Master Shifu didn't give a glance back at the defeated panda, but strode purposefully out the door. I knew it would be hopeless if the panda stayed, so along with my friends, I would get rid of him. Walking quietly besides the others as we quickly left the panda behind, I listened carefully to sense their feelings on this terrible predicament.
"There are no words," Monkey began, but I sensed he had a quiet appreciation for the panda's stubbornness and I shook my fur in disgust. Would they all sympathize with the panda, just because he was similar to Master Shifu? I didn't even want to dignify the panda by referring to his name0not to mention I didn't know it.
"No denying that," Crane finished. He, I knew, sympathized with the panda, but his clever mind had already realized that helping the panda would only bring China to its knees.
"I don't understand what Master Oogway was thinking. The poor guy's just going to get himself killed," Viper murmured. I couldn't believe how she took his side, and I highly doubted that Master Shifu would kill him, but it was beginning to become clear that the panda was very prone to accidents. In fact, I wanted to cause him to have an accident. But this was not what Master Shifu wanted. He was letting the panda show him what he had, and then he was going to let him choose whether to have his butt kicked every day or go home. I would let the panda know this too, only I would try to be more mentally direct than physically.
"He's so mighty! The Dragon Warrior fell out of the sky on a ball of fire," Crane mocked the panda, and I rolled my eyes. He loved sarcasm sometimes too much for his own good…
"When he walks, the ground shakes," Mantis chuckled. Mantis seemed either way, and was simply ignoring this situation, figuring eventually it would be solved with his newfound patience. I had none of that right now. How could I have not been the glorious Dragon Warrior, to bring peace to my master? Why didn't Oogway choose me?
"One would think that Master Oogway would choose someone who actually knew kung fu," I snarled angrily. I would not dare go against Master Oogway openly, out of respect like Master Shifu, not out of fear of course.
"Yeah, or could at least touch his toes," Crane muttered.
"Or even see his toes," Monkey tacked on, causing them to began laughing again. I had absolutely no idea how they could just laugh off this situation, but I would take no part of it. If I were to help Master Shifu to get rid of the panda and restore our honor, I would have to do it alone. That night, I decided I wouldn't practice at the training hall as I usually did. It was a contaminated place.
As we eventually reached our bedrooms, we all wished each other good night and went into our separate rooms as ordinarily we would. Sitting down in my bed, I felt the rage of this day burning inside me and restless, I got back up, softly padded up and down my room and wished I could just punch something.
Just as I thought I was about to explode, I heard a soft creaking noise…footsteps. That panda was here, which meant that he hadn't left yet. Why couldn't he just get out of here. He was such a burden to us all in a time of trouble. There was an assortment of mumbling that I heard, before there was a loud crack. Did he just break something again? Then, I heard Crane's door shoot open and I wondered why he was bothering Crane. He was probably trying to sleep right now.
Listening by my door, I snarled softly at the panda's stupidity.
"Oh hey-hey-hey-hi. You're up," the panda stammered.
"Am now," Crane shot back, but the way it came from him, it did not really sound like a challenge.
"I was just, uh, some day, huh? That kung fu stuff's hard work, right? Are your biceps sore?" the panda continued. Was he trying to make friends or something?
"Um, I've had a long a-and rather disappointing day, so, uh, yeah, I should probably get to sleep now," Crane hinted. He was stammering again and that wasn't very imposing of him.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, of course…" the panda realized.
"Okay, thanks," Crane sighed with relief.
"It's just, aw man, I'm such a big fan. You guys were totally amazing at the battle of weeping willow, outnumbered a thousand to one, but you didn't stop. And you just…" I heard a bunch of noises like he was imitating kung fu, and then something tore. Could he ever stop humiliating us by pretending to be like us? "Oh, sorry about that," the panda muttered.
"Uh, look, you don't belong here," Crane awkwardly said, but I mentally cheered him on.
"Ugh, I know, I know. You're right. I don't have the-I just-my whole life I've dreamed of-" the panda continued and I rolled my eyes. Dreams don't come true you nitwit.
"No-no-no, I meant y-you don't belong here. I mean in this room. This is my room-property of Crane," he added, and I growled lowly. Why couldn't he just stand up to the panda without stuttering?
