A/N: Okay, I know...and what about Forgotten Hope update?Don't worry, it'll be for next weekend. I just recently saw this episode and it changed my mind a bit about the series. It's really good, but despite the personalities being out of place I have to say it's the best episode I've ever seen in this series. What bothers me is that they never clarified what made Crane recover his confidence. So here I am putting a "theory" for this matter.
WARNING!This may contain spoilers for those who haven't seen the episode "Crane on a Wire"!
Jade Palace, Training Hall...
The Furious Five just had ended their training routine of the day and had stop to hear one more of Po's kung fu stories. The panda seemed to be telling the story of a giant hero that would steal from the rich to favor the poor people. Something that the panda called a great act of charity.
The Five were listening patiently to this. All of them, except for Tigress, stared eye widened at the Po's crazy dance after he ended the story showing them an elegant jar with few yuan inside it, they all understood where the panda was going with all the dramatics of his story.
"I guess you're asking for a donation..." Crane said after a moment of silence.
"For the new's children hospital. Good cause," Po responded chuckling a bit. "I'm encouraging you all to give limited funds. I guess it don't hurts."
Without hesitation Tigress, with a sweet smile, throw a yuan at Po's left eye, the coin felt inside the jar.
"Ouch!Hurts!Hurts you.." Po said while massaging his eye.
Right after Viper throw a yuan, and then Mantis.
"Sounds awesome," Mantis said in reference to the idea.
Monkey also let a yuan.
"Good job, Po," The simian said proud of the panda's initiative.
"Errr...sorry, Po," A voice said making the panda look directly to Crane. "I spent my last few coins on a new nazzle for narines, isn't she a beauty?"
Po stared at the small object that would deliver a strong spray when pressed. The panda couldn't help but stare at dismay.
"But..uhh...be happy that I might donate my services in any way I can," Crane said with a blink. "An..uhh..excuse me."
Crane pressed the object several times inside his narines causing terrible noises and disgusted expressions from the rest of the Five and Po.
After he ended Crane made a weird noise that could be taken as a sneeze.
"Wait a minute...great Idea!" Po said enthusiastically while playing with the jar filled with yuan."We all can donate our services!"
"Which means..." Tigress said frowning a bit while wondering where this was going.
"We'll hold... a Jade Palace fancy, pancy auction!" Po said with a fist raised in the air."
Few minutes later, somewhere around Jade Palace...
"You mean...to make people bet money on us?" Monkey asked curiously.
"The one that beats the most will be able to spent the day with their favorite kung fu master!Isn't that and incredible awesome idea, or what?!" Po asked turning around to look at the Five behind him.
The Five stared at Po with hesitation.
"I doubt that Master Shifu would approve," Tigress said being unsure of Po's idea.
Po's smile faded.
"He wouldn't know," The panda said while waving his hands nervously."He's off to one his programmed sessions with spiritual powers."
Later at the kitchen...
"Yeah, no action for me, Po," Monkey said waving his hand while eating."What if Miss Yue beats on me?I'll have to spent the day with her..." Monkey stood still."...she smells like paste, PASTE!" Monkey seemed terrified.
"Common, you guys are the Furious Five!Where's your Furious Fistness?" Po said while punching the air slightly.
Everyone stared severely for a brief moment at him then returned to their dinner. Po, in the other hands, kept smiling at them.
"Ohhh, okay...I get it...I'll probably catch the highest donation because I'm the most popular kung fu master," Po said while raising from his seat." You guys are just scared that you'll get smocked," The panda ended with a confident smile.
All the Five eyed daggers at him.
"Most popular kung fu dofus is more like it! I'm in!" Mantis said angrily.
"Beats up panda!" Monkey said.
"You're claiming for humiliation," Tigress said.
"YES, ANOTHER VICTORY FOR CHARITY CHART!" Po screamed happily as everyone agreed on going."TA TADA TADA DADAA-
"Stop that!" Tigress said annoyed.
