*DONG*
A large bell had woken me up. Holy hell, that thing reminded me of my old alarm clock! The only difference was that with the bell I couldn't punch it and throw it into the wall to shut it up. I heard several doors open from the outside and multiple voices talking in unison.
"Good morning master Shifu".
Oh right, I'm in the barracks. Do any of them know I'm even in here? My question was answered upon seeing the door to my room open with only Shifu standing in the doorway. I looked across and noticed that the room opposite mine was open, showing Po sleeping. I think I heard him mention something about "dumplings", whatever those are.
Thinking fast, I did what everybody else had done and greeted him.
"Good morning master Shifu". I spoke before bowing. I opened my eyes and saw Shifu raising one of his rather large eyebrows. I just grinned nervously, not knowing what else to say.
"For the future, I expect you to wake up and greet your master faster Python". Shifu said as though he was a drill sergeant from the army.
"My apologies Master".
Shifu checked the other room that Po was in. I held in a small laugh when Shifu hit Po on the head to wake him. He then turned back to me.
"Though I shall admit, you wake up much quicker than... others". I nodded and allowed Shifu to pass me. I watched him walk out of the barracks before checking on Po.
"Are you alright Po? That whack on the head looked painful". I asked, concerned.
"Eh, don't worry about it. I've had worse wake up calls". He responded while rubbing his head.
"So now what, are we meant to begin our training"?
"Pfft. Only if you're Tigress. Besides, this'll be a great chance for you to meet the others"! Po seemed somewhat excited at this. I on the other hand, not so much.
"Yes well, I'm not too sure about that Po".
"It'll be fine. I got your back playa".
I was a little reluctant but I made my way to the front of the hallway and turned to the right, into the kitchen, seeing all the warrior animals I saw yesterday. Needless to say I was a little nervous. At least I knew that Po and Crane were with me. Tigress, no chance in hell. Everyone else, guess I was about to find out.
I made my way over to the nearest chair, next to the other snake. Po sat at the front of the table and everyone took notice of my presence. This just made me even more nervous. It didn't take long for one of them to say something.
"So we're keeping criminals with us in the barracks now"?
"MANTIS"! Scolded Crane.
Okay, not the best start ever.
"Yeah, ease up bud". The monkey spoke up. Mantis scoffed.
"Just saying".
"I'm not a criminal. I never have been". I defended myself.
"If you say so". Great. Make that two for the hate team.
"Hundun tried to force me to kill Po and I didn't okay? The least you could do is show a little respect".
"Yeah, could but won't".
I hissed in irritation. I was passed a plate from the Monkey who then set a bowl of... round dough balls, I think that was what they were, in the middle of the table. Everybody except myself and Tigress took a couple each. Tigress didn't because she was already eating some rather small cubes. I didn't take any because the dough balls didn't look very delicious.
"What's wrong Mike, don't you like bean buns"?
"Hm? Oh, sorry. I've never really had one of these... bean buns before".
Everyone had a mix of either interest, curiosity, or in Po's case, pure shock.
"WHAT"?! He blurted out, scaring me. "How have you never tried a bean bun before. They're like the best breakfast food ever"!
Before I could reply, Po took one of the bean buns and put it down on the plate in front of me. I looked at Po to see that he was nearly begging for me to try one. I sighed and wrapped my tail around the bean bun and took a small bite put of it.
There wasn't much to say about the bun. It was... chewy... I'd say was the best word for it. Slightly dry but apart from that, not bad.
"Tastes fine to me".
Po smiled as though he had just been told that he had won the lottery. Everyone seemed satisfied that I had at least tried.
"See? It's not bad at all". Po spoke happily. I just went "Meh" And continued to finish off the bean bun.
"So I hear you're joining us for training"? The green snake besides me asked. I just looked up from my food and nodded.
"Yeah, seems so. Can't wait to see me make a fool out of myself". Most of the warriors gave a small chuckle at this.
"Yeah well, I remember how my first day went". Po spoke proudly.
"And how did it go"? I asked. Everybody looked ready to burst with laughter upon remembering that day, except Tigress. Damn, she's really anti-social.
"It... had it's ups and downs". Po admitted, not wanting to go into too much detail. I decided just to leave it at that.
Needless to say that the rest of breakfast was quiet around me. I just kept to myself until I heard another bell sound off.
Everyone left the table and out through the front door. I followed. We took a different set of stairs up to a different structure surrounded by a wall. We entered and I saw weapon cases for spears, boards, several platforms and other kinds of training equipment. Everybody kept walking past the gear and into building ahead. I did the same.
Inside were spinning cylinder platforms that spun, a green bowl, past that was what I counted to be sixteen carved posted with arms. They looked quite loose as though even the slightest touch would cause them to spin. Beyond that was a few hundred short pipes sticking up from the ground. You could easily walk on it if you wanted.
