A new legacy
"Pick a new Dragon Warrior?!" Li exclaimed in shock. "Why?! You're doing just fine!"
"One act of tardiness shouldn't diminish your title, Master Po," Master Storming Ox seconded.
"And you love being Dragon Warrior!" Monkey chimed. "Childhood dream fulfilled, you know?"
"I know, I know, and totally is," Po replied, trying to keep the confused expressions reigned in. "It's not any of that. When I was opening the door to meet you guys," He gestured to the Master's Counsel before readdressing the entire group,"I had a really weird vision. I didn't quite know what was going on, but I was losing chi, and I was tired, and there were petals everywhere....it was kind of like being back in the spirit realm, just with no Kai or Oogway...."
"And...?" Tigress prompted.
"And the Dragon chi I used to kick Kai's butt went flying everywhere and over to some shadow...I don't know who. Didn't catch the face. Or a name.... Or species...."
The group was now standing and staring in surprise. Po didn't get visions despite having spent a good amount of time in the spirit realm and even getting confirmation from Oogway. Sometimes he thought he did, but it turned out that they were just dreams of being back there in his super cool spirit realm ensemble. Shifu used to get visions, but since Po's defeat of Kai and Shifu's retirement from kung fu, the universe messages started getting intercepted by Li Shan, though not very often and usually they were just encouraging messages for days when Po felt a little overwhelmed with being the new grandmaster and kung fu teacher.
Yet here was Po with his first official vision. It was a bit strange, but definitely appropriate considering his position now. It was just a surprise it took this long for him to have one.
Master Shifu, who had come up for his usual monthly visit, stood off to the side staring at Po for a bit, lost in thought. He was quiet while Po was interrogated about who he thought would be the next Dragon Warrior.
"Hey, maybe it'll be one of us this time," Mantis suggested a little hopefully.
"I don't think I get to really pick," Po pointed out. "Everyone expected you guys to get the Dragon Scroll the first time. Even I was! That's why I was desperate to get into the arena when I got up the stairs so late. But then Oogway picked me, and...well, here we are."
"He has a point," Tigress seconded, as Mantis sighed a little disappointedly. "This new Dragon Warrior could be someone completely random. Maybe even one of the villagers."
"What I don't understand is why now?" Viper noted with a look of confusion. "You haven't been Dragon Warrior that long. That ceremony wasn't even ten years ago!"
Po was just as baffled, but he had finally recovered from flopping to the ground during his vision attack and got to his feet to properly address everyone. He told the group he wanted to keep this quiet until he had more details on what to do next, only for Shifu to finally mutter from the side, "That's what he meant."
Everyone turned to look at him. "What who meant?" Po asked.
"Master Oogway," Shifu replied, still a bit lost in thought. "He used to get visions about the Dragon Warrior, but he only told me bit and pieces though. I don't know if he ever...." Shifu trailed off, but then after a second looked up at the restored Sacred Hall of Warriors and dashed right up the stairs.
"Shifu?!" Master Croc called out, but he got no answer. The masters, and Li, all quickly followed after him hoping to get some kind of answer about what was going on, and soon arrived at the top of the stairs and found Shifu rummaging around the moon pool, the one thing that hadn't gotten damaged during Kai's attack on the valley just a few years earlier.
"Shifu?" Tigress called out. "What is it?"
"Something hidden in such plain sight and yet so careful a spot that not even the most ruthless of foes...." came the reply, though once again the former master trailed off before finishing his thought.
"Weren't most of the scrolls destroyed though with the attack?" Storming Ox asked, looking around at the new pillars as Li sat down to catch his breath and Po walked over to see where Shifu was looking.
"Not all of them," Crane explained. "A couple survived, and the ones that were ripped Shifu's been painstakingly trying to copy and put back by the moon pool."
"Yeah, he's just a couple thousand short," Monkey added.
Po made his way over to Shifu and saw him poke along the sides of the moon pool. Realizing where Shifu's logic was, Po looked carefully at the water, thought about Oogway and all his strange sayings and logic, and then suddenly had a thought and jumped into the water.
"Po!!!" Shifu yelled, now completely drenched in water.