"Yeah.."
Next day, down at the village...
All the villagers were gathering along a stage that had been set for the presentation of the Furious Five and the Dragon Warrior. For some reason, Mr. Ping was hosting the show.
"Heloooooo!And welcome to the Jade Palace Master Kung Fu Charity Auction!" Mr. Ping said excitedly.
Po and the others were waving their hands(wings, tails, etc...) at the people who were coming for the show. A double set of small fireworks at the sides of the stage was ignited to mark the beginning of the event. The crow was in awe with the display.
In the mean time was making another mention for his noddle shop and for a possible promotion for the hospital, of course that all could went as always,but this time the goose actually was going to keep his word due the charity event.
"...okay, okay,let's go right to the binding. The first up...Master Tigress!" Ping said pointing towards the female tiger.
"Watch and learn charity chump," Tigress said to Po that was next to her.
"Actually it's..."
But before Po could end Tigress performed an incredible jump going way high and coming down gracefully at the front of the stage. After she landed she kicked a big heavy piece of a massive tree that was next to her. She performed several and precise powerful kicks towards it. The final result was a perfect miniature of a house made only by the kicks. The crow was immensely impressed and even the Five. Po in the other hand tried to cover how impressed he was.
"Hum..I've seen better," He said while crossing his arms.
"Twenty yuan!" Said one of the spectators.
"Twenty five!"
"thirty!"
"Huh?thirty?" Mr. Ping said being surprised by the amount."Anyone else?...going one...twice...
"Forty!" Suddenly one of the people at the crow screamed. Everyone else was amazed at the offer.
"Sold!" Mr. Ping said. "You won a day with Tigress!"
Everyone clapped as Tigress was guided far away by two little bunnies that were wayyy familiar to her.
"Forty yuan?Pfff!" Monkey said with mockery."I can beat that," The simian said while smirking.
Right immediately the simian started his own particular show with plates. With several amazing acrobatics ending with each plate being precisely broken. The crow cheered heavily for the simian.
"thirty-five!"
"Forty!"
"Fifth!"
That was good enough for Mr. Ping.
"Sold!For fifth yuan you wins a day with Monkey!" The simian turned around to face the others with a smile.
"Told you."
"Congratulations, Miss Yun!" Mr. Ping said. At this Monkey turned back with a shocked expression. Miss Yun was smiling creepy at Monkey, her expression of a lunatic person.
"Please!" Monkey pleaded as he was drag outside by Miss Yun.
"Fifth yuan?" Po asked in disbelief." Hoho, wow Crane, you got a hard one to follow," The panda said looking at the avian next to him. The waterfowl chuckled.
"Oh yeah...you just watch," Crane said with a blink.
"Next stop...Master Crane!" Ping announced. The crow cheered.
Crane went sky-high with extreme elegance posting himself in front of the sun for a greater effect. He came down quickly and performed several spins on the stage, he broke few woods with elegance and precision using his legs and wings. Everyone was in awe, but then when Crane went to the middle of the stage he sneezed weirdly. He made more disgusting noises while passing his wing to clean his beak.
Everyone went silent.
Crane stopped to see everyone looking at him oddly. 'Ewww' was the most response that came from them. The bird felt a bit uneasy.
"Excuse me, I wow..a lot of allergies in the air," The bird said while bouncing his wing in front to clear away the dust. Crane bounced his head and sneezed even more ." It..it'll..it'll clear it up in a second," Crane sneezed hardly few more times. Everyone was looking at him with clear disgust.
Silence.
Crane felt the awkwardness on the situation and tried to regain his composure by setting in his fighting stances again, but a terrible sneeze that even made his hat jump of his head just put all that down. Crane tried to keep steady,but couldn't control his sneezes. The crow was starting to mutter among them. Crane more seemed like a donkey with a bad cough than anything else. It seemed like he was dying. The more he kept on stage the worse the situation was becoming.
