Here it is: the finale of Shen vs. Kai: When Evil Collides! It's the first fic I've managed to complete since the advent of getting a job slowed me down significantly, even after partnering up with my good buddy Mind Jack now. So this is a pretty momentous occasion for the both of us. Hopefully for you guys as well.

Now buckle down because it's time to end this thing!

Chapter 26: A New Path Opens

The next thing they knew, they were on a boat.

They weren't really sure how they got there, but a few seconds into following after Oogway, just as Kai was about to predictably complain about the tortoise's speed, there was a flash of golden light and now they were seated in a wooden boat barely big enough to fit them both. It sat in the middle of a shimmering lake, floating towards a small island occupied by a single tree. It looked absolutely nothing like the area they had just been. Was this Oogway's home here? Certainly seemed dull enough.

The old master himself sat at the front of the boat, showing no reaction at all to the sudden change of scenery. He stared off at nothing in particular, then turned around to face them. "Comfortable?"

"It's a bit cramped actually," said Kai, awkwardly hunched over in the limited space. "Can we dock at that island over there?"

He chuckled. "I see you still desire that which lies beyond your reach."

Kai stared blankly back. "But it's right there."

"So it may seem." Oogway turned away, and suddenly the island was nowhere near them, a mere speck in the distance. "Or perhaps it is much further away than you expected."

Kai crossed his arms and huffed. "Okay, I get that you're making a point, but that was a dick move."

Shen leaned over to the disgruntled yak and whispered. "Was he always like this?"

"Yeah, but back then, it was sort of endearing."

"Thank you," the tortoise said, not even turning back around.

As privacy was evidently not going to happen here, Shen didn't bother to hold back anymore. "Alright then, you dragged us out here to discuss our futures, yes? So get on with it."

Oogway looked at him, his long neck titling curiously. "Is that what this is about? Your future? Your past? Or is it your present? I have a saying about that, you know…"

Kai stood up abruptly, shaking the boat a little. "I do, and I ain't hearing it again! If you're not going to help, then I'm leaving!" He made to step out of the boat, but the second his hoof touched the sparkling water, he fell straight through, as if there were nothing there at all. With a shout of surprise, Kai disappeared beneath the surface.

Shen fell back into the boat, horrified. "Where did he go?!"

"Give him a minute," Oogway answered calmly.

Still laying on the wooden surface, Shen heard a faint sound coming from above him. Eyes wide, he quickly scrambled to the other end. Kai's scream became increasingly audible until the yak himself fell right back where he started, causing both Shen and Oogway to bounce comically into the air.

Kai was understandably freaked out about this, looking back and forth in confusion. Oogway smiled. "Welcome back." Kai growled and immediately made to try again. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. What do you think will happen if you miss the boat this time?"

He paused, reluctantly pulling his hoof back in and sitting down, even more bitter than before. "Happy now?"

"Peachy." He pulled a peach seemingly from nowhere and bit into it. "If I may ask, where exactly are you so eager to go, Kai?"

"Where do you think? I'm getting outta the Spirit Realm and back to my conquest. I've seen enough of this place, and you, for one lifetime."

"Indeed?" The tortoise didn't show any sign of being hurt by that comment. Then again, after Kai had attempted to outright murder him, Shen supposed the verbal jab wasn't that big of a deal. "I'm afraid you may find that rather difficult now. You've lost much of the chi you have stolen. The walls between life and death are not so easily breached, as you well know."

Kai stepped forward, pointing a blade at him. "Then it's a good thing I know how to break 'em."

Shen shifted to the side, swaying the boat again. It didn't exactly get him out of the way. "I don't think that's really a good idea right-" Kai lunged forward, sword swinging. Oogway's head disappeared into his shell to dodge the blade, and in the same motion, struck back with a single, open palm. Kai flew back and was thrown overboard once again.

Oogway waited a few seconds, then calmly raised his arm and caught him as he came back down, tossing him into the boat. Shen was forced to correct his earlier assessment; despite another attempt on his life, Oogway remained as jovial as ever. "Told you so. Another century or two and you might be able to manage it again."

Kai got back up, his body language undecided on whether he wanted to attack again or not. "No way! That's not fair!"

"Funny you should say that," Oogway remarked. "After all, it was your own choices that put you in this predicament. If you hadn't made that deal with Yinying, you wouldn't be sitting here now. If you hadn't released all of his souls, you would be able to do whatever you please. And yet you did. Can you tell me why?"

Kai turned his back to him, almost pouting. "I don't have to explain myself to you. Not like that worked out last time."

"Fair enough. Perhaps you would like to tell me, Shen."

"Hmm?" Up until now, the peacock had felt like a spectator to a lovers' quarrel. "You want me to explain your own partner's actions to you?"

Oogway shrugged. "He is not my partner anymore. He is yours."

You can't just lump him off on me like that, you know! "Well…I assumed he did it all for me. He didn't want Yinying to have my soul, and in the end, he didn't want it either."