Po heard the old master yell, but focused his attention on the bottom of the pool. Shifu always said that Oogway used to meditate by there, and considering that Oogway most likely was very much inclined towards water-based and protective kung fu stances, perhaps the moon pool hid secrets in the depths. The Dragon Teacher sunk to the bottom of the moon pool and felt around until he noticed a couple of latches along the very bottom edge. Carefully, he undid each one and then felt around for a little gap, indicative of a hidden door he could open. Po soon found it and tightened his grip on that part of the floor before giving a hard yank. Immediately, a small section opened up and a scroll case matching the coloring of the moon pool's floor floated out. Po grabbed it and closed the small opening before bobbing back up to the surface to catch his breath.
"Is this what you're looking for?" he asked Shifu.
The red panda quickly stopped being angry at the surprise cannonball and let out an exclamation of excitement upon seeing what Po found and gently took the scroll from him. He then led Po away from the moon pool and over to a dryer area where everyone began to congregate around him.
"I apologize for the lack of explanation; I have a lot of thoughts coming up," Shifu apologized. "Master Oogway mentioned the Dragon Warrior and the Dragon Warrior's purpose a few times, but said that the future was meant to be taken in bits and pieces so it wasn't overwhelming or demanding. And the rest were things so out of time that even he couldn't explain it. So I only got bits and pieces myself, but I knew he kept those visions in a journal. He just hid them so I couldn't read it."
"Wait, you were curious in your glory days?" Po asked in surprise and clear amusement.
"My glory days I prefer to keep as my mature demonstration of kung fu and teaching it to students such as yourself, Master Po," came the immediate and honestly expected answer. Master Shifu then proceeded to open the scroll which had various trick latches that gave him momentary trouble.
"What did Master Oogway tell you?" Mantis asked.
"The Dragon Warrior was one who would have great power, one who would bring great balance, and one who would preserve a great lineage," Shifu said, gritting his teeth at one particularly stubborn lock. "I wasn't entirely sure what that last one meant. I admit I took that literally. And there were several people who seemed to fit but then fell through before Po came along....and there's that rule about marriage as a high ranking master."
"I remember," Po grumbled, reflecting on the events that happened when he met his friend Lu-Shi.
Shifu finally managed to open the stubborn case and breathed a little sigh before taking out the coveted scroll. "But now that Po's mentioned picking a Dragon Warrior, I think he meant that there is to be a line of Dragon Warriors. Not necessarily a Dragon Warrior with a long blood line."
"That would make more sense," Tigress agreed.
Shifu spotted a table off in the corner and quickly ran to grab it and brought it back over so that he could place the scroll down on it and read it verbatim. The first thing written was a little scrawled note from Oogway about how he was excited to set up the Valley of Peace and have a fresh start, though he didn't say from what specifically. Shifu inferred he meant from his homeland since Oogway had mentioned once that his old home was a chain of islands destroyed by a ruthless typhon when he was a teenager. The second notation was on the development of the valley and how some of the pandas from the high mountains and their chief had come to assist Oogway in continuing his chi training.
"I'm sorry; that's still pretty cool," Po admitted, reflecting on the last scroll they had read from Master Oogway.
What was so interesting about the scroll was how different it was from Oogway's style in the previous scroll. Most likely this was because he was much younger and writing this in the moment and not writing on reflection as an older one, as he was with the other. The brief notations and scribbles in the blue scroll told about the construction of the Valley of Peace, of Oogway getting stronger with his chi, and how he decided that the world would always need a balance of strong and soft, of peaceful and aggressive, if things ever boiled down to the bottom. And so he combined the chi training of his new friends with his skills as a warrior and created a new style meant to protect and preserve while also dealing a hard blow to people like Kai who wanted to take from others: kung fu. Eventually Oogway's scribbles and factual notes became brief entries that gave some more details on his feelings and on the day to day interactions he had with the villagers. They called him a great warrior. Oogway felt that was a little inappropriate since he was no longer an army commander, but he didn't know what else to be called, so he offered to just be the Valley Protector. His last contact with the mountain pandas was during the chief's death, where he told Oogway that he now had to walk his own path, but he was sure he could do it and promised him that he saw great things ahead. Oogway was a little uncertain of this idea of being a great leader, but his new skills and qualities were put to the test when a terrifying evil from the Spirit Realm named Ke-Pa got loose and terrified the Valley of Peace. Master Oogway put all his energy into fighting him until he couldn't do it anymore. He feared the worst, more so for the people he swore to protect, but he was soon revitalized by a peach tree he had planted earlier that year which gave him just enough chi to finish Ke-Pa off. Oogway swore from that moment he would never doubt himself again and to just focus on improving himself and being the best. And in order to continue protecting people, he realized he needed to share this new fighting tactic, he needed to train others, and thus began his documenting on the various students who he trained at the Jade Palace, which started off as a simple wooden arena-
"I thought you said he wrote down stuff about being the Dragon Warrior," Po interrupted when they were half-way through the scroll and seeming very off topic from the reason they went looking for the scroll in the first place.