"...well that wasn't attractive," Mr. Ping said while looking at Crane." Uh, uh..okay!Do I hear forty?!"
...
"Er... thirty-nine?"
Few people started to leave.
"Thirty three?" Ping was hopeless.
"Oh, well...twenty seven?"
In the mean time Crane looked down ashamed and disappointed with himself. Po seemed undignified.
"Common people!" He yelled at the crow. "What's with the lip biting?!This is Master Crane we're talking about!He's awesome!"
Few people were getting more motivated to look at Crane now.
"Hum...Po..." Crane said while looking sadly at him."Please, it's..ahn...I can't wa- Crane tried to leave, but was stop by the panda.
"Hold on buddy," Po said placing a hand at the bird's back. "I mean...you gotta love the legendary Crane warrior, I am right?!" Po asked to the audience.
"Well...actually his kung fu is great," One of them said. The others around him agreed.
"But he tells really boring stories," Other said back.
"And we don't find him kid relatable, " A little bunny said.
"Besides he got that nose that haunts my dreams." (A/N: ?)
"Hey, just quit it!None of that it's true!" Po said back angrily at them. Crane just seemed more down than ever."Maybe except by the haunted dream part." (A/N: Oh, I got it now, lol)
"But Crane's super cool!And checkout this wicked accessories!" Po said after retrieving something under the bird's wing. It was his small nazzle. Po tried to use on his nose and the result was pretty bad.
"Ahhhh!Owowwohoho, that stinks!Why would you do this to yourself?! Po asked frowning at Crane.
"That's what we said," Someone speak from the crow while all the rest agreed on him. Crane stared hopeless at them unsure of what to do. He decided to talk with Po while ignoring all the mean things the crow was talking about the avian.
"Sorry I ruined your auction Po," Crane turned around and started to leave. Po tried to think on something to cheer Crane, but nothing came to mind.
"But Crane..." Before Po could say anything else the waterfowl sneezed hardly again." I didn't mean to..." Po closed his eyes at disappointment after Crane left. In the mean time he felt Mantis jumping over his shoulder.
"That didn't go very well, did it?" Po asked to Mantis and Viper that were still on the stage.
"Oh, you figured that out all by yourself?" Mantis replied back annoyed.
"The people are watching, continue the auction," Ping informed pushing them back. "Let's keep the..uh...good tags returned with Dragon Warrior!"
In the mean time Crane was moving away from the crow staring at the floor. He stopped to see two children that only laughed at him and moved towards the show. Crane slowly made his way inside the noddle shop.
He stopped when he saw his reflection appearing at the down side of a big pan.
Crane's P.O.V
'Is this all I am?Nothing but a joke?Was I fooling myself thinking that this people respected me?What's wrong with me?...It's something on my feathers?Maybe I'm just pathetic anyway.'
I kept thinking with myself for few moments until I heard a big commotion outside the shop(sneeze). I went out to investigate and saw that my friends were down at the floor with several debris around them. I flew next to them immediately.
"Hey, guys, Tigress, what happened?!" I asked while looking at my injured friends. A familiar voice made me turn around quickly. Next thing I saw was Fenghuang coming directly at me with her deadly talons ready to strike.
I froze in shock, I could see her coming slowly, but for some reason I felt strange. I didn't move. Not because I couldn't, but because I wasn't sure if I should.
My second of hesitation was enough for her, she grabbed me with both talons right at the neck and went high shaking me with violence. I felt my neck becoming numb the longer she keep pressuring it. I knew that if she kept flying that way my neck would snap and I would die. For my 'luck' she went down quickly and thrown me on an intense spin directly to the wall. I hit it hardly and realized that I had got stuck by my beak.
"How pathetic!" Fenhuang said with an evil smirk. "Let me put you out of your misery."
At this I knew she was going to kill me. I panicked as I tried to break free, but there was no way I could escape. I closed my eyes and waited for death.
