For Tokokono and corset-rebellion-follower: Never Better
A/N: This is for Tokokono and corset-rebellion-follower because I like the idea of your preferred pairing, but this more or less wrote itself, and I felt it would be better as a less romantic story. Please forgive me!! Here is your story!
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'Gong!'
I leap from my mat, ignoring the initial surge of pain from yesterday's battle, and, with a quick shake of my head, groom my fur before tossing the door aside and scrambling through it just as Monkey exits his room.
"Good morning, Master," we chorus, all five of us, Po still lying asleep in his bed like each of us wishes we could be.
Master Shifu smiles softly at his door (I can feel my blood boiling, how dare that panda make him smile! That was supposed to be me!) as he strides over to the paper wall, slides it aside, and we all see the room is empty. Oh.
I guess he isn't asleep.
Master Shifu's expression becomes serious as he turns to us.
"I am very disappointed with you. I thought I had trained you better to know your limits, and I have no doubt that all of you are regretting running off. My students, the only reason I did not want you to go was because I knew you were not ready. Nothing I do is without reason, so today, training will be different from our usual routines," he explains and I know we're going to be worked as close to death as we can be.
And we deserve it.
Po looked to us for guidance when the task of being Dragon Warrior was thrown at him, and we didn't make it any easier.
Well, I didn't.
Not only that, but we defied Master Shifu's orders and broke his trust. Whatever he throws at us, today, I'm certain it will be well deserved.
We follow our master to the training yard, where we hear Po in the main hall, practicing before we were even awake.
Master Shifu levels each of us with a look that clearly reads 'this, and he battled Tai Lung, yesterday' and I hate it, but I know I deserve it. I hate how that panda can bring a laugh from Master with something as simple as early morning training, but when we mastered our styles, there was not so much as a smile, smirk, or grin. I hate how he seems to care so much for someone he only just met. I hate it, and I think Master knows.
"Since it is Po who you have tried to steal destiny from, he shall have the final say in each of your punishments, so you'd best pray he is feeling generous," Po? Master had called him Po? But he has not called me by my true name in years! It has always species name! It's not fair! It's not fair! It's not fair!
The panda exits the training hall and bows deeply to Master Shifu, bidding him good morning before asking whether he called. Master replies no, but he was about to.
"Now, I personally think that, for their disobedience, they should have to each run the obstacle course one thousand flawless times in a row, restarting if they should make a mistake," Master suggests. I mentally groan. The obstacle course was not difficult, but completing it that many times would be.
Po gapes as he replies, "Isn't that a little harsh?"
"Not considering their treachery, Dragon Warrior," he answers. Treachery. Such a harsh word, and I would do anything to prove to him I am not a traitor, but does he notice me? No. He never does and I doubt he ever will. Training is all he thinks about when he is out here.
"Well, how about, like, fifty?" Po questions and I can see Crane perk up. We would normally do more than fifty each day, so this would not be much of a punishment. Unfortunately, Master Shifu knows this, also, and points it out to Po.
"Oh, um, okay then, but still, a thousand? Man, it would take me days to do that!" Po exclaims and I know he is telling the truth.
"You do not have to complete it, you are not in trouble, Po," Master Shifu reminds him,
"I know, but I'd never make them do something I wouldn't be willing to do myself," Po's nobility earns grudging respect from me, but still, if only Master would smile for me.
"Very well, then, Po, what would you suggest?" Master asks, smiling up at the panda.
I can't take it. The way he is so perfect, always knows what to say, what to do, where to be, and when to make Master Shifu laugh. I'm not sure what's happening, but I feel something snap within me and the next thing I know, Po is beneath me, claw marks on his face and chest, shouting for me to stop.
And I do.
I freeze, horror seeping through me like ice water, coating my bones in an inescapable chill that wraps about my mind, fogging my vision as the world swims before me, and then, nothing.
--
It's hot. It's wretchedly hot. It's unbearably, unbelievably, unimaginably hot. And yet, my body is so cold. Did I drink ice water? Should I be melting, or frozen? Is there anyone I can ask?
I open my eyes to see an aged face, large ears like milk saucers atop it. Vaguely I wonder what it would be like to drink warm milk from them. The room is pleasantly warm, as are – my pants? They are warm and wet and oh, no. I think I may have wet myself.
The scent of burning oil fills my nostrils and I relax further, no longer concerned with the fact that the wet spot on my pants just expanded. So what? I can clean up later.