"He most likely did," Shifu concurred. "I'm just reading through it carefully so that I don't miss anything. This is years of information I have to sift through and I'm not one to skim."
Po sighed, but let his master keep on reading. Shifu read on for a while until eventually he came to Oogway's first marked passage about the Dragon Warrior. Master Oogway had just finished training a student named Master Inaru when he had a sudden vison: a flash of light which seemed to form the shape of a dragon. The Dragon formed the pattern of a yin and yang before exploding into a golden blast and vanishing from sight. Oogway was just left with little droplets falling to the ground, like snow, and then he was back in the training hall once again. However, the master didn't fully understand what it meant. He was initially worried it meant that Ke-Pa would return in his true form, but there was no sign of that so he relaxed after a while.
A couple of years later, Oogway got another vision, this time he was meditating with a new student: Master Rhino. He had come from Northern China during the Great Imperial Split a few years ago with a group of remnant civilians and wished to learn kung fu from Master Oogway in order to protect his loved ones. He was very strong and resilient and Oogway had been very impressed with his dedication to increasing his strength and power. During one particular training session, Rhino's lesson had been interrupted when his wife stopped by to say hello and brought their new baby son, named after his father. While watching the three happily embrace, Oogway suddenly found himself in the middle of debris. Fire was everywhere, the smoke a collection of colors that shifted every couple of feet, reflecting the horror of the fire and the various laughters echoing in the distance. Oogway made his way through the debris and the fire began to slowly fade away, a glint of light being left on the ground. Oogway sifted through the burnt wood and picked up a glowing yin and yang which soon formed an itty bitty baby dragon. The master thought it to be absolutely adorable and precious and carried the little thing through the wreckage, only to be thrown off balance when the earth shook beneath his feet. The master felt himself fall to the ground, unable to keep standing, and the baby dragon quickly left his paws and erupted into a massive blast of chi that rang throughout the sky. It once again shook the earth, but this time put it back the way it was before, with buildings being restored as they were before and the scorched earth sprouting grass, flowers, and other life. Oogway was a little confused since it didn't look like the valley, but fortunately a vision of the old panda chief appeared to explain everything a bit more.
"There is destined to be a mighty warrior," Oogway wrote in his journal. "One meant to restore balance and peace whenever it is greatly threatened. This warrior was not yet destined to arrive, but when they did, they would come amid the smoke and ash of tragedy and great sorrow. I admit I thought perhaps this mighty warrior could be Rhino, or maybe Rhino jr. The chief corrected my thinking and told me that this warrior, one who had the chi of a mighty dragon, was not yet ready to debut. But they would prove themselves mighty over time, able to hear the beat of a butterfly's wing, someone so in tune to the people and the universe around them that they could sense the natural force of chi even in the air, so mighty that they were unpredictable. I figured this must be a warrior of great endurance and perseverance. I admit my excitement was nearly uncontainable. But I was curious about what kind of unbalance there would be. A force of evil was always an occasion to cause unbalance. However, I was told that this was something I would learn about over time, and for now to continue focusing on the path I was choosing. All good things would come to those who patiently waited. Rhino was worried when I finally came to, but I assured him this was something that happened with my developed style.
"That was at least a couple hundred years ago," Master Storming Ox noted. "Master Flaming Rhino was the first in Rhino's family to learn kung fu, and at least 11 generations passed in between before he was born."
The next entry about the mighty Dragon Warrior took a while to get through since the next several entries were all about the valley and the new masters Oogway trained, and some of the great evils he fought. Then, there was another vision. This would be a warrior of both sides of the yin and yang, someone with darkness and yet with much light. This someone would harness both the light and the dark to bring them together. Po puzzled over this since he didn't consider himself dark, but Li reminded him that they did have some trauma with Shen, so that must have been what was referred to.