Normal P.O.V
Before Fenhuang could hit Crane Po managed to bring out a pan to block her attack. He went successful. Fenghuang shaked in agony as she felt her talons broke instantly.
"Guys!Her talons!They can't cut through iron!" Po said to the rest of his team.
Tigress immediately grabbed a big iron staff and assaulted Fenghuanf with it. The owl fought hard but without the talons she wasn't much of a match against the female tiger. The owl came out of Tigress range but was quickly confronted by Mantis and Viper that were throwing everything heavy they had close towards them. Fenghuang went high.
"This is for you!" Mantis said sticking his tongue out making Fenghuang mad. She came down to strike the bug, but only managed to hit a large iron that was hidden behind him. The resulted impact finished what she had left of her talons.
"My talons...my beautiful talons," Fenghuang said looking down at her feet. That moment of distraction was enough for Po strike at her with full strength. The owl flew backwards hitting the floor hard several times. Her right-wing was badly injured.
"Here's where you say something pity like 'curse you!' or 'ill get you for..that didn't feel very good...uh..on my...face." Po said messing up the words while talking the with the injured owl.
Fenghuang said nothing and managed to went sky-high with only one good wing heading towards the mountains.
"A great cheers for the Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five!" said to the villagers that came out to thank their heroes.
"More like the Furious Four," A villager said. At this the Five turned around to see where he was staring at.
"I'm okay!" Crane said while still trying to get his beak unstuck."I got this!Urrghh!"
Crane finally broke out by free-falling backwards. All the villagers stared to laugh at him. Crane quickly rose to his feet embarrassed.
"Hhaha, why don't you paint a picture?It will last longer," Crane asked without emotion. The villager next to him then show the avian a scroll with a paint of a bird with his beak stuck in a wall. The villagers laughed even harder now.
Crane laughed sadly and almost turned to be a small cry but then he sneezed again.
Next day, morning at the Training Hall...
Crane tried to perform his stunts, but was feeling so down that it had him tired quickly.
He went to the obstacle course, at the first seconds he was dong well, but then he lost control and got a terrible beat that ended with him hitting some of his friends and nearly getting impale by a lance.
"Sorry guys...my bad," Crane throw the lance away and took a sit. His expression showing him clearly upset.
"Focus Crane," Tigress said coming next to him along the others."Even knowing she's injured, Fenghuang won't be easy to capture. We have to go after her."
But Crane didn't want to listen, he walked towards the dummy and hit it with his talon, the dummy bounced back getting Crane's beak stuck in it.
"Ouch," Was all that Crane said. Po was looking at his depressed friend, he went forward to talk with him.
"Just leave him alone, Po, "Tigress said. Po turned towards her." Crane's an accomplished kung fu master, he'll get his confidence back."
"Yeah, and I think I have a plan!" Po said suddenly.
"Yeah, that's not what I.." Tigress tried to say, but Po had already gone.
Crane had managed to get his beak off and stared angrily towards the dummy, then Po just decided to show up.
"Hey buddy!Haha, Hum..sorry about yesterday."
"Ohh, noo...that was good...I realize now that my life's a lie and people I swore to protect think I'm a joke!There's a lot of room for personal gropes here."
Crane went to hit the dummy again, the bounce was harder this time and sent Crane flying backwards.
"Ouch,"
"Crane...they just don't know the real you!But!We can show them the real you."
The waterfowl stared at him in disbelief.
"How?"
"By totally changing you!"
Later that day Crane was using a ridiculous mustache and an ugly hat. To make things worse he was smiling as if he though he was cool. Wasn't necessary to say that he was the joke down at the village, the villagers felt to their knees at laughter. Crane felt he didn't want more to see none of them and quickly returned to the palace along with Po. He didn't blame the panda for all what happened.
"Oh, common Crane it wasn't that bad!" Po said while trying to get Crane better even if that was a waste of time."The mustache maybe, but the hat!It looked cool!"
