The Panda and the Turtle (Book 1)

Chapter 9: First Night

That night, the Five were walking to the bunkhouses, which sat high on a hill, led by a palace goose with a lantern.

"There's no words." Mantis said.

"No denying that." Crane said.

"I don't understand what Master Oogway was thinking." Viper said. "The poor guy's just going to get himself killed!"

"He is so mighty!" Crane said, mockingly. "The Dragon Warrior...fell out of the sky on a ball of fire!"

"When he walks, the very ground shakes!" Mantis added, that made everyone laugh except Tigress.

"One would think that Master Oogway would
choose someone who actually knew kung fu." Tigress said.

"Yeah, or could at least touch his toes." Crane agreed.

"Or even see his toes." Monkey added.

As the others walked off laughing, Po emerged from behind a rock, who unbeknownst to them had been walking behind them this whole time and heard everything. He attempted to look at his toes, but just saw gut. He lifted up his stomach and leaned forward... leaned... leaned... and fell over. He got up and watched them go inside. He sighed. As Po walked by, he did not notice that Vee was meditating behind a bush and noticed his depressed sigh.

Inside, the Five blew out the candles in their rooms as Po peeked around the corner. Vee snuck in her room through her open window and shut it quietly before she went to get in her pajamas. In the hallway, Po looked around.

"OK." Po whispered before he tip-toed into the hall.

The floorboards strain squeaked beneath him and again.

"Great." Po whispered.

Po took a gentle step. Cre-e-e-a-a—CHUNK! Po's foot went through the floor. Po tried to recover. His feet kept making squeaky sounds until he rolled his ankle and stumbled through a bedroom door. He turned and found Crane staring back at him.

"Oh hey... hi. You're up." Po said.

"Am now." Crane replied.

"I was just, uh... Some day, huh?" Po asked. "That kung fu stuff is hard work, right? Your biceps sore?"

"Um... I've had a long and rather disappointing day, so uh..." Crane said as he looked at his wing. "Yeah, I should probably get to sleep now.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Of course." Po said as he turned to leave.

"OK, thanks." Crane said, relieved.

"It's just...I'm such a big fan!" Po said as he turned back.

"Oop." Crane said, slightly alarmed.

"You guys were totally amazing at the Battle of Weeping River." Po said. "Outnumbered a thousand to one, but you didn't stop, and then you just... WA-YA-HA-HA HI-YAH!"

Po did a spastic series of kung fu moves and accidentally kicked his foot through the paper wall.

"Ooh, sorry about that." Po apologized as he looked through the hole and saw Monkey glaring at him.

"Look, you don't belong here." Crane said.

Po looked stung as he heard this from one of his heroes.

"I know. I know. You're right." Po sighed. "I just...My whole life I dreamed of..."

Crane stopped Po before he embarrassed himself even more.

"No no no, I meant you don't belong here.
I mean, in this room. This is my room." Crane explained. "Property of Crane."

Po was mortified, but covered himself.

"Oh, okay. Right right." Po said as he began to back out of the room. "Yeah, you want to get to sleep."

"Yeah." Crane nodded.

"I'm keeping you up. We got big things tomorrow." Po continued as he began to shut the door. "Alright. You're awesome. Last thing I'm gonna say. Okay. Bye bye."

Po shut the door, but silhouette was seen standing outside, not moving. Crane sighed. The door suddenly opened. Po poked his head in with an eager smile.

"What was that?" Po asked.

"I didn't say anything." Crane replied.

"Okay. All right. Good night. Sleep well." Po said.

Po backed out and closed the door. Crane put his foot on his head.

"Seemed a little awkward." Po muttered.

Po turned and walked down the hall to find a vacant room. Tigress opened the door next to him, that made Po wince.

"Master Tigress!" Po whispered. "Didn't mean to wake you. I was just, uh—."

"You don't belong here." Tigress said.

"Uh, yeah, of course. This is your room—." Po said before Tigress approached with a glare.

"I mean... you don't belong in the Jade Palace." Tigress explained. "You're a disgrace to kung fu, and if you have any respect for who we are and what we do, you will be gone by morning."

She closed the door on Po, who stared feeling stunned and saddened.

"Big fan..." Po said, before he felt dejected.

A little later, a dejected Po was standing under a peach tree on a hill. Vee and Oogway approached with a glowing lantern.

"Hey, Po, what are you doing up here?" Vee asked.

"I see you have found the Sacred Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom." Oogway said to Po.

Po spun around with his arms full of peaches and his mouth was equally stuffed. He dropped the peaches in shock.

"Is that what this is? I am so sorry. I thought it was just a regular peach tree." Po said with his mouth full.

"I understand." Oogway said. "You eat when you are upset."

Po spat out the remaining peaches and slurred words together.

"Upset? I'm not upset." Po said. "What makes you think I'm upset?"

"So why are you upset?" Oogway asked.

Po paused, then he sighed. There was no use trying to lie to Oogway.

"I probably sucked more today than anyone in the history of kung fu, in the history of China, in the history of sucking." Po admitted.

"Probably." Oogway said.

"And the Five... man, you should have seen them, they totally hate me." Po continued.

"Totally." Oogway said.

"What makes you think that?" Vee asked.

"How's Shifu ever going to turn me into the Dragon Warrior?" Po asked as he lifted his belly and dropped it, that caused it to bounce until he stopped it with his paw and sighed. "I mean, I'm not like the Five. I've got no claws, no wings, no venom. Even Mantis has those..." He imitated a mantis's front legs. "...thingies. Maybe I should just quit and go back to making noodles."

Po sat down with his back to Oogway. Vee sighed and went to sit by Po as she put a reassuring hand on his arm. Oogway looked at him for a moment.

"Quit, don't quit. Noodles, don't noodles." Oogway said, that made Po look at him. " You are too concerned with what was and what will be. There's a saying: Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present."

Oogway hit the tree with his staff as he walked away and a peach fell into Po's open paw. Po smiled as he watched the tortoise leave.

"You know what also helps me?" Vee said as she got in her meditation position. "Meditation. My master told me it helps wash away bad moments."

Vee closed her eyes as she began to meditate and Po copied her position with a smile. Vee smiled as if she had finally found her new best friend.