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ஓƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒஓ Chapter One ஓƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒஓ
~ஜ۩۞۩ஜ~

"Are you sure that is even a good idea you guys?" Crane asked uncertainly, tightening his grasp onto his calligraphy paint and brushes. He frowned at his own words. Since when was anything Monkey and Mantis came up with a good idea? He didn't have to answer himself to know the answer.

"Lighten up Crane!" Monkey stifled his chuckle. "This will be hilarious!"

"Just think what Tigress will think of it when she comes back!" Mantis rubbed his pincers together excitedly. "Only you are good with a paint brush out of the three of us! We need you to do this for us."

Crane went back to his calligraphy, holding his head high as the brushed danced about at his command, feeling a little flattered from Mantis' kind words. But he knew he was saying that in order to make the avian do what they are asking him to do. "No way. At least I have a decent and real idea what Tigress will think when she returns to see Po as the victim of your stupid plan." He rolled his eyes, finishing the first page of calligraphy with a flick of his brush, slightly spraying the primate with a bit of ink. "I really hope you two do too. But unless you want to get skinned alive, I would gladly sit and watch her do so." He turned and darted his eyes towards the specks of ink on the simians pants, sitting on the left knee area. "Better wash it off or you'll have black specks on your pants forever." He added, sticking his tongue out slightly, trying to sink back into the concentration he was in before Monkey and Mantis came in.

Monkey sneakily stuck his tongue out at the avian like a spoilt child not getting his way, before he looked around for a basin and cloth, and once he located it in the corner of the room; he marched over and began to get rid of the ink. "How are we gonna convince him to take part of the plan?" Mantis whispered. "This was going to be the best prank we've done in a while!"

"I know right?" Monkey sighed and rinsed out the cloth, wringing out the water that suddenly turned a little black. Tigress was away on business in a neighboring village on Shifu's behalf, while he had problems to sort out with Ox and Croc in Gong men city. While the two were away, Crane and Viper were left in charge, and they were given the few days off training until their return. Monkey and Mantis happened to wander into Po's room while he was in the Valley helping his father out with the Noodle Shop (where he was at this time), and they discovered something interesting in a small little notebook. Po seemingly had a little crush on a certain somebody inhabiting in the Jade Palace. A certain somebody who slept in the barracks directly across the hall from him… a certain female…

A certain feline.

"I bet you're just afraid that Tigress will roast you for the Winter holiday for taking part in this!" Mantis teased, causing the avian's eyes to roll.

"I'm not scared," Crane insisted, though his wings shook slightly. "I just have better use for my ink other than wasting it on something as childish as your prank." Mantis and Monkey slowly glanced at one another.

"He has a point..." Mantis said in defeat with hunched shoulders. Monkey turn his head to the side, and brought his hand up to his chin. Slightly pinching his chin, he began to think. He then snapped his fingers, and smiled innocently at Crane, who slowly stopped writing at the sound of Monkey clicking his fingers, and turned his gaze towards them, until the two were staring at each other. The avian raised a brow suspiciously.

"What?"

"What if we buy your supply of ink, for writing... for the next month?" Monkey said sweetly. "All in favor of this prank?" Mantis nodded along excitedly. "Or we can buy you one of those big sets with different colors included, as well as the different brushes and pallets?"

"Yeah." Mantis folded his pincers.

"Or..." The primate pulled on further. "Maybe the biggest set they got? Like the one you were looking at just the other day on the way back from the Valley's entrance?"

Crane thought long, hard and deep. He had been planning to save up for the set the two was sweet-talking him about. His favorite colors, Royal blue and Burgundy were in the set, with the other beautiful colors that made it so expensive, not to mention the new quill feather brush he was simply dying for, and the new pallet could hold more than just black ink, which he had to wash off and dry before he could use a different color. "Hmm... tempting, i must say." Crane admitted, placing down his brush onto it's old, chipped, stained pallet. "But you guys do know how much this is costs right?"

"Sure..." Mantis said slowly.

"Really now?" Crane said, plainly incredulous. He walked over and began to wipe the ends of his talons with the damp cloth to get rid of the ink. "So you guys are aware that the biggest set is two hundred and twenty yuan?" He turned when he heard two sharp, audible in takes of air, and smirked at the sight of Mantis turn about fifty shades lighter than his normal color. Monkey's eyes shrunk twice the size they usually were, and gulped nervously. They looked at one another, both with different expressions; Monkey gave a sheepish smile to a ticked off Mantis. "Still willing to ask me to be part of it?"

"Yes..." Mantis said through gritted teeth. "And... in return... we will get you the set."

Crane smiled with victory and satisfaction. "God. Now, you get the set first, seeing it's lunch time and the markets don't close yet. Once you do, then I'll take part, using the last of my special inks."

Chapter one done!

So this is gonna just be a short story. Below ten chapters at least XD

Please review and let me know what you think.