"Oh, okay, right, right. So, yeah, you want to get to sleep," the panda finally realized.
"Yeah," Crane agreed.
"I'm keeping you up. We got big things tomorrow. Alright, you're awesome. Last thing I'm going to say. Bye-bye," he left and I shook with rage. Oh, no, there was most definitely not going to be a tomorrow here for him. I would make sure of that.
Crane sighed. "What was that?" the panda asked.
"I didn't say anything," Crane snapped back. Finally…
"Okay, alright, good night, sleep well," the panda continued and shut the door again. "Seemed a little bit awkward," he sighed. Really? It took that long for him to tell? As he creaked down the hallway, I opened my doors to confront him.
"Master Tigress," he gasped, "Didn't mean to wake you. Just, uh," my eyes had been temporarily closed to calm myself down so I wouldn't yell at him, but now I opened them to glare at him.
"You don't belong here," I growled.
"Uh, Yeah, yeah, of course. This is your room," he stretched his neck to peer inside, but I blocked him. His eyes were not worthy of any of this.
"I mean, you don't belong in the Jade Palace. You're a disgrace to kung fu and if you have any respect for who we are and what we do, you will be gone by morning," I leaned in imposingly to add to what I was saying. Then, I slammed the door in his face and mentally congratulated myself.
"Big fan," the panda called back and I hissed under my breath. How dare he? Then, I heard his footsteps retreat back the way he had come, and I could have leaped with joy. I had successfully gotten rid of him, and I would be the Dragon Warrior. I would defeat Tai Lung and Master Shifu would finally be proud of me. In a much better mood, I settled down to sleep. Tomorrow would be a good day.
When I woke up to the gong, I immediately leaped out of my room as the others did and greeted Master Shifu, "Good morning master."
"Panda, panda," Master Shifu called and I refrained from telling him I had driven him away. He might not like it that I had taken matters into my own paws. Walking quickly down the hallway, he slammed open the doors to what was supposed to be the panda's room and snarled, "Wake up!" Then, chuckling to himself, he murmured, "He's quit." Satisfied, he lead us all to breakfast, and then we went up to the courtyard to train as usual.
"What do we do know, Master? With the panda gone, who will be the Dragon Warrior?" Viper asked the question that I'm sure everyone was thinking.
"All we can do is resume our training and trust that in time, the true Dragon Warrior will be revealed," Master Shifu happily told us and I smiled inside. I would surely be the Dragon Warrior. Then. He opened the doors and I stared in disbelief. The panda was still here! "What are you doing here?" Master Shifu shouted and I glared at the panda. He was attempting to do the splits with the help of some of the training equipment.
"Ah! Hi, um, good morning master," he punched a fist to his palm in respect, "I, uh, thought I'd warm up a little," he stretched unconvincingly. I snarled in disgust. Stupid fat-ball was stuck.
"You're stuck," Master Shifu drawled.
"Stuc, nuh, what, stuck? Nah, this is one of my, uh, yeah, I'm stuck," he admitted.
"Help him," Master Shifu flicked his head toward Crane, who sighed.
"Oh dear," Crane said.
"Maybe on three. One, two, three," the panda gasped as Crane took hold of his pants and flapped furiously to move the panda. He succeeded in rolling the panda off of the equipment. 'Thank you," he sighed with relief.
"Don't mention it," Crane sarcastically grumbled.
"No, really, I appreciate-" the foolish panda continued.
"Ever," Crane clarified.
"Master Shifu chuckled, "You actually thought you could learn to do a full split in one night? It takes years to develop one's flexibility!" He threw some of the ceramic practice plates high into the air and I walked forward. Now, I would show th panda that he did not have what it took to defeat Tai Lung. I bent into a low crouch and he snapped his fingers, "And years longer to apply it in combat," he added. When his fingers snapped, I launched myself into the air, in a continuous twirling motion to reach the height I desired. With my fists in the ready fighting position, I did a full split that was powerful enough to obliterate the practice plates. Landing in a crouch, I gave a humph of satisfaction and walked away from him to stand behind Master Shifu again. As a rain of ceramic chunks fell to the ground, a large one hit him on the head. Bending down, he picked it up.
