The Panda and the Turtle (Book 1)

Chapter 12: Tai Lung's Backstory

In his bunkhouse room that evening, Po was still yelling in pain. Vee and Viper were there with him as Mantis performed acupuncture on Po.

"OW! I thought you said acupuncture would make me feel" Po said before Mantis popped up from behind Po as he held a handful of needes and sticked him again. "Better!"

"Trust me, it will." Mantis reassured. It's just not easy finding the right nerve points under all this..."

"Fat?" Po finished.

"Fur. I was going to say fur." Mantis corrected as he removed the needle and moved to another part of Po's back.

"Sure you were." Po said, skeptically.

Mantis adjusted a needle and tapped Po's back for nerves.

"Who am I to judge a warrior based on his size?" Mantis said. "I mean...look at me."

Po looked around for Mantis, but he was on his other shoulder.

"I'm over here." Mantis said before he jabbed another needle into Po, that made the panda react in pain.

"I don't think it's going so well." Vee mumbled to Viper.

"Maybe you should look at this again." Viper advised.

Viper held a diagram of acupuncture meridians, onto an overlaid drawing of a panda.

"Oh! Okay." Mantis said as he looked at the diagram before he went back to work on Po.

Meanwhile, Monkey was meditating in another room. Po's painful screams echoed throughout the bunker room. Monkey opened his eyes. Annoyed at the disturbance, Monkey stuck his fingers in his ears. In another room, Crane was doing calligraphy. Startled, Crane accidentally smeared the paper. Back in his own room, Po settled down.

"I know Master Shifu's trying to inspire me and all, but if I didn't know any better... I'd say he was trying to get rid of me." Po said before he chuckled nervously.

The others looked at each other and smiled awkwardly. Po noticed their expressions and his chuckle faded.

"It's not your fault." Vee explained. "He's still a student though, to Master Oogway. In a way, he's like us with emotions."

Vee saw that the lantern was about to go out and used her fire abilities to refill the lantern.

"Your magic is cool." Po said. "But you didn't use it as much as most magic people would."

"Well, magic is about self power and control too." Vee explained. "I try not to use it to much in order to keep my kunoichi spirit intact. Shifu understands and tries to help me, but I'm afraid that my magic might be too advanced."

"You did great in training, Vee." Viper said. "I think you're still nervous about how much of your magic you're using."

"I can also give you acupuncture if you'd like." Mantis offered.

"Um, no thanks." Vee replied with a quick dodge. "I'm good with meditation. And Po, don't let Shifu's grumpiness get to you."

"I know he can seem kind of heartless..." Mantis added before he violently jabbed another needle in Po. "...but, you know, he wasn't always like that."

"According to legend, there was once a time when Master Shifu actually used to smile." Viper explained.

"No..." Po denied.

Outside, Tigress was walking down the hallway when she overheard them talking. She stopped outside their door.

"Really?" Vee asked.