"Were have you guys been?" Mantis asked showing in front of the two."Fenghuang has been spotted over the mountains."
"And she's still nursing her wing," Viper said.
"This our chance to capture her, common, we gotta get up there while she still weak" Tigress was determinate.
"I...I'm not going," Crane said walking away.
"Uh?" Po was surprised."Crane, no!We need you."
"Po...you saw me freeze up when Fenghuang attacked, and you heard everyone laughing when we were down at the village."
"So?That's something..." Po said chuckling a bit. Crane stared at him with complete disappointment. Po felt uneasy and quickly throw the odd hat he was carrying far away.
"Crane, we're friends and being friends means we can always count on each other no matter what anyone else thinks," Po said pleading for the bird to understand.
"Sorry, Po," Crane turned around and stood still in a corner.
"Crane..." Po wanted to talk with him.
"Po, he made his choice," Tigress said holding Po's arm. "We gotta get going."
Both Po and Tigress left leaving Crane alone in the courtyard. The group went to the mountains to capture Fenghuang.
Crane's P.O.V
I had finishing telling a story about my uncle to Zeng while sweeping the floor along with him. I didn't know why, but such activity really helped me to calm down a bit.
"Hum, Master Crane, it may be odd to ask, but uhh...why didn't you go with the others?" Zeng asked.
My smile faded as I heard this. I felt guilty forming inside me.
"Because I'm a joke Zeng. At any moment I could freeze up...(sneeze)...at least here I can't hurt anyone..(cough)...
Suddenly I heard a big noise.
"What was that?" I asked while turning around. I saw in the distance a huge cloud raise above the mountains were I knew my friends had went to.
"Master, isn't there were the others went to?" Zeng asked."Shouldn't we do something?Master Crane?What we'll do?"
"Stop!"
My head was hurting. I couldn't handle not even with how bad I felt for leaving my friends on their own. I never should do something like that. Once a mountain cat taught me the real value of friendship, this was my chance to see how I would value theirs.
I didn't stop to think and flew the fastest I could to the mountains bringing along the clean sweep. It didn't took long for me to reach the spot, but when I look up I was surpris to see Po falling from the sky. I suppose that Fenghuang should be up there and managed to take Po down. I quickly reached the panda. I held the sweep on my keep to give Po better support.
"Crane!You came!" Po said happily looking down at me.
"No time for chat, let's get up there so you can take her down for once," Crane said back. We reached Fenghuang quickly, the owl was surprise to see us.
"Blizzard Crane Dragon Warrior combo unit attack!" Po screamed to Fenghuang.
'What he just said?' I though while keeping flying directly to the owl.
"Right in your face!" Po kicked the owl hard. Then he jumped of the sweep and feel above Fenghuang bring them both down.
I flew to catch the panda before he hit the ground. Fenghuang hit a pile of snow down below. That had made her angry and she came in a hot pursuit towards us. She hit Po in the back knocking him down to the ground. I flew the fastest I could to catch him otherwise the fall would kill him.
With a precise flight I caught him using the sweep so Po could hold a grip. Fenghuang came after us again. Then suddenly Po made a strange spin forcing me down to the village. Fenghuang caught us and Po and the owl started to exchange punches and kicks.
"Carweful thewre!" I said as Po compressed his butt over my beak to avoid getting hit. It wasn't easy to talk while having a sweep in my beak."This is not really gowd for sciwce"
"Not the time," Po said back while trying to dodge and counter attack. The villagers down below where watching the fight above. The Fenghuang came with a powerful strike knocking Po down hard into a house.
I came down the fastest I could. Po had left the house moaning in pain.
"Po, come on!" I said helping the panda to get up."I can't defeat her by myself," Po blinked few times and stood still.
"Alright..let's do this," Then Po fell unconscious on the floor. I heard laughter above me and stared at Fenhuang up above.
"Ow..what's the matter little birdie?" She said with mockery."Lost your confidence?" She laughed at me. I couldn't help, but look down at shame. Then a memory float into my head and the owl's laughter disappeared.
