Ohayo Tokyo! Konnichi wa London! Konban wa New York! CJzilla's back! In this chapter, the Furious Five and Master Shifu are enjoying an afternoon off. The calm before the storm. Enjoy!
As I break building in half with a swipe of my might claws, alls CJzilla has to roar is this: R&R! Love on me or hate on me... I'm tired of sayin' this...
Wild and Peaceful
"You know?" Crane said out loud, his grass hat over his eyes as he bathed in the nice warm afternoon sun. "I could get used to this."
Viper opened her blue eyes and glanced at the lounging bird.
"You're warm-blooded, Crane." The female green tree viper voiced, too lying in the sun. "You shouldn't enjoy this as much as me."
"Oh, but I do." The red crowned crane reached for his drink. "All work and no play makes Crane a dull boy… and a bad lover."
Crane tipped up his hat to see the look on Viper's face. The female snake shook her head and closed her eyes again, thankful that she could blame the sun for the red tint her face turned. The bird chuckled and sipped on his cold green tea with honey.
"I really don't think the sun has anything to do with why we're all enjoying this so much." Mantis chirped from being sprawled out on Crane's straw hat. "To tell you the truth, I don't like sizzling in the sun like this… normally."
"But the sun makes my fur a really nice light golden yellow." Monkey stated, cucumber slices over his eyes as he lazily moved a fan back and forth with his tail.
"No, no. I think Mantis is onto something." Crane returned. "The sun feels better when you've got the afternoon off. And this green tea tastes wonderful!"
The four of the Furious Five laughed.
"How is the "meditation" coming, my students?" Master Shifu's voice cut through the heat of the garden patio.
Crane chuckled but Mantis spoke.
"We could use another member for our "meditation circle", Master Shifu." The bug looked up at the red panda.
Shifu scoffed as he walked down the stairs to the garden patio turned sunbathing booth.
"I could "mediate" circles around you novices." The red panda returned. "Not only am I a master at Kung Fu, but I am also a master of goofing off."
Viper giggled.
"Then, please, Master Shifu." She raised her head. "Teach us. Refine our goofing off skills."
The red panda found a spot between Viper and Monkey. The aged Kung Fu master plopped down on the hot patio tile and sighed.
"See?" Master Shifu questioned as he placed two slices of pineapple over his eyes. "Master Oogway trained me well."
They all laughed.
"Speaking of training, where's Tigress?" Viper asked.
The boys shrugged.
"I dunno."
"Beats me."
"Heck if I know."
"I haven't seen her since we got the afternoon off." Master Shifu returned.
Viper raised her head and glanced over her fellow students and master.
"Well then, I'm going to go find her." The green tree viper stated.
Mantis gave a raspberry.
"Just leave 'er, Viper." The bug said. "If we can't find Tigress, she don't wanna be found."
But the female snake wasn't going to give up easily.
"Perhaps, but I'd like to spend time with another girl." Viper voiced. "No offense boys and Master Shifu."
"None taken." Monkey returned.
"I understand, Viper." Master Shifu waved his hand lazily. "Birds flock together but women go in pairs to the bathroom."
Everyone blinked at their master.
"What…kind of a profound symbolic messagewas that, Master Shifu?" Mantis questioned.
"Well sorr-E! This is my afternoon off too, my students." The red panda returned, getting annoyed. "I'm not supposed to be a walking fortune cookie all the time."
Monkey laughed as Crane shook his head and tipped up his hat as Mantis went tumbling off.
"All right. But if you don't find her, you know where to come back to." The bird winked at Viper.
Rolling her eyes but not being able to curb a coy smile, Viper slithered out of the garden and toward the sleeping quarters.
"Wow. It really is hot up here and this heavy robe isn't helping." She heard Master Shifu say to no one in particular. "Maybe I should take it off."
The red panda's comment was followed by his students groaning in disgust. Viper giggled but didn't want to look back.
Moving silently into the living quarters of the Jade Palace, Viper had a sneaky suspicion on where to find Tigress. Gliding up to the female tiger's room, the female green tree viper stopped in front of the rice paper door.
"Tigress? Tigress, are you in there?" Viper hailed.
There was a sigh from inside the room before Tigress' voice was heard.
"Come in, Viper." She returned.
The green tree viper opened the sliding door and slipped in. Viper saw Tigress sitting in front of her mirror looking over her appearance. The female viper noticed a wondering look in the tiger's amber eyes as she looked at her reflection.
"What are you doing?" Viper questioned, slithering up to her friend and peering up at her.
Tigress blinked at her reflection.
"Oh, just trying on a skirt." She replied.
Viper didn't notice that Tigress was wearing a skirt. Looking to her legs, Viper saw that the tiger was wearing a pale purple silk skirt. Tigress seemed wary of the loose fabric draped around her lower body. She spun in the mirror, watching the skirt dance with her movements. But then she caught the look on Viper's face.
"I'm just studying the advantages of fighting in a dress…" Tigress fibbed. "Uh… so far… it… uh-… serves as a distraction to the enemy."
The female south China tiger sighed as Viper rolled her eyes.
"Okay… You're lying." Viper mused before smiled brightly. "You are just trying on a skirt! So, how do you really feel in that thing?"
The female south China tiger mulled over the question as she looked at herself in the mirror.
"It feels… weird but good." Tigress grinned a little.
