flew about fifty feet in the air with a streak of blue Aura erupting from his back. This moment caused Lucario to glance over at Mr. Ping in an apologetic manner.
"My apologies. It appears that I didn't hold back enough."
Now concerned for the panda's wellbeing, he used Extreme Speed to head back to the Palace Arena and make sure Po landed safely. Mr. Ping obviously wasn't on the same page.
"PO?! Come back!"
Back in the arena, Oogway had successfully walked over to the Furious Five. Lucario managed to stand beside them in time, much to Tigress's frustration and relief.
"Where in the world were you?!" She quietly growled.
He was surprised to see Tigress act so angry with him, but that wasn't important right now. The Aura Pokémon could sense that Po was going to land near or on them any moment now.
"You'll see soon enough."
"Ahhhhhhhh!"
Everyone, including the crowd, heard screams of sheer terror coming from above them. They saw a streak of blue light burst into the air and slam into the ground. A large explosion of Aura was projected from this abrupt impact and almost knocked the Furious Five off their feet.
When the dust settled, a large panda was revealed to be the cause of this bombastic spectacle. He groaned and struggled to open his eyes.
"Ohh. What's going on?"
Oogway shared a knowing look with Lucario in surprise. Remembering how pandas saved his life so many centuries ago, the tortoise knew that history was coming full circle. This single panda would undoubtedly forge a new, better path for kung fu. He was the Dragon Warrior, whether he already knew it or not.
He silently winked at the Pokémon as a sign of gratitude and pointed at Po's face.
"Where... uh...? What are you pointing at?"
The panda opened his eyes to see Master Oogway standing in front of him. He looked embarrassed and tried to move out of the way.
"O-Oh, okay! Sorry. I just had that Lucario throw me here, so I could see who the Dragon Warrior was."
"How nice of him do that." The tortoise mused.
He continued to point at Po, an action which caused Tigress and the Five an immense amount of confusion.
"Master, are you pointing at me?" She asked while placing a single hand on her chest. "Or if not, maybe Lucario?"
"No, him."
"Who?"
Po tried to move out of the way, but no matter what he did, Oogway kept pointing at him. The Galapagos tortoise smiled at his seemingly humble nature.
"You."
"Me?!"
Oogway lifted up one of Po's arms with his staff and shouted, "The universe has brought us the Dragon Warrior!"
This caused Po, the Furious Five, Master Shifu, and Mr. Ping to all share the same reaction. The latter had managed to walk through the entrance.
"What?!"
"WHAT?!"
"WHAT?!"
"What?!"
"This is not going to end well..." Lucario whispered to himself. He understood that Oogway meant well with his decision, but Shifu and the Five still wouldn't be pleased one bit.
With the single ring of a gong, the audience cheered and a few servants brought over a royal cot for Po to sit in. The panda couldn't believe any of this was actually happening and had a look of pure confusion the whole time.
"Stop, wait! Who told you to—"
As the geese struggled to carry Po over to the Jade Palace, Master Shifu hurriedly ran over to his master in great distress.
"Master Oogway, wait! That flabby panda can't possibly be the answer to our problem! You were about to point at Tigress and... that thing fell in front of her! That was just an accident!"
"There are no accidents. Just ask Lucario. He was the one who so generously chose to toss him in the arena."
As they spoke, Po's butt broke through his seat and the geese servants could no longer carry him. Shifu gestured to this moment with a look annoyance, but Oogway simply glanced at him with a confident smile before walking away.
A few pig servants then came to the geese's aid and helped carry Po successfully. Shifu was left to stand there in silence, looking completely dumbfounded by everything that just transpired. He would have had a complete mental breakdown if not for Tigress and the others coming forth to interrupt him.
"Forgive us, Master. We have failed you." Tigress apologized. Her, Monkey, Viper, Crane, and Mantis collectively bowed before him in sadness.
"No. If the panda has not quit by morning, then I will have failed you." He proclaimed. The red panda then narrowed his eyes and glared over at Lucario.
"Have anything to say for yourself?"
"There's nothing to say. I noticed that the panda had a large amount of chi inside his body and decided to bring him into the arena." Lucario explained. "From my perspective, all of you are judging him a bit too harshly."
Shifu snorted. "Large amount of chi? Ha! You must be joking. The only large thing in his body is the food still being kept in there."
The Aura Pokémon did not find this joke amusing at all.
"I'm an Aura Guardian, Shifu. I can sense a person's energy more than anyone here. I know what I saw." Lucario grunted in a serious tone. "So, if you do intend to drive off Oogway's pick for the Dragon Warrior because of your own prejudices, I don't want any part of it."
Before he could walk over to the Training Hall, Tigress grabbed his shoulder.
"Even if... this panda does have a ton of chi like you say, he still has absolutely no talent when it comes to kung fu or combat in general. How is he a good fit for the Dragon Warrior in any way, shape, or form?"
Lucario glanced at her. "Then it's Master Shifu's responsibility to teach him. Like you said before, you started out as an orphan who no one wanted. Who's to say this fat panda can't change the same way?"
The South China tiger was taken aback by this retort. She looked down at the floor and tried to think of something else to say, but couldn't.
"I... guess you're right."
She balled her fists, struggling to contain her anger and disappointment. Lucario sighed and addressed Master Shifu once again.
"Give Po a chance to prove he's worthy of being the Dragon Warrior, at least. I'm sure Oogway would say the same if you asked him."
He then left for the Training Hall. Shortly after that, Master Shifu had the Furious Five go after him while he talked with Po directly.
