Chapter 16 - A Bundle Of Love

(The beginning is very sweet, but it becomes sour at the end.)

“What a horrible night..” Kurisu whispered to herself. “I've tried my hardest just to make myself at least tolerable for people. I-I just can't do it! ...No one will ever like me.” She whispered, allowing tears to flow down her cheeks. She sighed and buried her face in her arms. “I was a fool to think that Shifu would ever love me.”
She heard a quiet chuckle from behind her. “Oh, were you now?”
Kurisu spun around and saw Shifu coming down the steps, an amused smile on his face. That upset her. Was her misery entertaining to him? “What is it?” She asked, sourly. “Careful, don't get to close, I might fall on you..”
Shifu shook his head, chuckling once more. “Oh come on, stop that. You're exaggerating.”
“When we're talking about my clumsiness, master, there is no way I can exaggerate!
“I can't argue with that.” He agreed, before smiling softly. “Now what's that nonsense about no one liking you?”
“...It's not nonsense, it's the truth.”
“No, it's not.” He opened his arms wide. “Look around you! Everyone at the palace are family. Families love each other.” He grinned. “You are deeply loved here. As a friend, as family..” He paused, before giving a warm smile. “As a student.”
“You mean..you..?”
“Of course.” Shifu said simply. “And what made you think I didn't love you?”
“I'm clumsy, dumb, overly-hyper, and according by the rules of teacher and student; very disrespectful.”
“..Huh?”
“I'm always late for the gong, for lessons, I sometimes call you Shifu chan, and...yeah.”
Shifu laughed. “That doesn't mean you are a bad student! Plus, you have your good traits!”
“Really.” Kurisu said sarcastically. “Like what?”
“You're very sweet, compassionate, loving, cute, gentle, bubbly..and all of the above.”
The kitten's turquoise eyes sparkled with tears of happiness. “Really?” She asked softly. “Thank you, master. I love you..” She planted a gentle kiss on his forehead, close to his eyes.
The red panda cleared his throat and fought off the pink blush that threatened to creep upon his cheeks. “Yes, well, I love you too.” Those words had stuck to the back of his throat like molasses for a while. He shifted uncomfortably as his “intolerance for sentiment kicked in.” He tried to inch away, but Kurisu wouldn't let him. She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly, burying her face in his soft, warm fur. The elderly Kung Fu master tensed immediately, his face heated as he returned the gesture. Shifu felt appalled with himself as he felt a warm moisture in his eyes. “Damn it Kurisu.” The red panda growled, wiping the tears from his eyes. “How dare you make me cry!” He scolded, playfully.
Kurisu laughed and playfully poked him. “Oh, is the wittle stubborn Kung Fu master afraid of a little sentiment?” She asked, teasingly.
Shifu just stared at her wide eyed and his jaw dropped. “Oh, that's it!” His mouth curved up into an evil smirk. “You asked for it!”
Giving a loud shriek of fright and laughter, Kurisu bolted from the spot she was sitting in. “Aaaaaaack! No, master, stay back!” She squealed. The kitten stuck out her foot and tripped him.
“Oomph!” Shifu fell flat on his face. “Oh, now you're going to get get it! Ha!” He pounced, and his face smacked the wet grass. “Wow!” He looked impressed. “Amazing, Kurisu, have you been practicing your speed?”
“Yes.” Came the voice from behind him.
“Huh?” Shifu turned around just in time to see a blur of blue as Kurisu pounced on him, they both went tumbling onto the wet grass. Both were laughing now.
“Wow!” Kurisu said, as she sat up. “I had no idea you were so evil!”
“You should have seen me in my youth!”
“I don't think I would have wanted too! Oogway probably did though, he is your Godfather after all.” Then, she stopped smiling. Oh God, what have I done?! I just ratted myself out!
“And how do you know that?” Shifu's back was turned to her, but she could hear the amusement in his voice.
“Umm...ummm...a-a little birdie told me?”
The red panda gave a soft laugh. “Does that “little birdie” happen to be an unrolled scroll on my bed?”