After probably another half hour or forty-five minutes, Master Oogway recorded another vision. This time he received it while at the peach tree. He had been sitting peacefully meditating and gently moving his body around in order to relax and be calm, when he could suddenly hear a low beat, and opened his eyes to see a butterfly go by. The shocked Oogway had thought that perhaps this Dragon Warrior referred to him, but the vision showed that this was not true. Oogway had much power and wisdom, but this would be used in training the future Dragon Warrior. He was destined to become something much greater: a teacher. And one day he would need to pass this knowledge onto this mighty warrior when they were ready. Since there was no Dragon Warrior as of yet, Oogway had no idea how far off this was going to be. But he held out and was determined to be patient.
Many years flew by. Many entries Oogway had written down. Many stories he had told about the various students he had. And yet there was no sign of a Dragon Warrior vision. Po started to get a little impatient and bored despite being interested in Oogway's story-telling. Eventually though, the masters got to an entry where Oogway got a vision after trying to train a particularly difficult student. The master felt he was failing as a teacher, only to suddenly get a flash of light and see a mirror beneath a fruit tree. And then just as quickly it faded.
"I admit I puzzled over this for quite some time," Oogway wrote. "But I reflected on it before I went to sleep. And then actually slept on it. And then woke up really groggy because I had slept way too long."
Po laughed.
"Eventually, it occurred to me that what I saw was confidence and power. All students have the potential to be something great, but not one person is the same. What they need is confidence to pull that power from themselves. That is a lesson worthy of any young warrior. And I feel an important lesson the future Dragon Warrior should learn early on.
And thus, Oogway went ahead and made the Dragon Scroll and put it above the moon pool.
He used it as a reminder when training future students, helping them to improve based off of their own natural ability while also helping them discipline themselves into being better warriors. The scroll then went further in time, drawing nearer and nearer to the day where Po was picked to be Dragon Warrior, though once again there were no remarks on any visions. Eventually the scroll came to the day Oogway found Shifu, which the red panda tried to skim over until Po tried to accuse him of being a hypocrite. Shifu then grumbled a reply and reluctantly read Oogway's remarks on finding him, feeling pity for the kid because it was clear his father wasn't coming back and yet he had so much hope, and eventually moving Shifu over with a visiting red panda family who were more than happy to adopt him as one of their own. Oogway promised to write to Shifu on any word of his biological father, though as expected, the man never came back. Six years later, Shifu returned to the Jade Palace to learn under Master Oogway and was joined by various students over the course of twenty years until just Shifu remained.
And then the masters found an interesting passage.
"It occurred to me today that perhaps Shifu might be the hope of balance for the future. He's experienced both tragedies and triumphs, and is very keen on learning the deep reflections of kung fu and chi. He has grown quickly as a student and is making tremendous process, even more so than any other student I've had beforehand. He understands the importance of chi and how it affects those around him and doesn't see it as merely another tactic used to knock out an opponent. Of course, it is not good to assume, and I know this, so I am trying to be patient. But I am curious to see where this goes and whether or not my assumptions are correct."
Shifu looked extremely flattered and touched by this remark, as evident by the wide smile that he tried to hide after reading the passage. However, he pressed forward and continued on looking for more information. It soon came to Shifu finding Tai Lung, whom Oogway also felt pity for and thought was absolutely precious. Shifu had decided to raise the kid in the art of kung fu and taught him everything he could as the boy grew older. Shifu believed that Tai Lung could become this long foretold Dragon Warrior and started pushing Tai Lung into training exercises significantly early when he showed promise. Oogway had thought this a bit unadvisable since there wasn't even a hint as to who this Dragon Warrior would be, but Tai Lung was a naturally talented person so he didn't give much argument for letting the kid learn more at his level.
Eventually Oogway decided to include Shifu in more of his meditation exercises, preparing him to be his eventual successor. One particular day however, while the two were sitting quietly and calmly in the Sacred Hall of Warriors, Oogway had yet another vision: a terrible vision. Green light from fading chi engulfed the atmosphere, a battle that shook the earth. He saw the familiar glow of greedy eyes and jade swords encircling terrified villagers who were mere silhouettes in the green embers around the village. It spelled doom, and Oogway had to admit that he was very spooked by the vision, so much so that Shifu had asked him if he was okay. However, Oogway had simply told him that it was something he couldn't really explain. Because he couldn't.