The red panda, although furious, gave Lucario's perspective some consideration. It was difficult to think that Po could ever defeat Tai Lung, but at this point, maybe they had no other choice.
Hopefully, for my and everyone else's sakes, Master Oogway was wrong about him escaping prison so soon...
Somewhere close to Chorh-Gom Prison...
Zoroark took a short break to survey her surrounding area. She had been hopping from mountaintop to mountaintop for what seemed like hours, yet no form of civilization had been found. Whatever this place was, it might as well have been a barren wasteland.
She growled in frustration and dug her claws into a nearby mountain's peak.
"There has to be more to this place than just snowy mountains!"
Closing her eyes from exhaustion, she suddenly heard the flapping of an animal's wings. The Illusion Fox Pokémon saw a black goose wearing a golden shirt and hat. He looked completely exhausted, as if they had been flying from one place to another for hours on end.
Noticing that a scroll was held in his feet, Zoroark knew exactly what she needed to do. It was something she has always done to gather intel during the war.
The Dark-type bounded off the mountain and streaked through the air like a missile. She landed directly on top of the goose and smacked him toward the nearest mountain. The messenger plopped against the snow with a look of pure terror on his face.
"P-Please don't hurt me! I'm just a messenger from the Jade Palace!"
Zoroark picked him up by his neck and narrowed her eyes into slits.
"Identify yourself."
"I-It's Zeng, Ma'am! As I told you, I'm just a messenger heading to Chorh-Gom Prison!"
She snatched Shifu's scroll and read through it. To her annoyance, it was written in a language she had no idea how to speak or read.
"Can you translate this for me, Zeng?"
"It... erm... mainly says to double the guard and take extra precautions, so Tai Lung will be kept imprisoned. Master Shifu is very worried about him escaping, you see. Hehe."
Zoroark grimaced. Tai Lung, Shifu, and Zeng were all names she was completely unfamiliar with. This must have meant that annoying void sent her to an alternate world somehow. She wasn't sure how it happened, but it did.
This strange-looking bird was proof enough of that fact. He looked similar, yet different to certain Pokémon she's seen.
"By the way, you wouldn't happen to be related to Lucario, right? He sort of came to the Jade Palace around the same time, so I just wanted to make sure that—"
Zoroark's face contorted into one of hatred and bloodlust. She instinctively tightened her grip on Zeng's, causing him to squawk from pain.
"Did you just say... Lucario?"
"Y-Yes, yes! Shifu's student, Master Tigress, found him and he's been staying in the Valley of Peace ever since. I saw him before I left."
The timing was far too coincidental. It had be the same Lucario from Cameran Palace.
"Tell me where I can find him! NOW!"
"It's hundreds of miles from here! It'll take a few days to get from Mongolia to China on foot." Zeng gasped. He was currently struggling to breath.
"I see..." She then glanced over at the maximum security prison that Zeng was planning to fly to. This brought forth a sinister plan to mind. "Well, if this Tai Lung is an enemy of your boss, then he might be of some use to me."
"W-What do you mean? You're not seriously thinking of—"
"Busting him out of that Chorh-Gom Prison place? Yes, that's exactly what I'm thinking." Zoroark snarled. She then balled one of her hands into a fist. "Then with his help, maybe I can finally get revenge on Lucario for everything he's done to me... and my precious Zorua! He's gotten away with it for far too long!"
Zeng gulped. He didn't like how borderline insane this foxlike creature was starting to act. "But you can't do that! Tai Lung is a kung fu master who will kill anyone in his path! He won't listen to reason!"
The Pokémon assassin grew tired of the goose's incessant whining. She continued to squeeze his neck and hold him high up in the air.
"Sorry, but I don't listen to someone who works for the allies of my enemy."
"N-No! PLEASE DON'T—"
Without an ounce of remorse, Zoroark snapped Zeng's neck in her hands and slammed his limp body into the ground. The poor messenger didn't even have a chance of survival.
She then stood up straight and took advantage of her Illusion ability. This allowed her to identically copy Zeng's likeness and body type, even after his recent death.
"Now, all I need to do is infiltrate that prison and ally myself with whoever that Tai Lung person is." She sneered. "After that, Lucario will lie dead beneath my feet and... our war can finally come to an end."
The Dark-type Pokémon, now in the form of a goose, used her new wings to fly over to Chorh-Gom Prison. Thanks to her esteemed mastery of illusion, no one would ever suspect her true identity and powerset.
As she parted from her prior location, Zeng's corpse was buried underneath the snow, never to be found by Master Shifu or his fellow Jade Palace servants.
*And that's the end of Chapter 5! I decided to change a few things from canon this time around, including Lucario being the one who tosses Po into the Palace Arena, Zoroark killing Zeng and replacing him as the messenger reporting to Commander Vachir, Zoroark helping Tai Lung escape from prison, etc. This obviously got a lot darker than usual, but I thought it was necessary to make Zoroark an intimidating antagonist. While she was an assassin for the Red Army during the war in Rota, she will be written as a somewhat sympathetic character with a genuine love and attachment for her adoptive son, Zorua. I'll expand upon her backstory a bit more in later chapters.
I also hope you liked how I wrote Lucario and Po's interactions. Since he knows about pandas and their ability to use chi, Lucario won't be as dismissive towards him as Shifu or the others. This will set up a bond between the two that will be an important aspect of future story arcs. You could almost view Po and Lucario's dynamic as being similar to Goku and Vegeta or Piccolo and Goku from Dragon Ball/Dragon Ball Z. They're opposites in terms of personality, yet form a genuine friendship, regardless.