A sharp pain shoots up from my stomach, burning my throat as I feel my shirt, face, and neck grow wet with several random lumps scattered about, acidic smell overpowering the incense and I am painfully aware of the fact that I just threw up on Master Shifu and myself.
I groan slightly as a cool cloth wipes the chunks of partially digested foodstuffs from my face, whispering in a soothing voice something I can't bring myself to care about.
"M-Master?" I question, coughing slightly as he wipes more of the vomit off my tunic.
"Yes, Mai?" Mai. He used my name? I haven't been called my real name in so long; it took me a moment to realize he was talking to me. Suddenly, that jealousy I had felt before turned into self-hatred. I had been cruel to Po. I should apologize.
"Master, I'm sorry. I don't know what happened to me, but-" Master cut me off.
"I do. You had caught fever from infected injuries, namely the ones from Tai Lung's claws. You're very sick, and you won't be leaving this room for at the very least a week, am I understood?" he asked, seriousness never leaving his expression.
I try to think of what Po would say here, so that I might be able to make Master laugh as well.
"Great, so I get a babysitter and all?" I try, giving the best smile I can.
Master sighs, leaning over my green tinted face as he whispers, "Po may be good for a laugh, my dear, but you are my rare tiger lily, and I am so very proud of you, there are not words enough to explain. You have become a strong, kind, and beautiful young woman who was forced to grow up far too fast. I know you wish to please me, but know that no matter what you do, no matter whom you hurt, betray, or even kill, you are my daughter, Tigress, and I love you, and nothing on this Earth can change that."
I feel tears well within my eyes as his lips brush my cheek. He is proud of me. He has said so himself. He always was, and he always will be.
I feel nimble fingers tugging at the strings of my belt and I glance down to see Master Shifu with a clean pair of pants beside him, undoing my current clothes to help me change.
A gasp escapes my lips as I realize he's going to see me undressed.
He chuckles as he reminds, "You forget, Tigress, I cared for you since before you first opened your eyes. Trust me when I say there's nothing left of your physique to surprise me."
Blushing as I realize he is right, I lift my hips slightly, annoyed at how much effort the simple action requires, and allow him to tug the pants the rest of the way off, taking the soiled garment and placing it in a basket full of my dirty laundry.
"Do you need to go?" he asks softly, a tone that has me trusting him like a father.
"Um, yes, Master Shifu," I mumble, ashamed that I am so ill I cannot do something so simple as go to the bathroom on my own.
Helping me up, he guides me over to the door at the side of the room, one of three, and leads me into a bathroom as I realize where I had been sleeping. Master Shifu had given up his own bed for me.
Helping me sit, he leaves for a few moments while I take care of my business, shakily standing as Master enters the room, helping me back to the bed, which has clean sheets on it, and tells me to lie down on the floor so he can clean me off. I silently comply, feeling exposed and embarrassed beyond belief.
A bucket of warm water that had escaped my notice held a clean towel in it. Master Shifu plucked up the towel, wringing it mostly out, before he set to work, cleaning my thighs, outer then inner, my stomach, and finally giving my the towel, allowing me to retain some dignity as he took the hamper out of the room, returning several moments after I finished cleaning my lower regions off, gently plucking the towel from my hands, handing my a dry one to pat myself off with, and taking it out of the room, probably to be with the rest of my dirty laundry.
Master returns after I finish drying off and helps me into a clean change of pants. Undoing my shirt, he helps me out of it, too, and places it beside him, pulling out another bucket of water, cleaning the remainder of the vomit off of my chest, forearms, neck, and face. Drying me off and getting me into a new tunic, he lifts me up to the bed and lays me on it, placing another cloth, this one drenched in cool water, upon my brow, telling me to get some rest.
"Wait, Master," I call as he is about to pick up my dirty top.
He looks up at me with kind, paternal eyes.
"Um, thank you, Master, for taking care of me. I have heard that most masters do not care for their students when ill, so I am flattered that you would care for me, and I am sorry for my behavior, weakness, and for betraying you," I stutter, searching for words that would not sound rehearsed.
He smiles as he walks over to the bedside and pulls himself up next to me, sitting on the edge of the expensive bed.
Planting a small kiss on my nose, he replies, "Masters don't, but what kind of a father would I be if I care nothing for my daughter?"
And he smiles.
Watching him walk out the door, I wait until he is a good distance away before allowing a fit of girlish giggles to fall over me.
He smiled for me! His student, his daughter! Despite the fact that I am ill enough to be put under quarantine, need help in going to the bathroom, and managed to piss myself and vomit within the same minute, I'm positive that I've never felt better.