"I am not afraid of owning to past mistakes," Oogway had written. "It's more the nature of Kai. Shifu know of chi, and yet he does not know enough. He has a strong understanding of those he faces and yet not enough I believe to see beneath the surface. I do not think he is ready to hear the whole story. And even then, I believe it would only be advisable to tell it in bits and pieces. Preparing him for the whole picture. I don't know when Kai will come back, but I hope...if not me, somebody else will be there to truly stop him."
"Which you totally did," Li noted to Po with a smile.
"Well, I mean, you guys helped. A lot," the Dragon Warrior admitted.
Mantis stared at the passage with a confused look on his face. "What past mistakes was he referring to?" he asked Shifu.
"I don't know," Shifu admitted. "Perhaps he was planning to tell us gradually before Kai showed up but never got the opportunity to bring it up. I remember that day though. Now I understand why he was so spooked."
Oogway made no more mention of Kai or visions again until several years later when Tai Lung was getting ready to be presented to him as Dragon Warrior. Shifu felt he was ready to receive the scroll, though once again Oogway reminded him and Tai Lung that he was not the one who decided this fate. He needed a clear vision, and at the moment he didn't see Tai Lung's future clearly. He had much potential, but potential could be used in any direction. Ultimately, it would be his own choice. Tai Lung had seemed to understand, though he seemed more preoccupied with Shifu's excitement. (Again, to Oogway's concern). When the day finally came, Tai Lung decided to get in a last minute warm-up before heading into the Sacred Hall of Warriors with Shifu. Oogway had decided to stop by real quick to check and see how the pair were doing and saw, not surprisingly, a fantastic display of form and skill. As Shifu went to praise Tai Lung on a job well done however, another vision came to Oogway's mind, one that scared him about as much as the one with Kai.
"I thought I was seeing more of Kai...yet it wasn't him. It was this student in front of me. It was unmistakable! And yet there was so much going on that I didn't know what was happening. All I could see was a dark fog. Dark chi. Viciousness. Anger. A feeling that is so shrouded in fog that even I can't make it out. I saw a speck of light, and he charged at it, hoping to extinguish it. When the vision came to pass I still was a bit hazy, but one thing I knew for definite: this man was no Dragon Warrior. I wish I could have seen more clearly what happened, but there was too much smoke. So much smoke. I simply retreated back to the moon pool to clear my head before they came. Shifu...my old friend...was in such a rush! They came up before I even had time to settle things clearly. I admit I did not deliver the news well. I should have asked for more time to think, perhaps, or waited for a full demonstration. But the second I saw Tai Lung standing in the doors, waiting for me to follow them down, I couldn't. I could see hints of arrogance...and I thought right then and there these were the seeds to the dark path, and I told Shifu immediately. I did not need to see him. He was not the Dragon Warrior. I knew that for certain just looking at him. Shifu accepted my decision. He always does. Tai Lung was tremendously disappointed. No...devastated. I believe I can genuinely say he was devastated. Shifu had him leave. He hasn't trained at all today. He had breakfast, but there was a dark cloud settled on the table. I tried to lighten the mood by apologizing for not seeing his kung fu first, but I tried to make it clear that the universe had a candidate in mind, and unfortunately it would not be him. But he was still a great warrior, and could continue using his talents for good if he so wished, perhaps even to assist new warriors, if Shifu trained more. It seemed to help, but not by much. He feels slighted. He keeps mumbling about promises, usually with Shifu's name in the same breath. I have a bad feeling this is just the beginning of the vision I saw to come. I'm still debating on whether or not to tell Shifu, or to look for another vision...or just let things happen naturally with no interference. I cannot stop what will happen. But if things progress as I saw...I feel great sorrow for what Shifu will go through."