Now, Kurisu was sure she was going to faint. “H-how do you know about that?” She asked meekly.
The red panda shook his head slowly, chuckling. “Tip: next time you decide to snoop through my things..” He took out the scroll out of his pocket and unrolled it, pointing to tear stains on the paper. “Don't leave evidence behind.”
The kitten's lid twitched. “Ugh-ugh-how-how did you know it was me though?”
“If it was Po, the tears would be big. Your tears are smaller then Tigress's, and the only way the puddles would be big is if you were leaning really close into the paper. ..Which, I doubt you were.”
“...Wow. You should really go into forensics! I can't believe you were able to identify me simply by my tears!”
“Plus, you're the only one who is sensitive enough to cry over what it said.”
That annoyed her, but she ignored that comment. “I-I'm sorry, master.”
“For what?”
Her head snapped up him. Was he insane? “For um down-right disrespecting you by snooping through your private belongings, and not telling you about it.”
“Oh, that's not true, you ratted yourself out, remember?” He laughed.
The kitten blushed. “Err...right.” She frowned. “Wait, you're not mad?”
“Now, why would I be mad?”
Kurisu's eyes went wide. She rocketed to her feet and got into a stance. “Okay, who are you and what did you do with my master?”
Shifu got to his feet as well, smiling gently. “Kurisu, that scroll was meant to be seen by you.”
“.....Excuse me? Why?”
“When you went for your walk, Po spoke to me. He told me that you had never been good in making friends (as sociable as you are) and you had always been depressed on and off over the years after your parents were killed.”
The kitten's eye twitched, more in shock then rage. I'm going to kill Po..
“I'm glad he told me, it explained why you always got so worried that if you angered someone, they completely hated you. You are not alone in your depression, and as you read from the scroll, not the only one who's had it.”
“That's why it was there?”
Shifu nodded solemly, before smirking. “Careful of your snooping though, young lady. Remember, curiousity killed the cat!” He leaned forward and whispered. “Can I trust you with keeping that scroll a secret?”
The kitten gave a grin. “You can trust me with anything, master.”
The red panda smiled and nodded. “Good then.”
Now, Kurisu knew she couldn't keep the secret she had from her master about Tai Lung. “Um, master?”
Shifu turned to her, still smiling. “Yes, young one?”
He looks so happy, I don't want to upset him... She hesitated, before sighing, smiling and saying: “I just want to say I'm honored that you trust me.”
His grin widened. “Anytime.” He told her, gently.
Later that evening, Kurisu was in the fridge, searching for some more of her dessert to feed Tai Lung. “PO! Did you eat all of my apple snow?!”
Po frowned and lowered a toasted almond cookie. “No.”
Kurisu huffed. “Well, if you didn't eat it, then who did?”
Shifu hung his head, guiltily. “Err...sorry.”
“Master! No, how could you?”
“I'm sorry, it was so good!” He gave a sheepish smile. “Take that as a compliment!”
“Well, I'm not!” The kitten growled through gritted teeth. “Now I have to go but more apples!” She slipped on hr sandals and threw on a sweater. “Thanks a lot!”
“What's the big deal? Make some more tomorrow.”
Obviously he didn't understand, he didn't know she needed to feed her wayward friend. “I'm going to go buy some apples...”
“Huh? At eight at night?” Shifu asked, eyes wide.
She was already gone.
I can't BELIEVE I even AGREED to this! Honestly, can't Tai Lung feed himself with apples?! The kitten sighed as she made her way through the cool dew covered grass. Honestly, can't he do anything- A strange sound coming from behind a booth interrupted her ranting thoughts. Do I hear someone crying? She crept behind the booth and gasped. “...A baby..?”
Yes, a baby! She's so cute.. A young tiger cub, with white and purple fur, with purple sandals and a violet shredded dress. Her frightened eyes were purple and she was covered with scratches. The kitten bent down to it's level. “Hi there, sweetums.” She said sweetly. “Where is your mommy?”
