For what felt like hours I sat on my bed. Remaining as still as a rock. Several times I heard someone walk up to my door, waiting and then leaving. I imagined that they were going to ask why I didn't want to go to the Winter feast, and sooner or later, I knew that one of them would.
I soon heard another being walk up to the door and this time, knocked.
"Come in". I said flatly, waiting for one of them to ask the question. However...
"So I hear you won't be attending the winter feast this year Python".
The question didn't come from the list of people I had been expecting. I quickly slithered off the bed and bowed to my master.
"Master Shifu! uh, Yes, I won't be attending the winter feast".
"I see. That is unfortunate. Is there a reason you're not coming"?
"... It's complicated". Was all I wanted to say on the matter. I knew that Shifu would respect my privacy more than anyone but even still, I could imagine that he was just as curious.
"Very well". Shifu turned round and walked through the door. But before he left my sight, he said one last thing.
"I would be cautious if I were you Python. I would expect the five and Po to be more persistant on the subject".
Shifu left and I closed my door. I looked through one of my windows to check the position of the sun. It seemed to be at its highest point of the day. I guessed that meant that it was noon. Twelve o clock. It would help that much more if I had a watch. Hell, I'd even go for a sundial.
As I waited for the day to pass, I played as many songs in my head as I could just to keep me from remaining bored. Songs from Gorillaz, Daft Punk, Saosin, the list went on for a while. It had been such a long time since I had heard some of the tracks so every now and then, I would forget some of the lyrics or solos. I had just finished First of the year by Skrillex when I recieved another knock on the door. Maybe I should just hang a "Come in" sign on the front door, all the knocking kept making me lose track of what I was thinking of.
"Enter". I half yelled, not even bothering to turn my head as this time I knew who it was that had knocked.
"Hey Mike".
"Viper". I looked back at the snake and saw her coiled up right at the door.
"Before you say it Viper, I'm not going to the winter feast, no matter what you try to say".
"I wasn't going to ask that".
I gave a surprised look at her.
"... Then what were you going to ask"?
"If you wanted to come down to the Valley of Peace for lunch".
"... I might as well I suppose. I was getting sick of looking at my wooden ceiling anyway".
I got off my bed for the third time today and followed Viper out the barracks and down the stairs, in which I have now discovered that there are one thousand three hundred and eighty four all together, and into the valley where I saw the villagers setting up colorful lanterns and steamers. I fought the urge to frown at them as it would have been rude. Eventually I found myself back in Mr. Pings noodle shop. Then, something hit me.
"Where's Po and the others"? I asked, following Viper to the table I was at last time.
"They aren't here. I just thought it would be nice to just catch up, you and me". She smiled.
I wasn't dumb. I realised what she was doing. She was going to talk to me on her own and eventually ask questions about the winter feast. My parents used to use this tactic on me when I was a kid when I didn't want to go to a school dance or a birthday party. This was the exact same thing.
However I decided to play her game and sat down. At least I would be getting a free meal out of it.
"I always love it when it snows. It makes the holidays that much more special". Viper began.
"Yeah, it is beautiful". I admitted as I watched a few snowflakes fall from the sky, though there were very few. Some turned immedietley into water once touching the ground or the table. A few moments of silence passed until Viper thought up another question.
"So I hear your training is improving".
I did my best to hide my smile. She really should have practised what she was going to say. The poor thing was finding it hard to ask casual questions, interogation was really not her style.
"Yeah, it's going well thanks".
Another moment of silence passed.
"Ho"-
I decided that as humorous as this was becoming, I should just tell her the truth.
"I know that you're trying to ask why I won't go to the winter feast Viper. You can't fool me".
Viper's smiling face dropped, realising that her tactic hadn't worked. I kept smiling in victory. Viper sighed and got straight to the point.
"I'm sorry. It's just that none of us want you to spend the holiday on your own".
"Trust me, I'll live". That I am certain.
Before either of us could speak, a large bowl of noodle soup was put down on the middle of the table with a bang, startling me.
"One large noodle soup"! Mr. Ping announced.
As weird as that was, I picked up the chopsticks and was about to eat the noodles until I saw Viper doing the same.
"Wait, is this mine or yours"? I asked Viper. Before waiting for her response I asked the question to Mr. Ping.
"Ah well, I thought that the two of you would like to try the new happy couple soup. Ten Yuan, good price yes"?
My face dropped and slowly turned back to Viper who wore the same look on her face. I looked back up to Mr. Ping.
"Um, Mr. Ping, We're not dating". I said slowly, still shocked from his sudden assumption.
"Oh, my mistake. I thought tha- Okay" Mr. Ping took the bowl and placed it on another table.
"I'll get you both a noodle soup each". Mr. Ping left and headed back into the kitchen. I looked at Viper who was supressing a laugh with her tail. I just shook the thought from my head and did my best to pretend that didn't happen. Though it was a little hard to come up with a different subject after that.
"So... as you were saying"? Great. Now it was my turn to be the awkward one. Viper became serious once again.
"Listen, Mike. I understand if you have a reason for not wanting to attend, but can I at least know why"?
I didn't want to tell her the answer but, screw it, I'll have to eventually.
"Putting it shortly, it's the first C... Winter feast I'll have spent without my family. So even if I go, I'll feel just as lonely. That's the reason".
I looked down, trying to hide my saddened face from Viper. I could feel my fangs softly scraping against the wooden table. I took a good few seconds before I could speak again.
"So this year, I'll be spending the holiday in my room".
Mr. Ping came back through the kitchen door with two white bowls of noodle soup. I took the bowl and began to eat, partly because I was still hungry and partly because I didn't want to say anything else on the subject. Viper ate her noodles too but not as fast as myself. It didn't matter to me, the sooner I could finish the sooner I could leave.
It took only five or so minutes until I had finished the contents of the bowl and chucked a few yuan on the table, so much for a free meal. I wanted to just slither away just then, while Viper was finishing off her soup. If I did, I knew that I would only delay the inevitable. So I just sat down and waited like the gentlesnake that I am. Once she finally did finish, she put the same amount of money on the table as I had. I then waited patiently for her response.
"You won't be lonely. You still have us, your friends. Monkey, Crane, Po, Ti"-
She paused as she noticed my doubtful face upon nearly mentioning Tigress.
"Well... maybe not Tigress. But everyone else, including me".
I took a few seconds to reflect on her words. I then decided on something that wouldn't make me seem like a total jerk. Something nice.
"Tell you what, I'll do something to celebrate the season, one thing. Then I get to leave the feast okay"?
"What are you going to do exactly"?
"It's a surprise".
"And if I say no"?
"Then I won't come to the feast, simple as that".
Viper gave a small sigh in defeat, realising that she wouldn't get any further with me or my answer.
"Fine".
"Thank you". The subject was now dropped, thank God. Now I can relax for a bit until someone else bothers me with the same-
"Hey Mike"!
God Dammit Po!
I turned to the noodle shop entrance and sure enough, Po was heading our way. I waited until he was right in front of me before I spoke.
"What do you want Po"? I asked at once, trying to sound as polite as I could but failed.
"I was hoping I could speak with Viper alone".
That was a surprise. It certainly showed on my face, I said nothing and left the noodle shop without looking back. Just as well. I needed to get to the market at once.

...

Sorry that you had to wait for longer to read this chapter. It's been a difficult time because I've needed to think about what I'm going to be doing after College. Now there is the possibility of me joining the navy in the summer, don't know whether to be happy or scared about it, but this story should most definitely be done before then. That's all I have to say on the subject, so thank you for reading. Cheerio