'But I can't do it Ling, I'm not strong enough...' I said to the mountain cat while she waited for me to attack. The mountain cat sighed, but kept a friendly expression.
'Crane, since you got here everyone always thought that you were weak due your appearance. But you proved all of them wrong not by your strength, but by your determination on do it so. You wasn't so sure if you could make it, to achieve confidence you must have courage to make the task. Even if it seems impossible. Believe in yourself.'
'Courage?Wait!I'm not a coward!' I protested angrily. The cat only chuckled.
'Then prove me wrong birdie,' That made me angry. The anger was enough to give me the courage to face her
And enough to bring my confidence back.
I heard Fenghuang's laughter again and I frowned.
"I just found it," I said in a sinister manner.
Normal P.O.V
Crane flew with ferocity at the owl, she saw this and tried to flew away. The owl tried to lose track of him by flying through the streets and throwing everything she could at him, but the waterfowl dodged and kept firm in the pursuit.
Suddenly Fenghuang came back for the counter attack. Crane was taken by surprise and barely dodge the attack of her new talon sharp knifes, even so Crane's straw hat was sliced in half. Fenghuang came back with great speed and both of them exchanged several kicks at each other. Fenghuang managed to hit a strong kick at Crane's chest sending him down to the bamboo forest. She flew over it looking for a sign of the avian.
Fenghuang saw too late that Crane was holding a bamboo firmly and unleashed it at the owl sending her flying backwards far away. She hit the ground hard, but became airborne quickly when she saw Crane closing in.
The owl tried to use a small mountain of rock to lose Crane of her tail, she used her metal talons to break few pieces of rock at him. She went high looking around and saw no sign of the waterfowl.
Then coming from the sun direction Crane charged towards her with a powerful strike. Crane used his talons to hold the owl's legs firmly and made an intense spin that the owl couldn't break free. They descended quickly towards the village.
They both hit the ground with a tremendous impact raising a cloud of dust. The villagers awaited with apprehension wondering who had won. They gasped when they saw the owl coming out, but then she felt unconscious on the ground, Crane was standing behind her. Then the avian sneezed.
Everyone started to cheer for Crane, Po being among them.
"Crane, you did it!" Po said looking at him happily. "You beat Fenghuang, and managed to keep your kung funk."
Everyone screamed for Master Crane and carried the avian away celebrating.
Later that day...
"It is with great pleasure that I announce the grand opening of the new's children hospital," Mr. Ping said to the people present. The Five and Po were along the few people present. "Master Crane, as one of the most respected and loved members of the Furious Five...would you do the honors?" The goose said pointing to the red ribbon.
"Well...hum..." Crane stared at his friends that nodded."Me?"
Two little bunnies came in front of the avian to return his straw hat that now was in one piece. Crane was surprise to see the hat again and slowly placed it back over his head. He turned to his friends and saw how proud they were of him.
"Way to go buddy," Mantis said. Crane smiled. Then the avian used his beak to cut the red ribbon and mark the official opening of the hospital. Everyone cheered.
Suddenly Crane start coughing badly.
"Was that ribbon made of silk?" Crane asked between coughs. Tigress sighed annoyed.
"Let's get him inside," She said while moving in with the others.
"He's allergic to silk?" Monkey asked surprise by the new.
"Of course!" Mantis said back.
"Let's cheer for Master Crane, the hospital's first patient!" Mr. Ping said, everyone cheered.
"Po, shut the door," Crane said. Po did it so and shut it."Can you bring me a scroll and some ink?*cough*I have a letter to write. I*cough* have someone I need to thank."
A/N: Well, that's it for the one-shot. I couldn't change much and I had to let some parts of the episode out because it was way too much to write anyway. :p Now about Crane being allergic... allergic my ass. And Crane's eyes are dark brown, not gold. Gezzz. And his neck should be black, not purple.