He nodded. "A good guess. You are, however, incorrect."

"What?!"

"Narcissist," Kai muttered. "You really thought it was all about you?"

"Hey, just heard from Kettle again. He doesn't think you got the message."

"I'm just saying, it's not that simple!"

"He is right," Oogway admitted. "If it were really just a matter of friendship, the events of five hundred years ago might not have come to pass."

Kai's head snapped around to glare at him. "Are you trying to blame that on me again?"

Oogway ignored him. "The truth is, I believe Kai came very close to repeating history, and not just by saving you, Shen. He was sorely tempted to claim Yinying's collection for himself, but something stopped him. Something he had never experienced before. Didn't you notice it?"

Notice *what?* Does he think *I'm* a seer? Despite his protests, Shen found himself thinking back to the battle. What else had Kai done that stuck out? Actually, there was something strange about the way he acted, but only now did he have the time to ponder it. He glanced over at the yak, who refused to acknowledge him. So be it then. Not like he needed his permission anyway. "Back when Yinying was trying to consume us, I returned the chi that Kai lent me, with some of my own as well. He was surprised by that, much more than I expected. I didn't understand why."

He saw Kai flinch out of the corner of his eye and at least knew he was on to something. Oogway nodded again, more firmly now. "I imagine he was surprised indeed. It was the first time anyone had ever given him chi."

"Yeah? So what?" Kai asked defensively. "I was just surprised he didn't keep it for himself, that's all."

Shen wasn't buying that for a second, let alone Oogway. "Or is it that you were taken aback by how much greater the power you received was? I told you long ago the difference it makes, but I should have known that experience would be a better teacher than I. It is how you have always learned."

"And you've always been so insufferably nosy about other people's business."

Yet he didn't deny the accusation and Oogway promptly went for the kill. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but what Shen gave you was only a pittance compared to the power you received from those wayward souls, wasn't it? Even I can scarcely imagine the power. Wouldn't you like to feel it again?"

Shen winced. Leave it to Kai's old partner to know exactly what button to press. The yak glared viciously, but couldn't keep the act up for long. He finally sighed and nodded. "Just skip the lecture and tell me how."

"Very well. You need to release the rest of them, Kai."

It didn't take him long to understand what he meant. The yak's nostrils flared up in fury. "You can't be serious! After all this time, you really expect me to just leave it all behind?!"

"I did not say it would be easy," the tortoise mused, as much as his tone made it sound easy. "You believe that by giving up your stolen chi, you are taking a step backwards, returning to a lesser state. But the opposite is true. As long as you continue to hold on to the past, you will be forever unable to move forward."

"He's right." Kai looked ready to go off on him again, but it was now Shen who stopped him. "Trust me, I had to learn that the hard way too. I don't want to go into details, but to put it simply, I would still be in a soul coma or worse if I was this stubborn about it."

For once, Kai was at a complete loss for words. Almost. "But-!"

"No! No excuses!" Shen interrupted. Seeing the yak as a former version of himself greatly helped the transition process along. "For all the value you put on your 'collection', it wasn't them who helped us defeat Yinying, was it?"

"Okay, I get it! It was the other souls that helped us! That still doesn't-"

"No, you don't get it!" the bird insisted, stepping closer to him. "Those souls would have been hopelessly bound to Yinying if not for us! We are the ones who defeated him, and with nothing but our own strength of character, hard as that still is to believe! And if we can defeat a scary god demon, we can take down anything!"

"But that...I...you don't...dammit…" Now he was out of words. Kai spent several more seconds trying to come up with a counter-argument to the assertion that he was awesome enough already, but his own ego didn't allow that, leading to a complete mental shutdown.

Oogway whistled, impressed. "You truly are my successor, Shen."

"Alright, fine!" Kai shouted. "If both of you are going to get so up on my case about it, I'll release the stupid chi! Not like I have much of a choice!"

There was no grand ceremony to it, no poignant farewell. Kai simply stomped up to the back of the boat and started throwing his amulets as far as he could one by one, some even skipping on the surface of the water. "GET OUT OF HERE, YOU PUNKS! SCRAM! I DON'T WANT TO SEE ANY OF YOUR LOUSY FACES AGAIN! PISS OFF!" Green flashes filled the sky as each master was freed upon impact, making for a solid follow up to the previous light show.

Shen backed away towards the front, looking back at Oogway. "I can't believe that worked."

He winked. "Of course it worked. He already knew what he needed to do. He just wanted to make it look like his idea."

Sounds familiar. "Was he always like that?"

"Yes, but back then, it was sort of endearing." He paused. "Still is."

"It's frightening that I can agree with that."

When it was all over, Kai was left panting in exertion, both physically and mentally drained. "Seriously...can we dock yet?"

"As a matter of fact," the tortoise said, "I believe you have finally reached your destination." He calmly stepped back and over the edge, landing on the surface of the island that was now directly in front of them.

"Were all of these theatrics really necessary?" Shen asked, stepping off after him.

"Yes."

