#ckaligrapya

【 ☁ 】; ——  surprise overtakes him as Crane lets out a gasp and falls                           against concrete and demolished pieces of a merchant’s cart                           at the emotional out burst, breathless and afraid even. His wing                           swiftly moving under his frame and over a broken plank to help                           support his fallen body, the other instinctively shielding his face.

                              He feared for what Tai Lung may do to himself in his unstable                               condition and Crane felt helpless.       It was not just the heavy                               burden of being rejected the one thing his friend had worked                               so hard for, or if he was a worthy master at all.

                          It was of self worth, and Tai Lung was crumbling at the thought                           of not being worthy enough for even himself.

                             ”You aren’t worthless.

                                 What you need is closure; to find out who you are and                                   where you come from and we can help you.

                                                                                                     I can help you.”

                          the young master rises slowly, taking the leopard’s paw                           between his wings and drawing closer as he let his head rest                           against a fur speckled shoulder.

                         ”Let me help you.

                               I can’t promise answers, or even the reward that you deserve                                but know that we are proud of you.     Shifu has always been                                proud of you and he wouldn’t have encouraged you the way                                he had if he didn’t love you.”

                          his cheeks felt warm, and tears gathered in his eyes as the                            first sob is let out, his shoulders trembling from the aching of                           his heart.

                        “Please stop.

"I... I-it hurts, Crane!"

                                        Gold divert up the mountain, to stare                                         longingly at his destination; the location                                         of that one shard of glory he'd craved for                                         decades under the tutelage of his Father,                                         the scroll for which bones had cracked                                         and broken, skin reddened and torn.

                                                                                The recognition for                                                                                 which blood had spilt.

"... Th-they didn't... They left me, m-my name..."

                                        His name wasn't actually Tai Lung. Had he                                         even been birthed with a name - or was he                                         one of those orphans? Left to burden those                                         more able, for such a burden was not easily                                         shouldered by the incapable and unable.

"... Y-you..."

                                        And he would drop to knees, paws clenched                                         tight before the right is thrust sharply downwards                                         into the earth; and it would do so again, and                                         again - again and again and again as frustration                                         and grief is released into the all too willing earth.

                                        And when he's done, a short few seconds, the                                         sobs have begun and his emotions are no longer                                         able to be held by a will made fragile by despair                                         and betrayal; and despite the noise that had filled                                         the air earlier it's suddenly despairingly quiet, all                                         to be heard the grief of one and the soft dripping                                         of life pouring from earth-torn skins.

"... W-why... Crane, why?"

                                        Why would you love someone worth                                         so little to the world you know and love?                                         Why would you risk the scorn and the hate                                         of people that would look down on an orphan?

                                        Why would you give and give to a M O N S T E R                                         that would spread fear and destruction on the                                         whims of his own inferiority complex?

"... W-why me...?"

                                                                                Why, Crane?