I saw Shifu to the left of myself and the rest of the group. He then spoke.
"Good morning students. Today, seeing how we have a new arrival with us, you are free to do whatever type of training you wish".
Po raised his hand up into the air.
"No Po, sleeping in the Jade tortoise does not count towards your training".
Po lowered his hand, only to raise it shortly after.
"Or empty belly defense". Seriously? He just ate.
"During your routine of training. I hope that you will help our new student to learn and prosper. I trust you not to let me down".
Everyone then bowed. As did I one second after everyone else.
Shifu opened the floor to us and everybody did their own training. Po stayed with me and showed me what I should start with first. I wasn't amused.
"You can't be serious Po".
He had set up a red and yellow training dummy for me on the left side of the training room.
"Why not? This is how I started off".
"Po, this is the sort of thing I'd expect children to use"!
"Trust me on this".
I looked at the dummy's painted on face. I sighed and whacked it with my tail. Needless to say there was nothing to it.
"...Am I done with this thing? I think I've already mastered beating a dummy".
Po sighed and let me see the others train. I remained on the walkway and saw everyone taking on the course no problem.
Soon enough, one of them decided to help me out with one of the more... advanced methods of training compared to Po's. Crane flew up to the walkway and landed right besides Po.
"Po, I'm certain Mike already knows how to pull off a tail whack. Tell you what, I'll take it from here".
Po sighed. "Fine".
"Thanks for the help Po". I said politely. Give him a little credit, he was just trying to help. I followed Crane into the training arena. The floor was covered in sand. He flew onto the green tortoise and I jumped up, nearly losing my balance once I landed on the rim. Crane then began to explain what it was we would be doing.
"Now, The jade tortoise of wisdom is meant to help us learn to control our balance. So what we will be doing is to try and stay on the rim of the Tortoise for as long as you can before you lose you balance".
I nodded, showing that I understood. However the moment I did, Crane flew off the jade tortoise, causing it to shift towards my side. I nearly lost my balance already. The tortoise rocked back and forth a few more seconds before coming to a stand still. Least that wasn't so bad. That's what I thought until Crane landed back on the bowl with a thump, causing it to rock even more. This time I fell inside of the tortoise.
"Not a bad first try, but could be better". Said Crane as though he was the teacher. I guess he was to me. I just bowed and jumped back on the rim.
This same routine lasted another four times until I could make it a full minute without falling. Not a bad start for my first day of training.
For the second phase of the training was with Viper. Because I was a python, master Shifu explained that I would be working with her for most of my training until I could manage on my own. For now however, she was explaining the pipes to me. Turns out they spit fire. Fantastic.
"The key to the fire pit is to sense when and where the heat will strike". She then demonstrated by slithering onto the middle of the pipes and waited patiently. A few seconds later she twisted her body to the right just as a line of fire shot out of the pipe she was previously sitting on. It shot up seven feet high. So if I couldn't do this. I would be served with hot sauce at a barbecue.
Viper jumped off the pipes and landed back onto the ground. She urged me to try. I froze up for a second but got my bearings and slithered onto the middle where she had previously been. She gave a friendly nod and I waited. I could feel nothing at first. Then I felt the heat rising slowly, then fast. I moved my body and twisted it to the right, doing exactly what Viper had done. However, once the fire burst out of the pipe, I flinched and fell. It was much scarier watching the fire shoot up right beside you okay? Needless to say it only happened that one time.
Anyway, I fell over and crawled off the pit. I felt a little embarrassed for being a wuss.
"Are you okay"? Viper asked in concern, despite suppressing a giggle with her tail. I nodded.
"I'm fine". I nearly snapped.
I tried to give it another go after a few minutes had passed. It was basically the same thing. Train with one pipe, dodge the fire and repeat. I kept flinching two more times from the fire until I got control of my nerves. Surprisingly it became easier than it looked but that was with one pipe. I wasn't sure what would happen if I was to avoid multiple flaming pipes but I bet it wouldn't be long until I found out for myself.
The next phase of training came along. Let me just say that I think i prefer facing the fire pipes again after having to be trained by Tigress. Why she decided to train me, I don't know. I was too afraid to ask. Seriously.
She went through a quick explanation of how we would be sparring, guess I found out the reason. To kick the shit out of me. And she pretty much did. All I will say about it is that her methods of training, you don't walk away unscathed. By the time I had finished with her, I had bruises all over.
The sparring itself, it started off well, simple dodging and blocking at first. Then it got faster and faster. Then it came to me doing the attacking. I tried pulling off some punches. Nothing to do with flipping or spinning like everybody else could. The next step however, this is how I got the bruises. We were both going to attack.
Long story short, She got almost every single hit on me and I didn't even get one on her. By the end of the session she was disappointment. She then spoke. Coldly.
"You need to improve. And fast if you want to keep training here".