By now, the quiet pervading Gongmen City was becoming more unnerving than calm. With the opposing army literally disappearing off the face of the Earth, the war was effectively over, but the problem was not. Depending on what happened next, even those who didn't understand what was going on knew that it could mean dire consequences for all of them. This left the wolves and gorillas of Shen's army to wander restlessly around the city, unable to sit still.

Mantis yawned. "Never thought I'd say it, but this is getting kinda boring."

Shifu stopped in place, showing mercy to the poor cobblestones he had been pacing over for the past two hours. "Does waiting to see if a demonic madman gains total dominion over our friends and family bore you, Master Mantis?"

He froze up. "Well...it's either him or a bovine madman, right? I'm just saying I'm not that picky about which one we have to fight in the end."

Shifu glared. "Are you sure you've gotten over the effects of Yinying's fire? Perhaps you need another smack…"

Crane's pointed beak rose to the sky. "What if they were to take each other out?"

"Even by Po's standards, that is being too optimistic."

"Yeah, but…" He jabbed his beak upwards again.

At first, it looked like the people of the city were setting off fireworks for them. That, or a spontaneous meteor shower. The night sky was suddenly lit by hundreds of green sparks flying every which way. Many of them flew off over the horizon, but others came down right in the middle of the city itself. With each flash that landed, a former jombie was given flesh and bone once again.

The calm ended abruptly as mass of joy and excitement overtook the army instead. Several wolves and gorillas rushed to greet their restored comrades, throwing all sense of intimidation and dignity aside and pulling them into overjoyed arms, or in the wolves' case, tongues. The Wolf Boss got the full parade treatment, tossed up into the air again and again by his pack. "Wahahahaha! The alpha is back, baby! We're gonna party into next week over this one!"

"I hope that doesn't involve keeping the rest of us up with your obnoxious howling." The Chief Gorilla watched this display with a forced attempt at disgust, but he couldn't keep the grin off of his face. Not with his lost comrades returned to them again, even the mangy mutts.

"And what if it does? You gonna beat me with that stick up your butt?"

"Nah. Unlike you, I don't need a weapon to fight."

"Well I got news for you, pal! Neither do I! DOGPILE!" On the next catch, the wolves threw their alpha into the simian's face, the momentum making even him stumble. The other wolves wasted no time in joining him, piling on top of the Chief Gorilla and dragging him to the ground. "But you pick a fight with one of us, you pick a fight with us all!" The Wolf Boss laughed uproariously as he noogied the great ape.

"I've been pounding your skulls since I got here! It's not gonna be any different now!" He shouted back, just as playfully. The jumble of fur, fangs, and wagging tails wrestled like this for some time.

Watching this commotion from the sidelines, the Soothsayer laughed. "It appears some things never change." But would they be so joyful when they found out about Shen? If they knew what he had accomplished, they just might. It was a conversation they could have later. For now, no need to damper their spirits.

In the midst of all the excitement, it took Master Shifu a moment to realize he now had more than two students again. They found him quickly, but Monkey and Viper knew better than to try to pull him into a hug, so they targeted Crane and Mantis instead, the latter wrapped tightly in the snake's coils. "Ack! Starting to wish I was made of jade now!"

"Master." Tigress was unsurprisingly a lot more subdued, simply bowing to the red panda, albeit with obvious pleasure that she couldn't quite hide.

Neither could he. "Tigress," he said, bowing back. There was a brief moment where they each wanted to initiate a hug, but were equally inept at doing so and instead just smiled at each other awkwardly. It was enough to convey the message for both of them.

"It appears Kai has been vanquished. Can I assume that Po has saved the day again?"

"In part, yes. But it was actually Lord Shen who saved us in the end."

"Really?" Her tone betrayed only a small amount of surprise. "I suppose it makes sense that one warlord should defeat another. It's how their type operates. So where is the pampered princeling now?"

He frowned slightly. "Dead. He sacrificed himself in the end."

"Really?" Now she showed significantly more surprise. "And this was intentional?"

"Indeed."

"I see. Perhaps I was wrong about him…"

"Yeah, it was great!" Mantis said, squeezing himself out of Viper's coils. "He just stood there and let Kai strike him down all bushido style! You should've seen the look on Yinying's face!"

And now she was just confused. "Who's Yinying?"

"Shadow demon. Orchestrated this whole thing to get all of Kai's souls for himself. But don't worry, looks like he's gone now."

"Okaaaaay…" Tigress wasn't quite sure how to react to this. "What about Kai then?"

"Well, after Shen had Kai kill him, Yinying tried to take his soul, but Kai stepped up and stopped him, they made a contract for a final duel in the Spirit Realm, then they left and now we're here, so I guess they won. There was also some stuff about alternate universes and-"

"Forget it! I'm sorry I asked!" Tigress rubbed her suddenly aching head. "What did I miss?"

Monkey raised a hand, stepping off of Crane's prone form. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm lost too."

"Who cares?" Viper asked cheerfully. "It's all over now and we're all back together again! Let's join the celebration!"

