Torn pieces of paper littered Francine's room. She wiped her tears away as she tried to calm down. Earlier, she made crude drawings in her comic strip to relieve herself of all the stress she had built up within herself, but when she showed Shang Tsung…
"This is terrible. I have seen better drawings by young children. I suggest you stop wasting your time on such meaningless things." Shang Tsung crumbled the drawing and threw it onto the ground.
Francine laid in her bed. She didn't want to cry but couldn't hold in her emotions. She choked on her tears, which continued flowing no matter how often she wiped them away. Francine heard a knock on her door and covered her face in the pillow.
"Go away!" Francine muddled, yelling echoed through her room.
Shang Tsung opened the door and walked straight to Francine's bed. He yanked the pillowcase stained with Francine's makeup from her.
"Was my criticism of your masterpiece so cruel you have become a little girl?"
"That wasn't criticism…" Francine inhaled before continuing. "You just insulted it. How am I supposed to get better at my art from insults? Am I…," Francine choked up again. "Never good enough for you?"
"I did not criticize your physical features, only your skills in producing artwork. Besides, why must you need a skill such as illustration?"
Francine flipped over and ignored Shang Tsung's question. She snuggled into her blankets, the only safe place she had now.
"Just go. I've already failed you today like I always do."
Shang Tsung sighed and patted Francine's shoulder, seeing he'd gone too far this time. Usually, Francine would take his criticism, but not this time. He pushed her the other way so he could see Francine's face.
"My apologies. Though the drawings are not up to my standards, it was not my right to crumble them up." Shang Tsung frowned at the torn-up pieces of paper, the hard work Francine put into those drawings gone within a flash. "May you create another comic?"
Francine took another deep breath and clutched Shang Tsung's hand. She placed his hand on her face, prompting him to soothe her further.
"Can you help me with it?" Francine said.
"Yes, I will help you."