She left me be. I slithered away and decided to see how Po was getting along. I found him over at the wooden blocks that spun round. He was doing quite well until one managed to hit him. That was when he lost his concentration, allowing more than half the wooden arms to hit him, and not lightly either. Once he stepped out, I noticed that he seemed happy.
"Are you ok Po"? I asked from the side of him.
"Yeah, I'm good. I think I'm getting better at those thingies".
Better? If that was better, I would have hated to see his first attempt at it. However that didn't stop me from trying the blocks. Po left me, saying something about sticky dumplings. Sometimes, I wondered if Po did anything other than eat and sleep.
I decided to start off with two at the side. I quickly learned that the wooden arms spun round fast. Very fast. I managed to block most of the blows well enough, using my tail and back. The hits that got me however hurt. Not as bad as Tigress I will admit but still, ow.
I stuck with the two same carved blocks until I felt satisfied with myself. My best result was blocking every single arm for three full minutes. After that, one hit me in the back of the head. I decided to take a breather and slithered back onto the walkway.
Unknown to me, Shifu was headed in my direction. He stopped at the side of me and spoke the moment I least expected it.
"A restful spirit is a defenseless spirit, Python".
I took notice of him at once. I think he was ordering me to continue my training. I felt exhausted and it had only been twenty minutes. I hoped that this wouldn't go on for too long. I apologized and threw myself back into the arena, despite my body being in pain.
Another twenty minutes passed and Shifu tapped his stick onto the ground once. Everybody sped off from what they were doing and instantly stood in front of Shifu. I eventually arrived five seconds later, taking my place next to Monkey.
Excellent work students. Especially you python".
I smiled at this. Trying to breath in and out slowly to make it look like I was fine. The noise I made breathing was a dead giveaway, embarrassing myself. To be fair, I felt like I had run a marathon. I wasn't exactly all that fit, but that could change if I continue with all the training I've done today, except maybe sparing. My thoughts were interrupted then Shifu spoke with anger.
"Where is Po"?
Crap. He must still be eating those bean buns. Against my better judgement, I told Shifu.
"I think he mentioned something about bean buns".
Shifu let out an annoyed sigh as though he expected something like this to happen.
"Very well. You all may leave. And if you see Po, tell him that I wish to speak to him at once".
We all bowed and left the training room at once. The doors closed behind us and everyone began to talk. Mantis started off.
"Man, I thought that training session would never end".
"Oh come on Mantis, it wasn't any different from any other training we've done". Scolded Viper.
"Actually Shifu does push us harder than that. Guess we got lucky thanks to Mike".
Everybody except Tigress nodded in agreement. I blushed from the praise. Monkey soon brought spirits down.
"Yeah well, hope you enjoyed it while it lasted. You know he's just gonna push us just as hard later on".
"You train twice in one day"? I asked wide eyed.
"Three times. One each after breakfast, lunch and dinner". Crane explained.
"If I were you, I would just back out and save myself from being embarrassed". Tigress spoke up at last. Her comment directed at me. I decided to speak back.
"I wouldn't expect your first day of training to go so perfect". Tigress stopped walking and stepped up to me. I think I just kicked the hornets nest.
"Maybe not, but have you trained your entire life since you were five years old"?
"...I can't say that I have. But I never had the chance to, unlike yourself".
"Then you have a lot of catching up to do".
I hissed and slithered out of the courtyard ahead of everybody else. I just hated people judging me off the bat. It always got under my skin. I hurried down the stairs and headed in the direction of the barracks. Before I could even touch the first step, I heard someone from behind. I didn't bother to look and ascended up the first stair.
"Mike, can I talk to you"?
I could tell that the voice belonged to viper. I guess she wanted a snake to snake talk.
"There's nothing to talk about. Tigress just spoke her mind and I overreacted".
I turned round to see her standing a few feet away from myself.
"She still had no right to say what she said".
"Of course she does. It's a simple act of freedom. No one except herself can speak her mind for her".
Viper hissed in a scolding manner at me.
"And what about you? Are you happy with being judged right off the bat"?
"I've dealt with it many times. What is one more"?
"It's another insult that will hurt you if you let it".
I sighed, mostly because she spoke the truth. I didn't let her know about that though. I felt much like a child being told off by their mother.
"Regardless, what happens happens".
Viper looked down for a moment before looking back up to me.
"Then I hope you push past it". That was the last thing she said before slithering off, leaving me with my thoughts.
"I hope so too". I then headed back to the barracks. I had some serious thinking to do.
...
Authors notes: I know I said I wasn't going to post another chapter until the weekend, but I had to get this one out. It just cut in too well. Also, before anyone gets the wrong idea, no there won't be any romance between Mike and Viper, but they will have a deeper understanding of each other than anyone else like the talk to talk at the end of this chapter. Well that's all for now. The next chapter will be posted this weekend. For real this time ^^