Viper shook her head.
"Tigress, this skirt is very lovely." Viper returned knowingly. "You're beautiful in it but a skirt or dress was not made as a weapon in battle. A skirt is traditionally worn to accentuate femininity, not to crack an enemy in half."
Tigress fell silent but sheepishly twiddled her thumbs.
"Well if it was a weapon, guys would be wearing skirts now wouldn't they?" The female tiger asked a rhetorical question.
The female viper did her best to read her friend's emotions.
"It's very pretty, Tigress!" Viper beamed before coiling next to her friend. "I've never seen you in a skirt before."
Tigress' face heated and she tossed her friend a grateful smile.
The south China tiger twirled again in the mirror and frowned. How did Lady Layla fight in this thing? Skirts were cumbersome and practically uncontrollable while in motion. But the skirt did give the fox an outstanding femininity to her fighting style and perhaps that was one of the factors that made Po flustered and attracted to her. Tigress scrunched her nose. Lady Layla made it look easy to move in a skirt, but now that she tried it, skirts were for the birds.
"I still don't see how she functioned in this." The tiger whispered, unintentionally speaking her mind.
"Who?" Viper perked up.
Tigress planted both feet on the floor and avoided Viper's eyes.
"L-Lady Layla." She answered coyly to her friend. "She moved quite unhindered with a skirt."
Viper blew a raspberry.
"Lady Layla was all about show." The female green tree viper corrected. "Pants are more practical but a skirt is ostentatious, which probably explains why that tease wore such a high-slitted skirt."
Tigress knew Viper to be right about that part, but Po was completely mesmerized by the traitorous fox.
"I agree." She returned but then fell silent. "It's just Lady Layla was so… feminine… and I'm… not as feminine… I thought maybe a skirt would make me look more like a girl."
Viper growled and rose off of the ground.
"Lady Layla was a flirt!" Viper returned. "You are honorable, not a disgraceful tease! As a friend, I forbid you from following that fox's example!"
The south China tiger was taken aback by the viper's outburst. Tigress gulped, resisting the urge to run away from the forceful snake.
"S-sure, anything you say, Viper." The female tiger smiled.
Viper sighed and drifted back to the floor.
"Then is that why you have a sudden interest in skirts?" The snake said in a gentle tone.
Tigress' face twisted with uncertainty and a little nausea with the answer.
"I just can't seem to catch the eye of this guy I like." The female tiger whispered. "Lady Layla had something that I don't and that thing may be able to get me this boy I like. If only I can figure out what that thing is..."
"You don't need any feature Layla possesses, Tigress!" Viper barked. "You should be yourself and not take notes from such a flirt!"
"I am not following her example, Viper!" Tigress clarified. "But she is a master with the opposite gender and I wondered if I could pick up a few tricks on how to manipulate boys."
The female snake was growing irritated but remained silent.
"Learning from Layla isn't the answer!" Viper clarified.
The female tiger seemed unconvinced.
"But how will I get this… guy to notice me?" Tigress asked.
Viper's mouth snapped shut.
"I don't really know how to answer you." She voiced, eyes to the floor in defeat. "I'm not really a good candidate for this because I don't know this mysterious guy you like."
Tigress glanced down at the snake through the corner of her amber eye.
"Yes, you do." She returned.
The viper's inner girly-self perked up.
"Really?!" She brightened. "Who is it?"
"I-" Tigress got a fearful look on her face before Viper cut her off.
"Wait, wait! Don't tell me. Knowing you, I bet I can figure it out!" The female viper poured over the problem. "He has to be… strong, a capable warrior, graceful, level-headed and handsome…"
Tigress was sweating bullets as she watched that pensive look on the green tree viper's features. If she figured out it was Po… that would be very, very embarrassing. Then Viper sighed and if she had shoulders, she would have shrugged.
"This is a long, long shot but… Master Shifu?" The female viper questioned, funny look on her face.
Tigress stared at her friend before she tumbled to the ground, in a fit of side-busting laughter. Viper's face heated at Tigress' reaction. The female south China tiger guffawed on the floor, just thankful Viper didn't name Po. Finally her laughter died down and she sat up.
""Master Shifu"?" Tigress scrunched her nose on a smile. "Viper, what's in your bean curd?"
"Well?! This isn't a very big town and men are few and far in between!" The female viper huffed and she would have folded her arms if she had any. "Besides, I said it was a long, long shot."
"For a second there, I thought you were going to say "Crane"." Tigress got a teasing look on her face.
Viper's face heated as she turned her back to her friend.
"Crane? Why would I say "Crane"?" The green tree viper put a tone of distain to Master Crane's name, hoping to throw suspicion.
Tigress flipped to her feet.
"Because you're head over heels in love with him, Viper." The female south China tiger giggled.
The female green tree viper hissed, literally.
"Am not!" Viper huffed.
The tiger rolled her eyes.
"Fine. I hear denial's a great place to live." Tigress teased. "Now, what do you say we steal a couple treats from the kitchen? I could make some cold tea."
Viper huffed again and slithered toward the door with her nose high in the air.
"I'd be happy to." The female snake agreed. "But I am not in love with Crane. You must be mistaken."
Tigress couldn't help but roll her eyes again as she opened her sliding door. Both viper and tiger slipped out of the room and walked toward the kitchen.
R&R! LONG LIVE ROCK!