tushanshu | 001 [video] console café

[The backdrop? One of the console cafés private rooms, with the door open to show a hall crowded with locals, but this particular room seems empty save a pair of large, rounded ears that are twitching minutely to catch the many sounds going around him. Seconds later, half a head peers into the video and a furry brow furrows.]

This is not anything like what I expected once my time came. There is much and everything is complex and-- No one can see me, can they. [A mutter as one elderly red panda holds onto the edge of the console and tries to look at the camera.

This? Is not working. He abandons that technique and kicks back the chair, performing a perfect flip to land balanced on the crux of his staff, the base of which is resting on the floor. Now centered in the video, he smoothes out his robes and clears his throat.]

I understand this is a realm for those who have completed their journeys. [A pause, a steady breath, and a nod.] I am at peace with this.

[The murmur of crowd in the background surges briefly and an ear flicks in irritation. Shifu decides it is better to finish his message before more people arrive.]

If you can just direct me to Master Oogway, I... [A pause as he glances around, borderline frazzled by all the people here.] -ah, I will confer with him and resume my meditations.

[A marginally graceful nod to the camera, then he descends the staff onto the console, searching for the command to kill the feed.]

There are many, many more people than I expected to have achieved the inner peace necessary to attain this state.

[It's one more perplexed mutter before he finds the command and ends it.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[This one comes a bit later. For one thing, Damian was out and about. For another... he wasn't sure how to respond immediately.

But, eventually, he does.]

I strongly suspect that not all here are dead. As others seem to have pointed out already.

[Here, have a locally-clothed, not-quite-eleven-yet-year-old boy. Make what you want of that.]

Did you ask the kedan about Oogway?

No, but then death is not the only end to one journey. [A faint, almost gone chuckle.] It is merely the start of another.

[The hairless apes -- these hoo-mans -- quite obviously breed, for here is a small version of one. Shifu is familiar with children, though more frequently he works with rabbits and swine.

He is also more familiar with children having a less sophisticated grasp of things. A prodigy, perhaps? Shifu takes it in stride -- he has seen (and trained) many prodigies in his time.]

They were not free with their answers. [A pause.] I had not, by their standards, earned them and so I have been meditating on it.

[This? Is an eyeroll. Of a ten year old who just WILL NOT ADMIT TO THE POSSIBILITY THAT HE'S DEAD. Also somebody who's heard that before.

... okay, so he has a complicated relationship with death. Thank you, Grandfather. And Great-Grandfather.]

Very profound. Like a fortune cookie.

[A bit of prodigy, a bit of extensive training, and a lot of arrogance, still, though it's coming down, compared to nearly a year ago. So he takes a measured breath, eyes squinting slightly.]

And has meditation led to enlightening any aspect of... this, yet?

Edited 2012-08-03 05:23 (UTC)

A hungry panda measures his fortune in cookies, but that is a material lifestyle unsuited to Kung Fu. [PO.] True wealth is that of knowledge or serenity.

[And you thought he'd been profound before.]

The answers will come, I have faith in this. [Serene and 100% okay with that, but this is a wry twist:] But Master Oogway ascended before I did. His guidance here would be of immense use.

Cookies are a crappy way to sate your hunger. [Beat.] Or measure your fortune.

[He did not, in fact, think him profound before. But he does note the kung fu part. It informs him of a series of concepts to expect.

... on the other hand, Damian will play the oaf, for the moment. He's just feeling contrary.]

So you're expecting your dead pal to be waiting for you in the supposed place between life and death and dreaming. What if he's moved on?

Master Oogway is not dead. He is one with the universe, ascended to the heavens with his earthly purpose fulfilled. [A simple, sharp clarification.]

This is the higher plane he ascended and so he will be here. Where could he go but here?

... why would this be the highest plane? Or even a high plane? Or even in any way part of the heavens?

[look, the questions make sense to him...]

[An ear twitches as he considers this, and the fact that the boy is merely asking questions without earning the answers. It is time, perhaps, to test his resolve for learning.]

Perhaps if you identified why you think this cannot be, you would become closer to understanding why it is.

[rolls his eyes.]

Because I would have no business in any such place.

[See, to him, it's simple. Even if for some reason he is dead - which he adamantly doubts - he wouldn't end up in any variety of heaven. Or higher plains of consciousness. He's pretty certain he's steadily headed in the opposite direction, if there is an afterlife.]

You assume your knowledge to be above the timeless wisdom of the universe?

[Eyebrow. Up.]

Where we go is a measure of our actions, but one who seeks ascension for greed will fail. The same applies to one that evades it, but holds true to the essence of Kung Fu.

I assume I know my thoughts and actions.

[He's not going to say more over an open channel. In fact, he's clamming up on the subject just about now. Those who understand will draw their conclusions anyway, he supposes.

Offense time? Oh hell yeah.]

So I have good reasons to think as I do. You have not mentioned any to support your theory.

You may have those, but no knowledge of how they will be measured in the eyes of the universe. That we can only know when we have achieved inner peace and it has granted us our next step.

[He's holding to the idea that Damian really should let the universe decide for him whether he ascends or not.]

I, however, have seen my own master ascend and have meditated long on the meaning of existence. That is how I know where it is we are, and where it is we are not.

Clue: your master doesn't seem to be here. That's a hint that maybe you've got something wrong, isn't it.

[Ability to be nice? Mostly removed.]

And one does not ascend through destruction. And I'm not dead. So there.

Only the undisciplined would assume that a decision to not show himself is synonymous with absence. Master Oogway will appear when the time is right.

[Ability to be phased by this: Reduced.]

Ah, yes. Death is not the only way. One that dreams is, in a sense, meditating. This must be what you have done.

Only the naive will keep insisting that what they want to believe is reality.

>Tt.< Best case scenario.

Yes, this insisting is exactly what you are doing.

[A slight smug shift. As Po would say, that is a "zing!"]

Or is it.

[Not quite a question.]

[His mouth flattens into a line, the same as his ears do, at this persistence.]

Yes. [A pause, now it's a frown.] Yes, that is exactly what you keep doing!

[Eyebrow arched. VERY aristocratically.]

Great demonstration of mental flexibility, there. Hope your kung fu helps with that.

[Is he mocking Shifu? Yes, yes he is. Right now, he thinks it appropriate, even if unnecessary. (But he really has little intention of backing off the argument without proof that he can accept...)]

[His ears continue to twitch as he gives the video a flat look.

Inner peace. Inner peace. Inner. Peace.]

Once you have mastered Kung Fu in the way I have, you will come to realise the truth within this argument. Until then, I suggest you meditate upon it.

[He tips his head towards Damian and then, yup, hangs up on him.]

001 [video] console café

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