"Wait…" Shifu looked around again. They weren't all together again just yet. "Where's Po?"

Kai was still sulking. He probably would be for some time. But when he recovered, Shen hoped it would be for the better. "So what about me?"

Oogway's long neck turned to look at him, perplexed. "What do you mean?"

He was almost afraid to ask. "I mean that I've died twice now. Is there really any hope of being able to return from this?"

But as was his usual style, Oogway dodged the question with another question. "So you do wish to return then? For what reason?"

"You mean aside from not being dead anymore?"

"It's quite cozy here actually."

"I still have unfinished business to take care of. Isn't that kind of a mulligan with spirits?"

"So you would like to see Po again?"

He clenched his beak tightly. "I wasn't going to say that."

"I know." Oogway clapped his scaly hands together twice. There was a loud yell and now the panda was here, landing head first into the dirt by Oogway's tree.

Shen was less surprised than he felt he should be. "I suppose I should be thankful you didn't throw him in the water this time."

"You're welcome."

"Shen?" Po's voice was muffled under the surface, but unmistakably loud and energetic regardless. The panda gripped the surface with both paws and yanked his head out, shaking the spirit dirt off. With his eyes clear, he could finally see the peacock now. He instantly burst into a sprint, rushing right for him.

Shen knew what to expect this time and raised his sharp talons between them. "No hugs! I still have a reputation to uphold!"

Po stomped his feet into the ground and put on the brakes, skidding to a stop inches in front of him. At least some of the laws of physics still applied here. "I knew you could beat Yinying! That was so awesomely awesome!"

For once, he wasn't sure if he wanted the audience. "You mean you saw that? How?"

"Not all of it. But when you started exploding Yinying's beads and I was floating around as some spirity soul thing, I saw enough. I told all the other guys, 'Guys, you need to help out Shen! He's really cool and will save the day!' And they did! And you did! And-!"

Kai cleared his throat loudly.

"Oh, uh, you did a good job too." Po backed a few paces away from the yak. It was at this point that he finally took his focus away from Shen and realized that he was in the Spirit Realm. With Grandmaster Oogway. "Oh my gooooooooooods! This is...and you're...and I...wait, does this mean I'm dead?"

"You will be if you don't let out that breath," Oogway said gently. Po gasped and coughed, trying to steady himself. "The irony is that you were always fated to come here, but destiny has been a bit funny as of late. Or isn't it always?" The tortoise began to pace, seemingly inspired by his own wisdom. "In any case, you too had much to contribute to this outcome, Po. It was you who set Shen on this path, who in turn brought Kai around. You could have ended it sooner had you simply burned that contract when you had the chance, but then where would we be? Not here."

Po had almost regained his composure until that last part. "Wait, what?! Yinying said I would blow up the universe or something if I did that!"

"He lied. Demons tend to do that." Oogway remained calm, despite the shock and indignation his words had caused. "You think you can destroy a universe with a piece of parchment? Making a decision is easy, but erasing one not so much. Had you gone through with burning the contract, Shen's deal would have been negated, but the split universe he created will remain forever. Yinying knew this, and he also knew that you would never take the risk."

Po was unusually silent, taking this new information in. Shen watched him closely, not sure what to expect. But what he most certainly didn't expect was for him to shake it off and take on a similar level of calm, smiling back at Oogway. "Okay then. That's fine."

"Are you sure?" the peacock asked. "Because I'm about ready to tell this charlatan where he can shove his divine insight."

"Trust me, it's not worth it," Kai grumbled from somewhere behind them.

"Yeah, I'm sure," Po said. "I mean, if I did negate your deal, you'd just be back at square one, right? We wouldn't have met and you'd probably be burning in some dark pit of the Underworld instead of all this."

He shuddered. "When you put it that way…"

"There is at least one other universe where you chose to destroy the contract regardless," Oogway revealed. "The results were...not ideal. That path ends with you dead and Kai rampaging across the entire world without anyone to stop him."

"Doesn't sound so bad to me," Kai muttered again.

"This way is much more beneficial for everyone. Yes, even you, Kai," he said pointedly.

"You mean to tell me you can see all of these other branches?" Shen asked skeptically.

"I have a lot of free time."

"That reminds me," he said, growing concerned. "What happened to Yinying anyway? If he too can access these other worlds, he could still try to take revenge."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that." The tortoise smiled knowingly. "Where Yinying is now, he will never be a danger to anyone again."

As soon as Yinying opened his eyes again, he could tell something was wrong.

He was back in his bat-like PR form, but it wasn't the result of him regaining his powers. In fact, he knew he had just lost the rest. This was all he had now. He was mortal, and this was what a mortal bat looked like. He could feel air passing through his lungs, smooth ground beneath his bare feet, the faint beating of a heart that now kept him alive. Mortals were frail indeed. Still, if he was careful, he could find a way to bounce back from even this. After all, it was mortals who did this to him. He could at least admit that there was more to them than meets the eye.