"Put that down! The only souvenirs we collect here are bloody knuckles and broken bones," Master Shifu snarled and I had to agree with him there. We practiced like our life depended on it, because one day it would.
"Yeah, excellent," the panda laughed and punched a hand to his fist in a ready position. That dope could barely understand hard work.
Let's get started," Master Shifu grinned. Oh, he was going to work the panda into submission. Sweet. He snapped his fingers and I lined up to the side with Monkey, Mantis, and Crane. He was going to show the panda how much all of us were better than the panda. It was Viper's turn first.
"Are you ready?" Viper asked.
"I was born ready," the panda shot back happily.
With a hiss, she tripped him into the air, punched him in the stomach and smacked him on the head so he fell on his head on the ground.
"I'm sorry brother. I thought you said you were ready," Viper mocked him. She had actually gone pretty easy on him.
"That was awesome! Let's go again," he clapped his hands and I stared at him in disbelief. He was ether suicidal or stupid. I was guessing the latter.
Master Shifu snapped his fingers again and Monkey flipped a long bamboo pole around to warm up. They had been at the side of the courtyard and the panda clearly had no idea how to use one. Flipping it and doing intricate moves, he hit the panda several times until he smacked him hard enough on the head that he fell.
Crane was next and as we walked to the training hall to practice on his favorite, the Jade Tortoise, I whispered to Viper, "Why hasn't he quit last night?"
"I think he talked to Master Oogway," she hissed back and I startled.
"Why would one as wise as Master Oogway pep talk this panda into staying here?" I asked in confusion.
"I don't know, but I hope Master Shifu's training and the panda's stubbornness won't kill him," she murmured back. I had nothing to say to this. She sympathized with the panda a lot.
We helped the panda onto the rim of the Jade Tortiose, but he only bounced around in it like a baby, laughing the whole time.
Master Shifu snapped hi fingers again and we headed outside so Mantis could beat him up next. Was he saving me for last on purpose?
Mantis beat him u quickly and painfully and as the day slowly progressed, I grew restless. Why wouldn't Master Shifu let me try to get the panda out of here. I wouldn't kill him, just beat him up harshly. When it was Mantis's turn for the last time that day, I couldn't believe how resilient the panda was. He was ready for more.
This was Master Shifu's last straw and I could tell he was outraged to the point of no return.
"I've been taking it easy on you panda, but no more. Your next opponent ," I waited for him to call my name and tensed my muscles, "will be me." I started with shock. What would he do to the panda? I could tell the others were surprised and mildly frightened. Master Shifu never used his full power except when he practiced by himself. When he practiced against anyone else he did not use his powers to kill or even break bones usually. Now, he was so mad, I wasn't entirely sure he wouldn't kill the guy.
"All right, yeah. Let's go," the panda laughed, standing up. Oh, he badly underestimated my master.
"Step forth," Master Shifu commanded. "Your true path to victory is finding your opponent's weakness and make him suffer for it," he flipped the panda several times and slammed him to the ground, cracking his knuckles. He bent the panda's had back by the ear.
"Oh, yeah," the panda laughed.
"To take his strength and use it against him," Master Shifu flipped the panda, threw him to his feet and launched himself into the air. I always admired how well he could control himself, as shown by how he leaped and kicked the panda's chin several rapid times while his body was slanted head toward the ground. I had no idea how many years upon years he trained. Swinging him away to the ground, he continued, "Until he finally falls," he leaped onto his head after flipping him, "or quits." He bent the panda's head up by the nose.
Nasally, the panda protested, "But a real warrior never quits. Don't worry master. I will never quit." Ooh…wrong words. Master Shifu snarled, flipped him, launched him into the air, and leaped to deliver a mighty kick with his good leg. The kick sent the panda through the doors and bouncing all the way down the stairs.
"If he's smart, he won't come back up those steps," I hissed as the others and I walked to the edge of the staircase. Master Shifu had already left and I hoped that at least, this was enough for the panda to quit. For once, I began to agree with the panda, and think that he would never quit. But I wouldn't either. He would have to go, one way or the other.
"But he will," Monkey looked to me resignedly.
"He's not going to quit, is he?" Viper asked to the others as I left.
