A Friend Indeed (Kung Fu Panda)

Failure

Tigress could feel the set of dominoes in her bag. It's weight felt important, tangible, like it held more than just a set of dominoes.

The air was bright and clear this morning. Sunlight cut down onto the valley uninterrupted by clouds. The cool air bit through Tigress' fur as Monkey and Crane carried her up the palace steps. She had, of course, raised her objections, but it seemed like no one was really going to take her seriously until she could actually raise her voice without her lungs making her hiss.

She pouted as they lifted her up the stairs, Monkey at her paws, and Crane at her top. "I'm still not happy about this," she felt the need to say.

Mantis leapt over to her side, keeping pace with the others through short hops. "I don't really see what there is to complain about," Mantis said jokingly. "When you have people carry you, you're 'injured' but I try it I'm apparently a 'nuisance' and a 'freeloading burden on society.'"

"Well, aren't you?" Monkey asked.

"No. . ." Mantis said, his eyes darting back and forth.

Tigress sighed. "See, that's the problem. I don't feel comfortable with making other people do the work I could just handle myself."

Viper spoke up on her other side. "Well, do you honestly think you can march your way up one-thousand steps with that cut?"

"I've done it thousands of times without a cut. I see no reason why I shouldn't be able to do it with a cut."

"Yeah, but like. . . at what cost," Crane asked.

"I will not let your pride create more work for me before I've even gotten started," Mantis said indignantly.

Tigress shuddered before looking at Mantis with a dismissive glare. "You will not be my doctor."

"What?" Mantis asked. "Oh come on! I've done official work before, you know! Remember who it was that Shifu hired to make him feel better the day we first met?"

Tigress rolled her eyes. "Yes. And we all know how that turned out."

The rest of the five, sans Mantis, laughed. "This is a grievous undermining of my work," Mantis said, "And I will not stand for it!"

It was an odd feeling, being carried up the steps. If she had to guess who among the students would be most likely to be injured, Tigress would have placed herself last. Yet as far as she could tell, she had been the only one to get hurt. Her wound wasn't acting up as much. (Loathe as she was to admit it, Monkey and Crane's help probably had something to do with that.) However, its presence could be keenly felt.

Viper could see the conflict in Tigress. She looked like she needed a distraction. "We should visit that noodle shop again sometime," Viper said.

"Good food, good service, and interaction with our adoring fanbase," Monkey said. "What's not to like."

"Maybe we should make a tradition out of it," Crane said. "Maybe like a post-mission celebration?"

"That sounds like a great idea," Viper exclaimed.

Tigress smiled as the idea was passed around. She certainly didn't have any objections.

Her spirits remained heightened until the five of them reached to top of the steps. She insisted that once the stairs were clear, she would walk by herself. The others paused to look at her quizzically. Tigress emphasized that she had made it to the shop without anyone's help yesterday, which was enough for Monkey to let her down.

She pushed open the gates to the Palace to reveal Shifu waiting for them, a pig, presumably the doctor, standing by his side. "What took you so long?" were his first words. As he strode towards his students, more details became apparent. His fur was ruffled and unkempt, and his eyes sagged even as they blazed with fury.