Once he got adjusted to his mortal eyes, he used them to take in his surroundings. This was the Mortal Realm to be sure, but even with his eons of experience, he couldn't identify this place. It was a massive, empty room of a rectangular shape. The floor was smooth, almost shiny, with patterns of brown and black mixed into it. He stood up, not even realizing he had been sitting on some long, metal seats until he looked back and saw them. On opposite ends of the room were two towering posts that held a small net aloft. At least they looked like nets. They wouldn't be very efficient in that regard considering there were giant holes in each of them. Between them was something he couldn't even begin to figure out. It was another rectangle, black in color and with faded symbols on its surface. "Where the home am I?"

Shocked by the lack of reverb in his voice, he looked down and saw that even his own clothing had changed. His pristine, business robes were gone, replaced with a plain white shirt and blue shorts. How boring. Even so, he didn't exactly feel punished. If this was the best Department Six had to offer, their reputation had clearly been exaggerated.

"Ow!" He was immediately struck in the nose by a round projectile. He glared down at the offender, a red rubber ball, annoyed that such a pitiful object could cause him pain now.

Before he could see where it had come from, he found himself suddenly yanked off the ground by his collar, coming face to face with a face he'd hoped never to face again. "Heya, Batcrap! Didn't you hear the bell? You're gonna be late for our next class!"

And just as incomprehensible as ever. "Mr. Kai, how...lovely to see you again."

The yak looked almost the same as he remembered him, though he lacked his swords or jade amulets, dressed in the same garb that he now wore. "Mr. Kai? Ha, I like the sound of that! You hear that, Shen? The Dork Lord is finally showing us some respect."

"It's about time." The peacock stepped out from behind his larger comrade, the plain clothing looking especially odd on him. "Still doesn't excuse him forgetting to do our homework though. Not that I need it."

"How dare you mock me!" Yinying hissed. "If I still had my powers, I would vaporize you on the spot!"

Kai snorted. "Powers? Geez, you really are a deluded little dorkus, aren'tcha? News flash, Flappy, you've never had any 'powers'. Not unless you count drawing dodgeballs to you like a magnet. You're just a scrawny, nerdy little freak destined to forever live under the heels of those bigger than you!"

"That was surprisingly articulate of you," Shen said, a smirk plastered on his beak. "But you are right. Sounds like our friend here hasn't learned his place after all. I believe we should do something about that."

"Good idea." Kai glared down at the bat menacingly. Yinying was reminded once again of why he had feared these two in the end. "I think Mr. Yinying needs another meeting with Mr. Swirlie."

"Who?" He was dragged helplessly out of the room and towards what he could already tell was some kind of advanced outhouse. There was certainly nothing to this level in his world. It defied all logic how any of this could exist.

He realized then just where he was. In his position, he was well aware of how the multiverse worked, how each split branched off from a different decision. But there were some universes that couldn't be explained so easily. Some that were so bizarre that they might as well have been a different reality altogether if not for that which remained a constant. He had just been banished to such a universe, with a version of Shen and Kai who would be his betters for all of eternity.

"No! Let me out of this horrible place! You can't do this to me! I'm supposed to be important! Nooooooooooooo!" As Yinying's screams were drowned out by flushing waters, Panda High closed its doors on its newest student.

"That's...disturbing," Shen said, blinking in disbelief.

"Yeah, even for the Underworld, that's pretty screwed up," Kai admitted.

"I almost feel bad for the guy," Po added, cringing.

Oogway just nodded. "But he is not our concern anymore. Let us get back to discussing the two of you."

"You mean three?" Po asked.

"Nope. It may be your destiny to come here one day, but that won't happen until you are dead."

He tried to hold his smile. "That's good to know...I think."

"Yes, what about the two of us?" Shen pressed, circling around the panda. "In case I'm mistaken, you still haven't answered my question!"

"You are not mistaken."

"I know! But what I need to know is what's going to happen to me now! Can I return to the Mortal Realm or not?!"

"I also want to know that," Kai said, raising his arm. "Not that I'm talking to you again or anything."

"In your case, it is a matter of two choices" Oogway approached his old friend, once again ignoring an annoyed Shen. "If you wish, I could send you back to the Mortal Realm. However, doing so in your current state is something you may not find desirable."

He narrowed his eyes. "Whyyyyyyyyy?"

"Because you are a wanted criminal," he answered casually. "A wanted criminal with no chi but his own to survive on."

"You know I can just steal a bunch back, right?"

"Can you?"

"Yeah! And you know what, maybe this time I'll start with you!" Kai furiously thrust both hooves towards the grandmaster. Po and Shen rushed forward to stop him.

It mattered not, for absolutely nothing happened. "Seriously?! This again?!"

"This again," Oogway confirmed. "And it will be this again anytime you try to steal chi."

"W-What?! Why?!"

"Because you know better now." Oogway flicked him in the forehead. "You know that this isn't the way to the kind of power you seek. It was that same knowledge that led you to release it all in the first place. Your mind and body simply won't allow you to make that same mistake again. But this is not a weakness, Kai. It is a strength."