Going to the training hall to begin my last two-hour workout of the day as usual, I wondered how on earth I could get the panda out of there. His weaknesses were easy to see-he was bad at kung fu, didn't know when to give up, and had too big of a conscience. I had almost gotten him to go by tearing at his conscience, so maybe I could do it again. For now, I just threw myself into my work, practicing new and old moves and always trying harder, so I could beat Tai Lung. By the end of my training session, I was tired a little and decided to go back.
As I entered the hallway to our rooms, I heard Viper and Mantis gathered in the panda's room, and Monkey and Crane listening intently.
"According to legend, there was once a time when Master Shifu actually used to simle," Viper told him, and I paused by the door. Was she going to tell him the story I had heard from Master Oogway and shared with them so many years ago?
"No!" the panda exclaimed with disbelief. I know, I had met Master Shifu after he had been betrayed by Tai Lung and I knew how much it hurt him.
"Yes," Viper sighed, "But that was before."
"Before what?" the panda asked and I resigned myself to telling the story. It would eat away at his conscience ad maybe he would finally leave.
"Before Tai Lung," I answered, pushing open the doors. I had always remembered the story Master Oogway had told me, as if it had been yesterday.
"Oh yeah. We're not really supposed to talk about him," Crane added in a matter of fact tone.
"Well, if he's going to stay here, he should know," I flashed back.
"Guys, guys, I know about Tai Lung. He was a student, the first ever to master the Thousand Scrolls of Kung Fu, and then he turned bad, and now he's in jail…" he trailed off as I strode towards him angrily. How dare he say he knew about him already? He didn't even know the beginning of the truth.
"He wasn't just a student," I reminisced, recalling back the story told to me so long ago. "Shifu found him as a cub and he raised him as a son." The son I could never be…"And when the boy showed talent in kung fu, Shifu trained him. He believed in him. He told him he was destined for greatness." Part of who Tai Lung was had been Master Shifu's doing, but he had never expected what a monster he would create. "It was never enough for Tai Lung," my voice shook sadly at that. It would have been good enough for me. "He wanted the Dragon Scroll, but Oogway saw darkness in his heart and refused. Outraged, Tai Lung laid waste to the valley. He tried to take the Dragon Scroll and Shifu had to destroy what he created." I couldn't help almost crying at my master's pain. It must have broken his heart to see his son turn against him. "But how could he?" As he had hesitated in his love, Tai Lung had broken his hip. Now he was left with a permanent limp and a hole in his heart. Tai Lung had stolen love from Master Shifu and I had to give it back to him.
"Shifu loved Tai Lung like he had never loved anyone before or since," I murmured. He had never loved me, not even from the beginning. Back to my original plan of dissuading the panda, I snarled, "And now, he has a chance to make things right-to train the true Dragon Warrior-and he's stuck with you, a big fat panda who treats it like a joke," I spat angrily.
"Doi!" he made a face and stuck out his tongue. How dare he!
"Okay, that's it!" I screeched, swinging back a paw to claw his face off.
"Wait! Wait! My fault! I accidentally tweaked his facial nerves," Mantis yelled and I stopped myself just in time. I stepped back and the panda fell over with hundreds of acupuncture needles sticking out of is back. "And may have also stopped his heart," Mantis worriedly tapped the panda's face, who only twitched in return. Carefully, he began removing the needles, and I left to wait for dinner. Usually, Master Shifu cooked and he was excellent at it.
"Scared? Yeah. So, I'm like fine. You may be a wolf. You may be the scariest bandit in Hua Xien province, but you're a lousy tipper," the panda continued a story that the others had obviously been talking about before they arrived here. The panda was cooking in Master Shifu's absence, and to my amazement, it actually smelled really good.
"Really, so how'd you get out of there alive?" Crane asked. Exactly.
"I mean, uh, I didn't actually say that. But I thought it, in-in my mind," he muttered, pouring the soup and noodles into several bowls. "If he could read my mind, he would have been like, what? Order up," he served the plates. Pathetic thing-why was he still here? "Do you like it?" ha asked.
"This is really good," Mantis exclaimed.
"Nah, you should try my dad's Secret Ingredient Soup. He actually knows the secret ingredient," the panda muttered.
"What are you talking about? This is amazing," Viper gasped.
"Wow, you're a really good cook," Crane complimented.
