The Countdown

One is truly the loneliest number

The next morning, Tigress was woken out of a sound sleep when Po let out a loud shriek. She snapped her head up, her ribcage piercing her skin and causing her to lay back down again. The floorboards creaked and Tigress heard the Five go into Po's room to make sure he was okay.

"Sorry," Po apologized. I had a dream about Shen again."

"Was he firing his cannon at you?" Crane asked.

"Yes," Po admitted.

Tigress wanted to get up just to make sure that he was okay, but she wasn't able to since her chest was in so much pain. She listened for a few minutes as Po got up and promised to make breakfast as an apology for waking everyone up. Hearing that he was alright, she made an effort to roll over and go back to sleep.

"I'm going to check on Tigress," Viper said, and the master heard her door creak open. She remained still and quiet as Viper slithered over and said, "Tigress?"

Just act asleep and she'll go away, Tigress thought to herself. I'm going to show Po that I'm not desperate for company like he thinks I am!

After a few seconds, Viper slithered back out of the room to inform the masters that Tigress was still asleep.

"Well, I'll make something for her and leave it in her room for her whenever she wakes up," Po told her, and with that, the masters walked out of the barracks. Tigress slowly started to fall back to sleep, the pain in her chest subsiding for a moment before she did so. She wasn't sure how long she was out for, but she knew that it had been for at least another two or three hours as the room was much brighter than it was when she had gotten up earlier that morning. The master slowly sat up and then took the tray that was next to her bed, eating the stir-fried tofu with a smile. Either I eat this stuff too much or he took a lucky guess, she thought to herself as she ate her favorite food. She then drank her tea and layed back on the bed in boredom. A week and a half until I can get out of this bed! she thought to herself. A week and a half!

"Tigress?" came Viper's voice.

The master turned to see her friend slither into the room. "Hey," she said. "Come to collect my tray?"

"Yep," Viper answered. "How's your chest?"

"In the process of healing," Tigress answered. "However, I figured out what to do with myself while I'm cooped up in here so that I'm not so bored."

"Besides ringing the bell constantly?" Viper asked hopefully.

"Yes. I was thinking about making a cube out of paper and then stack them in a pyramid."

"Oh," Viper said. "Well, I'd better get you paper then."

Tigress was then handed a stack of paper. "Thanks," the master said. "That's all until lunch and dinner."

"Lunch and dinner?" Viper asked in surprise. "No kung fu sparring? No pillow fluffing? No guarding the boarders secretly so that we're not surprised by villain attacks while relaxing?"

"Nope," Tigress assured her. "I'm trying to not risk my bell privileges."

"Oh, alright," Viper said. She eyed the master and asked, "This isn't because of what you told Po yesterday, is it?"

Tigress turned her head in surprise. "What are you talking about?!" she demanded. "What did Po say to you?"

"He said you told him you were lonely from being cooped up in your room all day."

"That's ridicules!" Tigress snapped. "I've only been in here for four days! And I did not say I was lonely; I said I hated sitting around not doing anything."