"Sure feels like a weakness," And yet, he didn't pout for nearly as long this time. "What's my other choice?"

"You stay here in the Spirit Realm with me." Oogway gestured to the tree behind him. "I think I see a branch big enough for you up towards the top."

"Not a chance," Kai snapped, not giving it a second of thought. "You may be a big deal in the Spirit Realm...and the Mortal Realm...and the Underworld apparently...but you're still just a traitor to me!"

"You don't really feel that way anymore. If you did, you would be able to steal my chi."

Kai, who hated being reminded of his own inadequacies more than anything else, deflated at that remark. "Screw you. Either way, I sure as heck don't need you anymore."

"This much is true," Oogway agreed, almost sadly. "But it is probably for the best. I shouldn't hold on to the past either. What kind of old master would I be if I couldn't even follow my own advice?"

"Probably the same kind that can't answer a simple question," Shen jabbed.

Po whispered loudly to the tortoise. "I think he's getting impatient."

"Oh?" Oogway turned towards Shen, as if noticing him for the first time. "Would you like to know what will happen to you?"

He couldn't tell if he was doing this on purpose or not. "Why yes, as a matter of fact, I would be curious about that! Thank you so much for asking!"

"You're welcome." Definitely doing it on purpose. "Now in your case, Shen, I'm afraid it is a bit more complicated…"

"I've become used to that," he said, deadpan. "How so?"

The tortoise wet his lips for a few moments. Shen was about ready to literally light a fire under him, but when Oogway finally spoke, he knew why he had stalled so long. "Feasibly, you could return to the Mortal Realm as well. Your victory over Yinying has earned you that privilege. However...you do not belong here. You are the product of a different world, one where you are supposed to be dead. If you were to remain in this split you created, it could cause an imbalance. Even if you were to stay in the Spirit Realm, it wouldn't be the same version of it."

Kai gave a low whistle. "Wow, tough break."

Shen took the news remarkably well, perhaps because he wasn't expecting it to be easy. "Are you telling me I'm being kicked out? Hmph. I've become used to that too…"

"Only if you wish to leave," Oogway said.

"Wait, wait, I don't get it," Po cut in. "What could happen if he stuck around here?"

"You remember that scenario you described about the entire universe imploding on itself?" Shen asked.

"Yeah?"

"That."

Po shuddered, but wasn't deterred. "But...that's still just a possibility, right? You don't actually know if something like that could happen!"

Shen put a wing on his arm. "You didn't know either when Yinying threatened you with it, yet you refused to take the risk. The thought didn't even occur to you at the time. I've given you flak for a lot of your bumbling decisions in the past, but I can't fault you for that one. At least, not anymore. My worldview has grown a lot less self-centric as of late, thanks to you, and so I can no longer stay in your world if there remains any chance of endangering it." He frowned. "Besides, I went through a lot of trouble killing myself to save you all from Yinying and I'm not throwing that away on a crapshoot."

Oogway smiled approvingly. "That is a good answer. Befitting of a hero."

"I'm no hero. I just want to move on already."

"Wait!" Po yelled. "If you can't stay in this universe anymore, does that mean you have to go back to your own? Aren't you like eternally damned there?"

"Technically, I was never formally judged, but that outcome seems likely." Shen shrugged, as if that were no big deal.

"That's not fair! Not after all you've done!"

"It's not like I was expecting this much. Do you remember the terms of my contract? What it said would happen should I succeed in my task of killing Kai?"

"Still glad you didn't, by the way," Kai interjected.

Po thought back to it, the gears in his mind turning rapidly. "I...don't remember anything about that."

"Because I didn't make any. I laid out no terms after my success, outside of not becoming Yinying's slave. He probably thought he was getting that past me, but I knew all along. I never intended to return for any longer than that. All I wanted was to prove to myself that I really could change, and that knowledge would hopefully bring me true peace in whatever hell I found myself in." He sighed. "It's a shame that I have since found reason to live again, but it's hardly disappointing."

Defeated, Po groaned loudly.

"No, I'm gonna have to agree with the fat guy. That isn't kosher." Kai literally shoved the bear aside. "But I have another idea!"

"Oh, this should be interesting…"

"It usually is," Oogway agreed.

"How about you stay here in the Spirit Realm with me? We can sort of carve out our own little corner of it and just hang out, spar and stuff. Then I don't have to be by myself again and you don't have to endanger any lives. Everyone here is already dead!"

Shen blinked. "As much as the idea appeals to me...I don't think that's feasible."

Defeated, Kai groaned loudly, in unison with Po.

Oogway watched this entire exchange go on back and forth, his glossy eyes slowly tracking them. Yet he had no problem keeping up. "Your drive is admirable. I never thought I'd see the day when anyone would try so hard to keep Lord Shen around." He paused. "Okay, I'll tell you the other option then."