"I wish my mouth was bigger," Mantis commented. Okay, enough with this. Soup would not defeat Tai Lung.
"Tigress, you've got to try this," Monkey told me and I frowned.
"It is said that the Dragon Warrior can survive for months at a time on nothing but the dew of a single ginkgo leaf and the energy of the universe," I coldly replied. I took a small bite of my food.
"I guess my body doesn't know it's the Dragon Warrior yet. I'm going to need a lot more than dew, and uh, universe juice," he panda drank his soup and everyone but me laughed. Why was that so funny? "What?" he asked.
"Oh, nothing, Master Shifu," Mantis laughed.
Sliding out of his chair, the panda imitated my master's voice. How dare he after I told him about Master Shifu's past? "You'll never be the Dragon Warrior unless you lose five-hundred pounds and brush your teeth," he waved his chopsticks like my master's flute and the others laughed. "What is that noise you're making? Laughter? I've never heard of it. Work hard, panda, and maybe someday you will have ears like mine," he held up two bowls as ears. Okay, that was kind of funny.
Suddenly, I widened my eyes as I saw Master Shifu standing behind the panda. The others immediately stopped too and I worried Master Shifu would really kill the panda this time. He looked so grim.
"Ears? It's not working for you? I thought they were pretty good," the oblivious panda said, hurt.
"It's Shifu," Monkey whispered.
"Of course it's Shifu. What do you think I'm doing?" the panda laughed. Suddenly turning around, he gasped, "Ooh, Master Shifu," and stuck the bowls to his chest fur. "Uh," he slurped up the noodle on his lip and sidestepped away. Master Shifu glared at him as the others laughed.
"You think this is funny? Tai Lung has escaped from prison and you're acting like children," Master Shifu yelled.
"What?" the panda gasped. I mentally froze. So soon We were nowhere near ready.
"He is coming for the Dragon Scroll and you are the only one who can stop him." The bowls fell.
The panda laughed, "And here I am saying you've got no sense of humor. I'm gonna…stop Tai Lung. What, are you serious? And I have to-?" he stammered. "No, Master Oogway will stop him. He did it before. He'll do it again."
"Oogway cannot. Not anymore," Master Shifu sighed and I felt a sudden sense of loss. The wise old turtle was gone? I gasped.
"Our only hope is the Draon Warrior," he quietly said. No! He could not take the side of the panda! Not now! We would al be doomed.
"The panda?" I hissed angrily.
"Yes, the panda," he snapped back.
"Master, please! Let us stop Tai Lung. This is what you've trained us for," I yelled, shooting up from my chair.
"No! It is not your destiny to defeat Tai Lung! It is his!" he pointed with Master Oogway;s staff to the now empty space and looked around in confusion. "Where'd he go?"
"He…sort of ran away," Viper admitted. I followed him as he limped down the hallway.
"Master, he can't defeat Tai Lung. You know that," I quietly protested.
"Whether he can or cannot doesn't matter. I promised Oogway," he told me and I stiffened and growled. Even dead, Master Oogway controlled things. He was wise and a good friend, but not now.
"But if he can't, who will?" I asked, but he only gave silence and I realized the answer and shivered with horror, " N-n-no, you can't! This time, he might kill you !" I hissed. I could not bare it for him to die.
"Tigress, at this point, which do you think would be easier for me?" he said softly.
"Don't we mean anything to you?" I whispered, hurt.
"It is for you that I'm doing this," he growled and I stopped, watching my father go to his death. The panda would not succeed and Master Shifu would die, unless I did something first.
Walking back to the table, I growled, "Master Shifu promised Oogway to let the panda try. He will fail, and Master Shifu will take his place. If he does, he will die. I won't let that happen," grimly, I left them with that, walking out and onto the roof to listen to Master Shifu and the panda.
"Come on! Tai Lung is on his way here right now! And even if it takes him a hundred years to get here, how are you going to change this into the Dragon Warrior, huh?" At least he knew he would fail. He asked how thrice in a louder voice each time and finally Master Shifu snapped.
"I don't know!" he yelled. Then, he paused and closed his eyes defeatedly. "I don't know."
That was it. There was no option left but to leave and take care of Tai Lung right now. I would succeed and my father would live. Turning around, I launched myself off of the roof and into the dark night air.