I'm Sometimes a Red Panda [Turning Red]

Things Went Worse

The girls gathered around Abby. "Uh, this says Toledo," Priya pointed out.

Abby gaped. "What?!" She looked and saw that it read Toledo, May 18th. She started cursing in Korean. "What the heck is Toledo!?"

The girls seemed horrified at this. The red Lunar month is on the twenty fifth and now 4Town is coming here?

"Oh, no," Miriam gasped, horrified. "4Town's the same night as the ritual?"

Mei completely panicked, shifting into her panda form. "NOOOO!!! The same night!? The same night!?  WHAT?!?"

"Mei, chill," Miriam begged, trying calm her down.

"It's okay," Priya said.

"No, it isn't!" Mei cried. "I can't miss 4Town! We worked so hard!" She held her head in her paws. "The ritual! I'll let everyone down!"

"Hey!" Tyler called up, "Panda girl!"

The girls peered over the roof edge. Tyler was on the ground, yelling up at them. His guests had gathered around, drawn by the commotion.  What does he want now?  Mei thought as the girls looked down. Things started to get worse.

"What are you doing? We want more rides!"

"Buzz off, jerkface," Mei said. "I'm busy:" Some of the kids snicked.

"Oh, snap!" someone said.

"You gonna take that, Tyler?" said another.

There was no way Tyler was going to be a laughingstock at his own party. He'll show Mei who was boss. "You want your money?" he said.  "Then get your butt down here NOW!"

Mei's fur stood on end. Who did Tyler think he was? She was the one dealing with a true crisis. "Forget your money and forget you!"

Some of the kids gasp. Mei's eyes felt like they were on fire. Miriam, Abby and Priya tried to pull her back from the edge of the roof.

"Mei, let's just go," Miriam responded.

"What about our deal?" Tyler barked.

"Shove your deal!" Mei hissed.

"FINE!" Tyler shouted. "Get outta here! Go back to your psycho mom and your creepy temple, you FREAK!"

More kids gasp.

Mei couldn't take it anymore. She let out a feral roar and dove off the roof, leaping right on top of Tyler. Kids started screaming and backing away while Mei's friends tried to call her back.

"Take it back!" she shouted. "Don't ever talk about my family like that! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!!" 

"Mei! No!" the girls cried. "You're hurting him!"

But Mei didn't hear them. She pulled back her furry arm and swiped Tyler's face with her claws. She started beating and shaking him up over and over again. She hated that stupid boy. He ruin everything.

"Mei Mei! Stop! What is going on here?!"

Mei looked up to see her mother standing there, out of breath, clutching her keys. Her eyes were wide with shock. Mii had appeared before her.

Suddenly, Mei realize what she had done to Tyler. His cheek and nose was bleeding and he gained a black eye. The braces on his teeth had snapped completely, damaging his teeth. The sleeve on his shirt had ripped off. Tyler was a terrified wreck. "I'm sorry," he sobbed. "Get off me... please."

Mei looked around. Everyone at the party was staring at her in fear. Mii then turned to Tyler angrily. "That wasn't very nice, Tyler!" Mii snapped at the rotten boy. "You can't treat my family or my sister like that! Shame on you!" Tyler sobbed harder as Mei lets go. Mii knew it was the right to protect her family and teach that freak boy a lesson. But she knew the boy had enough scolding.

Before long, Tyler's parents were standing outside in the driveway with Tyler and his party guests. Tyler's parents were saying angry words to Ming. Mei, in her human form, and Mii was standing several yards away, with Miriam, Abby and Priya by her side.

Tyler's mom shouted at Ming as she put a protective arm around her son. "I can't believe you would let your daughter do this!"

Tyler's dad looked like he was seconds from calling the police. "Do you understand what she did to my boy!"

"We live in a civilized society!" Tyler's mom added.

Ming lowered her head, deeply apologetic. Mei watched, ashamed. "I'm so sorry. She's never done anything like this before," Ming pleaded with them in a soft conciliatory tone. "I don't know what came over her. I'm sorry..."

Tyler's father glared at Ming. "I don't want to hear your apologies, okay?"

Tyler's parents strode past Mei as she though she were invisible.

"She's an animal," Tyler's mom cried.

"All right, party's over," Tyler's father said. "Everyone, go home!"

Tyler's parents took the injured boy inside. Mii knew his parents were so angry.  If she was a red panda, she would threaten them and yell at them for everything they had tried to insult.

As the party guests scattered, Ming walked over to Miriam, Priya and Abby. "I can't believe you girls would use her like this."

Miriam, Priya and Abby were completely shocked, their eyes widened. Using her for the concert? How could they do that? 

"What?"

"But we didn't," Priya muttered.

"We'd never!" Abby begged.

Mei couldn't believe what her mother was accusing them. "I knew you were trouble," Ming said, ignoring their replies. "Putting all those thoughts in Mei Mei's head! Parading her around! Now she's lying, sneaking out. She attacked a defenseless boy! You think this is a joke? Do you know how dangerous this is?"

Miriam tried to speak up, feeling ashamed. "We didn't mean to. We just wanted to see 4Town."

"4Town!" Ming cut in. "You manipulated her for a bunch of tacky delinquents."

"No. W-we wanted to-"

"Don't you blame her!" Ming glared. "She's a good girl, and you've taken advantage of her!"

"Mei?" Miriam whimpered, focusing on Mei. "Tell her."

Mei looked at her Mom. She couldn't bare to disappoint her anymore that she already had. She'd almost murdered a boy, even drawn blood. Tyler didn't need stitches, but her loving mom was not a person you should maul someone in front of. Not after all her mother had done for Mei, to  give her a future.

What kind of ingrate daughter she was? What kind of delinquent was Mei turning into? Her mom's worst nightmare? No, she couldn't. She couldn't be that to her mother.

Mei turned away from her friends.

"What?" Priya gasped in disbelief.

"Dude!?" Abby yelled.

Miriam could hardly look at Mei. Mii could almost see that Miriam had tears in her eyes.

"Come on, Mei Mei," Ming said, vindicated. "Let's go." She held out her hand and Mei took it. In the car, Mei stared ahead from the passenger seat as Mii sat in the back. Ming started the engine. Ming backed out of the driveway and turned onto the street.

Miriam, Priya, and Abby rescinded into the distance. Mei glanced at Ming whose gaze was focused on the road. Her expression was unreadable. Then Ming reached out and placed a hand over Mei's. At least her mother still believed in her, but that had come a cost.

Miriam, still standing in Tyler's driveway, had watched the car drive off. Then she noticed something on the ground where Mei had been standing. Her digital pet.