Three heads snapped towards him, with mixed expressions of surprise, confusion, and annoyance. "Other option?!"

"Yes. And this one I can offer to both of you." Oogway lightly kicked the side of his tree, causing another peach to fall meaningfully into his open palm. "Reincarnation."

The announcement passed over the duo like a ripple. A small wave splashed against the island behind them.

Shen shook his head distastefully. "Thanks, but no thanks. I'm happy with how I've lived this life, in the end. I don't need a new one where I won't even remember it."

"I'll pass," Kai agreed. "I have enough trouble as it is getting people to remember me; I don't need myself forgetting too."

"You misunderstand. Many lost souls are given a chance at reincarnation, even the lowest of criminals." He didn't so much as glance at Kai, but the yak glared at him anyway. "What I am offering you is something much greater." He tossed the peach gently into the air and kicked it in half, then planted a single seed into the ground. All in the space of about half a second. "The chance to begin a new life without forgetting the old, to be able to move on while being unburdened by your past selves. You will have new bodies, new identities, and hopefully new acquaintances, but you will still be Shen and Kai. You're just the only ones who will realize it."

Shen was stunned. This sounded too good to be true, which instantly made him suspicious. "You're not going to make me sign anything, are you?"

Oogway stared at him, bemused. "What would I ever want with your soul?"

Shen scowled. This reptile really had a way of making him sound like an idiot. "I just want to make sure I know what I'm getting myself into this time."

Oogway stared down at the seed he had planted. "Right now, you are like this seed. Your true self remains buried under your experiences, unable to fully blossom. But in different soil…" Slowly, yet much faster than any mortal plant, the seed sprung up, forming a small bloom. "...you may yet grow into something beautiful."

"Was...that supposed to reassure me?"

"Wait, I think I heard something like that before," Po pondered.

"I learned it from Master Shifu. He has become good at this from what I hear."

"You're not really considering this, right?" Kai asked the bird. "It sounds like a witness protection program!"

"To be fair, my alternatives are either Hell or potentially destroying the universe. I'm really not that picky."

"Still! To just...throw away your own identity like that?"

He shrugged. "Let's face it, my identity has never done me any favors, not since the day I was born. I could use a change of face, especially if I'll still be me on the inside."

"Don't worry so much." Po smiled, taking a gamble by placing a supportive paw on Kai's back. "Even if you won't look like it anymore, you'll still be the Beast of Vengeance and Maker of Widows. Though you might want to shoot for something else if you're gonna be turning over a new leaf. Like, Beast of Justice and Maker of...Happily-married Folk. Work on it. Point is, you'll always be Kai within your heart-"

"AGGGH! STOP IT! You're gonna make me hurl!" Kai violently whipped the panda's paw away.

"I share your sentiments," Shen said. "Nonetheless, he does have a point. Here in the Spirit Realm, you are nothing, Kai. Come with me and you can build your reputation back all over again. You could be greater than ever and finally be recognized for it."

Kai turned back to Po and pointed at Shen. "You see? That I can get onboard with."

"He does have a better way with words than me," Po admitted. "I'm gonna miss that."

Shen cleared his throat. "Yes...and I'll miss your...sense of humor."

The panda sighed. "So I guess this is goodbye then."

"I suppose so."

"Kinda sucks."

"Yes. Better than just dying on you though."

"Better than me being stuck as a statue too."

"You're welcome!" Kai shouted. He nudged Oogway. "Geez, and Shen accuses us of having unresolved tension."

It was one of the very few times Oogway had ever been surprised. "Excuse me?"

"Nothing."

"And on that note, this is officially taking too long," Shen said, stepping back from the panda. "Tell the Soothsayer and my men that I meant what I said. They'll know what you mean."

"Okay…" Po replied, with a smile, but one that wavered.

"What is it now?"

Po kept up the nervous smile, his body twitching. Astonishingly, Shen knew what he wanted. He relented, spreading his wings apart. "Alright, you can have one hug."

Po let out a noise somewhere between a gasp and a squeal, wrapping the bird up in his large arms and hugging him tightly. Shen screamed. If he weren't already dead, he was pretty sure this hug would break every bone in his body. Nevertheless, he let Po keep hugging him for as long as he wished, which was a full seventeen seconds. Yes, he counted.

When the ordeal was finally over, Shen staggered over to Oogway. "I think I'm ready now."

"I would say so," Oogway chuckled. He turned to Kai. "How about you?"

"You haven't exactly given me a lot of options either," Kai said bitterly. "This is basically one step below an ultimatum."

"Should I take that as a yes?"

"You should take that as a 'go screw yourself', but I'll take the stupid offer."

At this, Oogway finally dropped the facade. "Kai, I do not wish for us to part on bad terms. Not again. This may well be the last time we see each other."

He snorted. "Do you expect an apology? Because you ain't-"

"No. I do not want an apology. I want your forgiveness. You needed to be stopped, but perhaps there was another way to do it. I failed you as a friend and brother, Kai."