The baby looked up at her and began crying even harder. She was no older then three. “Sh, it's okay.” She cooed. “I won't hurt you, I promise.”
The baby tiger peered up and allowed Kurisu to scoop her up.
“Come on. I'll take you to the palace.” As the kitten made her way up the steps, she began examining the baby. “Did someone beat you?? You're covered in bruises and scratches!” She pushed open the door. “Maaaaaaaaaaaaasteeeeeeeeeeeer!”
An irritated sigh was heard as Shifu snapped out of his meditation state. “Yes, Kurisu, what is it? Do you have the ap-...!! Oh my gosh!” The red panda rushed up to her. “Wh-where did you find that child?”
“Abandoned behind a booth, I think someone beat her.”
Shifu shook his head. “That's just sick.” I wonder if it was Giao Xun..
“What's going on?” The five cried, rushing up to the three of them.
Po's eyes went wide. “WHOA! Where did you get a baby Tigress?” GASP. “Have we gone back in time?”
Tigress slapped him upside the head. “I'm right here, you idiot!”
The baby tiger began crying harder.
Kurisu glared at the rude feline. “Tigress! You made her cry!”
Oogway brushed his finger over the baby's cheek and she stared up at him with curiousity. “Wow, you're just as cute as Shifu was when he was your age.”
Kurisu cuddled her. “Indeed she is.” She gave Shifu a pleading look and the red panda knew what was coming next. “Can I keep her?” She asked, quietly.
“WHAT? No! No, you are not keeping a baby! You're still just a baby yourself!”
Kurisu's ears flattened back in annoyance. “How dare you!? I'm almost fifteen! I am NOT a baby! Stop treating me like a child, master!”
“YOU ARE A DAMN CHILD!”
The tiger cub screamed with sobs and Oogway rapped the red panda hard on the head.
“Shifu, be quiet, you're scaring her!”
“Sorry..” He sighed and forced himself to speak in a quieter tone. “Let's take her to an orphanage-”
“WHAT?! Do you even have a heart?!” Kurisu demanded, shrilly, and she could tell that had hurt him.
His ears went slightly lower for a split second. “I do have a heart, but we can't keep her here, and you should have enough common sense to know that, young lady!”
The kitten narrowed her eyes in anger. “I can take care of her..”
“I said no.”
“Why?”
“Because you are a child, a fourteen year old can NOT take care of a baby! You would be considered an unwed teenage mother, for that matter, anyways.” He sighed.
“Give me a chance.” She pleaded. “Please?”
“No.” He spoke in a stern voice.“You are a young master-to-be in training, a bay would simply mess up your schedule, you won't have time to do anything and furthermore-”
“Keep her, Kurisu. Oogway said, with a smile.
“What?” The kitten's eyes went wide. “Really? I can keep her?”
“If you can take care of her, then yes, you can.” The old tortoise gave a smile.
“Oh, thank you, Master Oogway!” Kurisu rejoiced, throwing her arms around him.
Oogway chuckled. “You're welcome, young one.”
Shifu just stood there, shaking with rage. How dare Oogway under mind him like that, how dare Kurisu act as if he had never even spoken a word to her, and how dare..everyone else act like that too! Shifu spun on his heels and stormed out of the palace, slamming the doors behind him. The whole entire palace shook and everyone flinched.
Oogway sighed. “I better go talk to him...” The old tortoise slipped through the palace doors and out into the cool night air.

(Daaaaaaaw, didn't you love the beginning? I sure did! ^^ But it looks like Shifu and Oogway may be on the road to another argument.)

Previewwww!

Oogway stopped walking and turned around to the red panda. “Oh, and one more thing.” He spun around and stuck his tongue out at the tunned red panda.
Kurisu gave a squeal of delight. “That was AWESOME, Master Oogway!”
“Why, thank you, Kurisu!” Oogway said, cheerfully.
“Can you teach me how to kick Shifu like a soccer ball, too?”
“Sure.”
Po laughed. “This has been the best picnic ever! What a great day..!
Of course, all great things must come to an end. Sometimes the ending is more horrible then you can imagine...

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