~Parenting~

... Don't even ask me where this came from, cause honestly, I don't know. It just came to me after reading the ONLY Mantis/Viper stories out there (by RockDiva, Drama sapphire, and Animation Universe 2005). Anyway, enjoy!

I TAKE REQUESTS! Give me a word and I'll find a quote that fits it! :)

But I have to warn you, I'm kinda in a MxV kick right now, and this will probably all be MxV.

Quote from Russell Baker.

~Kitty~

Shifu was actually a very patient person. Despite how strict he was, he never really lost his temper. He was just easily annoyed, but not any less accepting.

When his daughter began a relationship, he was fine (but couldn't help give the warrior a threat to Wuxi him so hard that his ancestors would feel it). When Crane broke through his window playing frisbee with his hat, he had brushed it off. When Monkey had suddenly appeared with a half- shaved head with Po chasing after him, he left them calmly to do their business.

But when Viper and Mantis came back to the Jade Palace after a few months on an undercover mission with an albino little snake girl, he was forced to draw the line.

"Dear gods, what did I ever do to you two?"

They glanced at each other. Viper cuddled the little girl in a red blanket to match her eyes. Mantis bravely stood slightly in front of Viper and his new child. "Master Shifu, please. You don't even know the story."

"Then, by all means, indulge me. Tell me how this is physically possible."

"Well, you know how we had to go in bandit country- me as a new recruit and Viper as a prisoner?"

"Yes, I am aware," Shifu huffed, wishing for new information.

"Well, we finally gained their trust enough to get the prisoners with us for a sneak attack..."

~Flashback~

"Viper, get the girl!" Mantis shouted, quickly taking down a boar. Viper nodded and rushed to the little girl curled around a limp form. The brown form, a snake, lifted its head blearily. Viper saw the blood and the light fading from the female's eyes, so she had to talk quickly. "Where are you hurt?"

"Thank you for saving my daughter," she said instead, weakly shoving the bundle toward Viper. Viper clutched the girl, realizing what the woman meant; as a dying wish, she wanted her daughter to be taken care of. Viper sighed, knowing the girl was raped in the prison and gave birth to the little creature there. Now she was going to die in the raid that was supposed to save her and her baby.

"What... What did you name her?"

In all the comotion around her, Viper barely heard the girl whisper in her last breath, "Xue."

"Snow," Viper muttered, tears shining as she looked at the cute little girl. "It fits you, little one."

Aftetr everything was over, Mantis had rushed to Viper, fear that she had been hurt making him even faster. But he stopped in his tracks when Viper held up a little girl.

"Her name is Xue," Viper whispered.

As Mantis looked into the eyes of the reptile, he was suddenly in love with another girl. She was down-right adorable. With eyes like his, he suddenly saw her future in them. She had a fire inside her, one that was only currently a spark. He had to take care of and nurture to become stronger, better, more beautiful. Four words were blurted out of his mouth before he even registered them.

"Can we keep her?"

~Flashback~

"So you adopted her?" Shifu asked, only feeling a little relieved.

"What did you expect us to do?" Viper snapped, defying her master for probably the first time. "Leave her there? Out of the question! Look at this face and tell me that she needs to leave."

Viper shoved her forward, and Shifu couldn't deny that the child was the definition of beauty. She reminded him so much of Tigress, even though the snake was probably only a year old, maybe even less. In her eyes was a fire that he had no way to describe. All he knew was that he couldn't send her to Bao Gu; who knew what they would do to her? If they had shuned a beauty like Tigress by looks alone, then this snake would never hear the end of it because of her unusual scale and eye color.

"She can stay," he muttered. Viper cheered and Mantis kissed Xue's forehead. "But you do realize one of you will have to take a break from training to watch over her-"

"We can alternate," Mantis offered, knowing he nor Viper didn't really want to give up their training. "Can we go introduce them to the others now, master?"

"Of course," he smiled.

~Others~

Po was speachless. So was Monkey. Crane had his beak popped open. Tigress smiled- wider than she ever had, actually- and asked, "Can I hold her?"

Viper smiled and handed her the bundle. It was much more different then holding a weapon, or holding an apponent. She was a fragile, delicate little thing that required less muscle and more care or else she would be crushed. Tigress gazed softly at the girl as she giggled softly at something the tiger was obviously missing. Her pointed tail came in contact with Tigress's nose, making twitch and Xue's laughter increase. The snake smiled, flashing off small, harmless fangs. They were different from any other snake's she had ever seen. They were small, even for a baby, and were dull, not pointed. She looked up at Viper in shock. Viper smiled sad smile, nostalgic even. "I know."

Mantis jumped up on Tigress's shoulder. He smiled. "She's the most beautiful thing in the world."

Monkey smiled, finally regaining his motor skills. "She is. Where did you guys find her?"

Viper turned sad. "The mission. A woman gave her to us before she..."

Crane nodded. "Well, she's very lucky you two were there."

The little girl burped, making everyone laugh. "Like father, like daughter," Po jabbed at Mantis.

Mantis shivered. "I hope not. I don't want my Xue to end up anything like me! Don't try to make children grow up to be like you, or they may do it." This earned a laugh from all of the people in the room, including the newest member of the Jade Palace.

~Kitty~

Daw, daddy!Mantis :) What in the world could be cuter than that and his daughter? :)

~Kitty~