Left Behind
Her reptilian eyes watched the chubby bear and lean tiger spar in the sand pit. Each kick and punch was matched, followed by the panda's groaning that Tigress managed to get in a solid punch. "OOw! Okay, gotta keep it up," Po grumbled.
"You're doing much better, Po," Tigress replied, jumping in the air and striking the panda's forearm. Just then, Po rolled out of the way, clasped his hands together, and smashed them right into Tigress's gut, forcing her back. Tigress tumbled back, clutching her stomach.
"Oops! I'm so so sorry," Po cried, immediately helping her up. The tiger coughed but straightened back up into her erect dignified stature.
"It's okay, Po. That was an... interesting move. Where did you learn that?"
"Oh! It's a move that Master Shifu's been teaching me," Po proudly smiled. "It's a little... uh... weird, but it's super effective."
"I can see," Tigress smiled. Viper watched on, smiling to herself. But that smile slowly began to turn upside down. The sound of the spar slowly ebbed away as her vision turned inward. Her head slowly dipped, staring into the wooden floorboards. It hadn't crossed her mind, but it was something she had been curious about since the time Po defeated Tai Lung. Po had been exactly what the Jade Palace needed. A once bleak and all work area grew into an actual family where she finally felt like she belonged. But as the two warriors slowly got out of the sandpit, Viper's mind scanned her life and found one problem that centered around Po.
"Viper?"
"Huh?"
"What's up?"
"What do you mean?"
"You look like you're really really thinking about something hard," Po mentioned.
Viper blinked several times and then smiled kindly, "I'm fine, Po. Nothing major."
"Are you sure?" Po asked, concerned. The snake nodded. "Okay, I'm gonna get something to eat. I'm starving."
"You had your second lunch a few minutes ago," Tigress pointed out.
"Yeah, but whenever I'm fighting you, I work up an appetite," Po smiled.
Tigress rolled her eyes with a small smile. As the panda walked to the kitchen, Tigress noticed Viper slowly slithering to the Hall of Heroes with her head almost touching the floor. She chased after her. "Viper, are you well?"
"Hm? Oh, I'm fine, Tigress."
"You don't look like it. What's wrong?" Tigress asked. Viper paused. She gazed at Tigress with a small frown and the prickling silence in the room only lowered her eyelids. She sighed as heavily as Po's belly.
"Tigress, do you think we're... behind?"
"What do you mean?" Tigress asked.
"I... Maybe this is a question for Master Shifu," Viper sighed.
Tigress stood silent for a small minute before nodding. "Then let's ask him."
"What?"
"Let's ask him," Tigress repeated. Viper stared with her mouth slightly ajar. The tiger walked down the small jade-columned corridor with the snake quickly catching up.
They found Master Shifu in the Hall of Heroes, tending to the scrolls with Zeng. "Master Shifu?" Tigress and Viper bowed.
"Ah, Master Viper, Master Tigress. What might I do for you?" Shifu asked. Tigress looked at Viper who averted her eyes.
"Master Viper has... a question for you."
"For me? Hmm, what is your question, Master Viper?" Shifu asked. Viper stayed silent for several seconds. Finally, the words came out.
"Master Shifu... have you taught us... everything you could?"
Both Tigress and Shifu fell into a deep silence. The red panda's head turned to Tigress who only looked as shocked as he was. "What makes you ask such a question?" Shifu asked.
"It's just... when we were fighting Tai Lung, I remember he said that you've taught us well, but you haven't taught us everything. And... I'm wondering... if that's true, then why?"
"I see," Shifu said slowly. He stroked his beard.
"I'm sorry if this is a silly question. I just-"
"It's perfectly fine," Shifu smiled. "I wasn't aware that he told you this. If I may ask, what triggered this thought?"
"Umm... Po."
"Po?" Tigress and Shifu said together.
"Why Po?" Tigress asked.
"It's just... that move he did made me realize how much that we don't know, how much we need to learn, and... how much Po is... ahead of us. I know that because he is the Dragon Warrior the comparison is futile, but... it still makes me wonder."
The red panda said nothing. He stroked his beard again, thoughtfully looking through the floor before slowly spreading a smile across his face. "Nothing is preventing you from excelling."
"Master?" Viper asked.
"While it is true that Po is gifted, you cannot view your struggle as a weakness. Simply because someone has an advantage or knows more than you doesn't mean that you can not learn it. You are your own limitation. If you want it enough, you'll learn it and overcome those difficulties," Shifu said, widening his smile. "And all you had to do was ask for more training if you wanted to... further specialize your techniques."
"I... I guess I-we just thought we weren't ready."
"Heh, Viper, you and the others have never asked," Shifu replied.
Viper's kind gentle smile slowly returned. "Yeah, I guess... I would like that." Shifu smiled back as the snake bowed her head and slithered back to the barracks, much happier than she came in.
Tigress silently watched the entire thing unfold.
"The same goes for you, Master Tigress," Shifu said, calling Tigress from her thoughts. "But I must ask, what prevented you from asking?"
Tigress bit her lip, bowing her eyes as she bowed her body. "You... you would often tell me that I wasn't ready or that my form wasn't... perfect."
Shifu's smile left him and he sighed, "Hmmm, yes. You are correct. I was much harsher on you before Tai Lung than I am now. And for that, I apologize."
"No need for apologies, Master Shifu," Tigress bowed and smiled. "But...I humbly accept them."
Shifu smiled back, "I appreciate that."
The End
