Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Kung Fu Panda character. If I did… I wouldn't be working my ass off with all assignments that I'm having now. Shessh…
This story sets back in time when Tai Lung was still a young cub and in training. I'll try my best not to make it too boring as the story will sound like a diary/journal kind of thing rather than scenes.
The day ended like usual with more training and more broken bones in my knuckles. Shifu has been training me for what seems like thousand years but never once did I see him make a proud face of what I did. Never…..
"Is this the right way and stance?" I asked jovially.
"Yes, m'boy. That's correct. You've learn well but your stance is a little of the wrong place" Master Shifu said this and used his bamboo pipe to correct my legs and hands.
"Now, come here Tai Lung"
I followed Master Shifu outside of the Jade Palace until we've reached a particular path of the trail where a big and enormous boulder stood right in front of me.
"Wow!!" That's all I could exclaim. Wow…
Master Shifu turned to me and said, "See this boulder? There's a weak spot in this strong boulder that is unable to be seen with our own eyes. You need to sense and feel the boulder to find it. When you do, with just a small amount of force, this whole boulder will break and shatter into tiny rocks"
"Wow…" I said it again. Wow... That's all I could say at that moment.
Master Shifu patted my head, smiled and went off, leaving me alone with this big boulder. I didn't know what to do next. Break it? Touch it? Feel it? Kiss it?
I don't know
What I did next that's logical was to touch and feel the boulder as to know if there is such a thing as a "weak spot".
I was with the boulder for hours and then it hit me. I felt a particular part that's unusual and without thinking, pulled a hard kick onto it.
"Aarghh!!"
Thunk
--
I went back limping with a right broken feet. It was horrible. What I anticipated next was even worst and I was not ready at all.
"Here" Master Shifu threw at me a bamboo stick and with quick reflexes, managed to catch it.
"Come, spar with me"
"What?!"
"A little sparing wouldn't kill you would it Hmmm…?"
"But…but…Master…I'm no ready" I was scared and in my current condition, I will never be able to perform well. This would disappoint Shifu evidently.
"In combat, you must be able to perform well. Regardless of what the condition you are in" Master Shifu said. "How about this. If you manage to hit me 3 times, tomorrow's training won't be tedious but if you don't, there won't be dinner"
"But..Master-" before I could finish, Master Shifu already made the first move.
With just 5 hits, I was down.
"You're growing weak m'boy. You can do better than that. No dinner tonight and please go back to your room and recover. With that said, Master Shifu walked back to the Jade Palace.
--
Pain…Misery…Anger… That was what I was felling and no to mention hungry. I curled up and cried.
"Master Shifu is never proud of me. Instead, he always pushes me to my limits and leave me" I said to myself between tears.
I couldn't take it anymore. Crying wasn't going to solve anything. So, I got up and left my room, to where? I don't know.
Finally, after wandering around for 15 minutes enjoying the night's cool breeze with a limping right leg, I ended up in the Halls of Heroes.
I walked in or rather limped, and saw the many artifacts and weapons that were on display to show appreciation to the man warriors of China. "I will be one of them and be remembered always"
Up above, the dragon scroll. The scroll that holds limitless power to the chosen dragon warrior. "Will I be able to Master it? Will I be chosen?" I said to myself.
"Hmph. If I can't even make Master Shifu proud, what hope do I have? Shifu, all I did, I did everything to make you proud" I laid then and there, crying till Master Shifu came up to me.
"Tai Lung. What are you doing here? It's cold tonight and you might get sick"
I looked at Master Shifu with teary eyes and said "What's the point? You don't love me as much as you do anymore like last time"
"Who gave you that idea" Shifu sat beside me and toke my in his small arms.
"I have always love you like a son. Never will I abandon you. Today's training was to motivate you to become stronger and aim high. You are never weak. Always remember, obeying your master is not a weakness"
"Really?"
"Yes" and Shifu hugged me.
"Will I be the dragon warrior?" I asked
"I'm not sure of that because you haven't mastered all of the scrolls yet. There are 1000 of them and it takes years to master all" Shifu said with a smile.
"Then…I can be the dragon warrior after mastering them all" I joyfully said
"Sure enough"
Then that will make you proud of me…… I will be the dragon warrior.