"You sure did." He turned around quickly, quickly enough to hide the look on his face. "...Can we just get on with it?"

"...Very well. Both of you, board the boat."

"Again?" Shen asked curiously.

"You are going on a trip. It only seems appropriate to take a boat."

Having long lost the energy to argue with him, Shen stepped into the boat again, followed by a sullen Kai. Po almost joined them when Oogway held him back. "Not yet, Dragon Warrior. At least finish this life before you go seeking another."

"O-Oh yeah, right," the panda stammered. "Just got caught up in the moment.

Oogway stepped up to the edge and gently pushed the boat out to sea with the top of his staff. With two lost souls as its passengers, the small boat grew further and further from shore, until even Po's excited waving could no longer be seen, nor his goodbyes heard.

And then there was silence. "Finally, some peace and quiet," said Kai.

A loud, roaring sound sprung from all around them. Shen and Kai readied themselves for battle, only to realize it was already too late. This formerly calm sea had suddenly been ravaged by a whirlpool, with themselves at the center of it. They screamed, knowing they were rapidly getting sucked down, but unable to do a thing to stop it. Somehow, they got the feeling they weren't going to just pop out from above this time.

"I didn't know reincarnation was so violent!" Kai yelled.

"I think it's metaphorical! Like waves washing away our old selves!"

"Are you sure?!"

"No, but it's either that, or we're about to find out if spirits can drown!"

In a way much less peaceful and enlightening than either of them imagined, but perfectly befitting of Oogway's usual teaching methods, Shen and Kai were dragged into the depths, the golden waters engulfing them completely. And then it was over. The Spirit Realm returned to its usual calm self like nothing ever happened.

Even from a distance, the rushing water and screams were hard to miss. Po gaped openly at the old tortoise next to him. "Are they okay?!"

"Better than okay. Better than ever."

"If you say so…" The panda shifted around, not quite sure what to do now. "So when do I leave?"

"Whenever you'd like."

His stomach growled. "Then wanna share some spirit peaches?"

Oogway paused, then smiled. "Okay."

This was absolutely nothing like reincarnation was purported to be. Not that there was much in the way of primary sources, what with losing all memory of your past self and all. It was less of a graceful transition and more of a sudden plop. One second they were being drenched in sparkling water, the next they were somewhere completely different. Something completely different.

And Shen was starting to wish he had lost his memories, even for a second time.

At first, he appeared to be smack dab in the middle of nowhere. Back in China probably, but that was about all he could discern. Tall mountains surrounded him on each side, no sign of life on any of them, but plenty of snow. It then occurred to him that he himself was laying in a pile of snow, though the cold didn't bother him as much as it usually did. He supposed he should take that as a relief.

He had no idea where Kai was, or even where civilization was, but right now he would settle for just standing up. His body felt so much heavier than he was used to, probably a result of being dead for so long. He couldn't so much as sit up straight without a good deal of effort, and when he did, he ended up overcompensating and landing face down in the snow this time. At least no one was around to see this humiliation. He hefted himself up on his paws and forced himself back into sitting position to try again.

Wait...paws?

Reincarnation was a bitch, and it had teamed up with irony to bestow upon him a fate worse than death. As he finally looked down upon himself in abject horror, Shen was faced with a truth too hard to bare. The worst kind of bear. He was now a panda. A fat, smelly panda. And he had traded Hell for this.

Shen's plump face turned expressionless. "Wow, I hate that tortoise."

You know what's worse than ending a chapter on a cliffhanger? Ending a *story* on a cliffhanger! Okay, so it's not really a cliffie since the main conflict has been resolved and all, but we hope you enjoyed all the rest of the loose ends being tied up anyway. Conclusions have always been hard to write, ever since the old days of making five paragraph essays. To think *that* once seemed lengthy! XD

Oogway has also been hard to write, especially with so little practice throughout this story. He comes across as benevolent, yet very much eccentric and even a bit manipulative at times, kinda like a reptilian Dumbledore. Tempting as it was for him and Kai to completely make up, it just seemed too fast to be realistic, hence this "kind of, sort of" approach instead.

Meanwhile, the celebration scene back in Gongmen was more or less just a standard for this kind of thing. Honestly, it's pretty much filler, but we all wanna see these guys happy for once, right? The inverse goes for Yinying, whose final fate was planned out long in advance. Don't worry, it was just as fun to write as it was to read. :)

And lastly...the ending. Here's a fun fact: the premise of Shen turning into a panda was actually something I had planned before even starting Shen vs. Kai, as its own separate story where Shen wakes up like this and has to figure out what the hell is going on. Ultimately, I decided that Shen vs. Kai sounded more interesting, but now the idea has come full cirlce! Yes, this is a set up to yet another potential sequel. I know. Would you have preferred the fade to white, ambiguous afterlife LOST ending? The good news is that the next KFP story Jack and I write will be one of the *other* long-foretold sequels! There's just a certain fox-shaped piece of unfinished business that we should probably get back to first. Or perhaps we already are. ;)