Shifu paused for a moment after reading through those words. Clearly Oogway had decided not to tell him that since the attack a few hours after the passage took Shifu by complete surprise and practically tore him apart. The old master had to take a quick breath for continuing on with the scroll, getting through the betrayal, Tigress' induction into the Jade Palace, the eventual training of his students, and the occasional vision of a current approaching force. But nothing else on the legendary Dragon Warrior, one that everyone had been looking forward to for centuries. Then, at last, a new vision came, though it was different than the previous ones. Oogway saw Tai Lung's escape from prison, clear as the dawn. Red fire from explosives being ignited in the prison, his arrival at the Jade Palace, his eyes fixed on the Dragon Scroll and with every intent to kill for it. And then suddenly erupted a bright light, blinding every one in sight. From this light emerged a yin and yang which soon formed the shape of a dragon which snaked out of the Sacred Hall of Warriors and disappeared into the sky.
It was finally time.
Yet Oogway still had no idea who this warrior was. Whoever it was, they were destined to defeat Tai Lung and start down the road of becoming Dragon Warrior. The danger loomed close though, so Oogway sent for Master Shifu. The two both agreed to keep the news of Tai Lung's escape quiet for the time being and focus on choosing the Dragon Warrior. Shifu's students, needless to say, were ecstatic to hear that one of them would potentially become Dragon Warrior, though they managed to keep themselves calm for the ceremony. Master Oogeay had been very impressed with everyone's skills and kept seeking out something to indicate who was Dragon Warrior. However, as each member of the Furious Five performed their unique set of skills in front of the crowd, Oogway worried for a second that the Dragon Warrior was somewhere else...and if that was the case, how would he find them? But then Tigress got ready to take her turn, and the grandmaster felt a sudden flash of light, a great amount of chi rush past him, and he realize the Dragon Warrior was present. And yet...yet he couldn't find it. He could feel it's presence, but it was so foggy it was hard to tell where it was. So, he closed his eyes and sought it out. He slowly made his way through the dark, concentrating with all his might to block out the sounds of the drums and the villagers' whispers and the fireworks that went off from above. He kept going, feeling the presence moving closer and closer to him until finally it erupted beneath him. Oogway moved his finger to poke at the warrior and was surprised to feel a plushy belly in front of him. Opening his eyes revealed a giant panda who evidently had flopped right in front of Tigress while he had made his way over.
"I was a bit concerned about his health for a moment since he looked like he had a bad run with some of the fireworks, and he was very much unconscious. However, he soon woke up and looked around incredibly discombobulated before coming to his senses. I deduce he had gotten locked out of the arena. How interesting fate works....Even when I said he was Dragon Warrior, he didn't quite believe me. Of course, neither did Shifu or his students. But even without the universe's decisiveness, I could tell this man was going to be a mighty warrior! And just imagine...so many years after being healed by one of his kind, now his kind are destined to save the world and bring forth more Dragon Warriors to keep the balance of the land. How very interesting.....Shifu of course still has his apprehensions, as does Po. He considered leaving for a bit before we talked."
"Sorry, Po," Monkey apologized sheepishly.
"Hey, it's okay. We're cool now," Po promised.
Shifu read the rest of the entries, but Oogway had no more visions after this, and his last entry was about how he hoped Shifu would take his advice and train Po as he needed to be trained. After that, the scroll was completely blank. Po took a long sigh, a bit relieved to finally be done, and then sat quietly and thought for a moment.
"It's a shame Oogway passed before sharing this with us," Shifu commented sadly. "I would have liked to have heard more about this."
"Not to mention helpful," Mantis added, matter-of-factly.
"It makes sense though," Tigress told him. "Po can't live forever. Someone would have to take his place eventually."
"Yeah," Po agreed. "I just never considered the idea before. Or that it would happen in my own lifetime."
"How do we pick a new Dragon Warrior though?" Viper asked a little worriedly. "And does this mean there's going to be new trouble coming up?"
"I don't know," Shifu admitted. "Po is the one who is charged with receiving glimpses of what is to come. I'm sure the universe will let him know when it's time."
Po frowned. Closed his eyes for a minute. Then reopened them. "Yeah, I got nothing," he said. "Maybe later."
"Ah, don't worry," Li assured him, clapping his son on the shoulder. "You'll get more! Just be patient. In the meantime, this is so exciting! We should grab lunch and celebrate your first vision as a Dragon Warrior Chi Master!"
"Uh-but I still have to talk to Master Storming Ox and-"
"They can come too!"
And before Po could have another opportunity to protest, Li had excitedly dragged him out of the Hall of Warriors with Master Ox and Master Croc right behind them, having heard nothing but excellent reports about Mr. Ping's fantabulous cooking.
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