Chapter 2 is up
Any guesses at whose Birthday it is?
You probably guess right

R&R

***

Making the Cut
Chapter 2
B-Day

I lay awake in bed. The morning gong would be ringing soon, then the masters would be awake. I had been thinking about it when I fell asleep last night. It's a weird feeling when you wake up thinking the same thing you were thinking when you were falling asleep. I couldn't wait.

Today was June 6. My birthday, more importantly the first Birthday I'd have here as Shifu's student. Last year I hadn't even remembered my birthday in all the excitement of camp. Po had gotten me a the red sash belt that I still wore to this day. It was still as strong as it had been the day I got it. I had been looking forward to the master's reactions to today. I was hoping even Tigress would congratulate me. If there was ever a day to do it, it was today.

The gong sounded. I got up to open my door but something stopped me.

Nothing
There was nothing
No sounds of doors opening
No chirrup of "Good morning Master"
No shout from Master Shifu to get out of bed

I opened the door to see if I would see what I was hearing. I looked down the hall way.

Nothing
All the bedroom doors were motionless.

They couldn't have all slept through the gong, at the very least not Shifu. Sometimes Master Monkey could be in a deep enough sleep to sleep through an earthquake, but even that was on rare occasions.

This didn't make any… Maybe they were planning something. Could it be possible they're planning on surprising me. That'd be something.

I tried not to get my hopes up. They might have already gotten up and just be eating breakfast early for a change. As I walked into the kitchen a few minutes later I was preparing myself for either.

I was met with neither.

Po was at the stove, much like yesterday morning. He didn't even seem to notice me as I walked in. No one else was here but the two of us. The table was bare. As I pulled up a chair I purposely drug it to make a little noise to gain some attention. Like I had assumed, Po turned his head toward me at the sound.

"Morning Jo." He said. He said it cheerfully, but no more than usual. It was without a hint of any acknowledgment.

Was he putting me on?
Did he seriously not know?

"Where's the Five and Master Shifu?" I probably should have said "Good morning" back, but I felt I was entitled to an explanation of some kind.

"They left really early this morning. Master Shifu said they'd be back sometime around noon tomorrow. They got called last night to some remote village. One second."

He opened a nearby drawer and took out a large folded piece of paper. When he opened it up and spread it out over the kitchen table I saw it was a map of a portion of China. I immediately saw where it was labeled Valley of Peace. And at the edge of it the long rope bridge marked The Thread of Hope. Further north the contour lines came closer where it was labeled Black Mountains. Even further north was labeled Chor Gom Prison.

"They're somewhere in this area." Po said circling a southern region on the map with his finger. "Said something about 'bandit problems.'" He said turning back to the food.

"How come none of them told me about it?"

"Don't take it personally, J.C. Master Shifu just doesn't think you're ready for tackling big problems yet, like thieves and stuff like that." I could tell he didn't exactly get what I meant.

"Why didn't you go?" I asked.

"When it occurred to them you were the only one not coming they realized you'd be here by yourself. I told them I'd stay behind on this one. They figured someone should stay here for when you woke up since Zeng is still gone. Master Shifu gave him a month off of palace duties so he could visit some relatives."

So this is real then?
One last try

"Did any of them happen to say something… about me?"

"What would they have said?" Po asked slightly confused flipping a sausage slice with a spatula.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe... 'Happy Birthday.'"

Po's spatula clattered to the floor. He whipped around staring at me with his mouth agape. The same way I would expect if I told him that Tai Lung survived our Double-Wuxi-Finger-Hold. "Your Birthday's…… today?!" he said mortified.

Apparently he didn't

"Well… yeah. It is." I said slowly. My eyes strayed from his sight.

Po raked his claws through the fur on his head. "June 6! I can't believe I forgot." He dropped into the chair opposite mine.

"So, none of them knew it was today either?" I asked. I knew I had never really given them a weeks notice or anything, but I figured they knew somehow. They were all practically family to me after all

Po released his grip on his fur and let his arm fall to his side in hopelessness. He leaned forward over the table closer to me. "Jo man, I'm so sorry. If I had known…..." He trailed off in desperation. He didn't know what else to say so he just said "I'm Sorry" again.

"I just expected someone be here for it. I mean... people always say it's an important day." I guess not important enough

Po reached out and patted my hand. "Well I'm still here for you, buddy."

"Thanks." I said, but I knew it sounded hollow. Don't get me wrong, I was glad Po was here for it. I was just expecting more.

Po tapped his finger on the table, evidence that he was thinking hard on something. His face brightened with an idea. "What do you say tonight we make a trip down to my dad's shop for dinner, just you and me, and I treat you to his special 'secret ingredient soup,' on the house."

"Yeah, I'd like that."

It was better than nothing

Po smiled filling fulfilled.

I thought it over. It would be a quiet evening with Po. We'd probably draw some attention, both of us going into the village together. He'd probably crack a few more jokes than usual to try to get me out of the mood. We'd probably spend the rest of the night hanging out in the village. I guess it wouldn't be too bad.

Since Master Shifu wasn't here, Po didn't feel the need to enforce training too much today. All the same though, I went out to the training hall and practiced with my throwing stars, or shurikens as Master Shifu always corrected me. It often helped me clear my mind. I had portion of the wall covered in a thick sheet of cork where I practiced my aim throw. Ever since I had used a throwing star in my fight with Tai Lung, I wondered if my chances would have been bettered if I had experience with them. The throwing helped some, but my mind wasn't completely cleared.

I knew at the very least I had told Mantis the date last month when we were carrying on a conversation. In the back of my mind I started to feel slight anger to the masters. I knew it wasn't completely justified, If a village had bandits it wasn't really the Master's faults. It was their duty to go, but what else could I feel. I was angry, and I needed something to be angry at. I had been here almost a year now and none of them could remember the date of my birth. After all, I had helped prepare for each of their's.

Later in the afternoon I had the urge that only writing can satisfy.

Laying on my bed, I stared at the paper for about 3 minutes just trying to think up a title. Some times the title was harder to write than the actual content (and not just with poems ;) I titled it the only word that I could seem to form.

Down

I've had to hold strong
In times I felt rotten
Did I do something wrong
That I'd be forgotten
I thought I had done well
For so long I tried
But no matter how much I yell
I'm just pushed to the side
There's no one to help me through
When I'm left to crawl...

My door slid open and Po stuck his head in.
"Hey Jo, You ready?"

"Yeah." I said placing the poem on my leather folder before getting up. I'll come up with an ending later.

The afternoon business was beginning to slowdown in the village as the night life slowly began to take over. Like I had guessed, people were taking notice of both Dragon Warriors walking the streets of the village. I was surprised I didn't see Lucas or Dew in the streets anywhere. I was hoping I'd at least see them today.

As we approached Mr. Ping's Noodle Shop Po stepped in front of me with a goofy smirk opening the door to the enclosed eating area a crack. "After you," he said.

I sighed with a smile. Yep he's definitely making more jokes than usual. Obliging to his request I opened the door wider and stepped inside…

"SURPRISE!"

The tables had been pushed to the side except for one in the middle which held an enormous cake. The crowd of people surrounding it consisted of my foster parents, Mr. Ping, Lucas, Dew, and Livia, but at the center of it all was Master Shifu and the Furious Five. Each one of them stood overjoyed at what must have been my astounded mien.

The only thing I could think to say was "What?" but I didn't have the clear mindset to say it.

During that vague feeling of numbness as the shock died down, from behind me I felt Po place a hand on my shoulder.
"Surprised?"

* * *

How was that?
I hope it was good.

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