One Tail at a Time

No Pain, No Gain - 5

I am stunned of course, because I really didn't think I would win, and so for a moment I merely stand there staring at Shifu who is standing there rock solid and looking most serious only I can tell he is super pleased going by the way his eyes begin to hood over.  In public, Shifu never shows his emotions, no matter how unstable they are, so I can't help but stare at him in both awe at having his vision win, but the fact that he can remain so calm.

Only it is when I turn towards Liwei that my heart begins to break.  The noise in the hall is jubliant as I said before, and though he is disappointed in losing, he is smiling so happily at me and quickly returning to my side to congratulate me personally, only I can't accept it because those judges whisperings are now echoing in my mind.

"It is best that we keep this prize this side of the veil, we don't want to give those Demons any reason to think they have a foot in the door.  Heavens knows what they'll do with it."

That is what they said just moments before the speaker finally rose to announce me as the winner which only highlights the very obvious fact that Liweis invention was far more worthy of winning than mine.  Though my eyes do move back to Shifu who is now stealing glances at my father who is looking both proud and disappointed at the same time, while my brothers are all entering the stage to support me in my win.

I want to cry so hard, I feel so bad for my friend that I immediately put distance between myself and the fast growing group of supporters who are joining me on the stage which includes Mama and Zhen Zhen.  But what has me growing more angrier than those judges words, is Shifus childish pleasure at seeing my fathers disappointment in losing my idea and what is now a debt he never asked for.

Shifu is such a big baby, he just can't help but join my father to gloat some more when he tells him how clever I am and how lucky Kunlun Mountain is to have such an asset in his ranks which is only making my father feels worse.  I mean, everyone knows how seriously competitive Shifu is and how he hates to lose anything, even to me when I was little, but still, his pleasure at gaining a win for something he never even invented along with Liweis loss just because he's a Demon, suddenly has the anger rising until I can no longer stand it.

Everyone is gathering behind me as the judges suddenly appear to present me with my trophy.   Looking at it gives me a nasty taste in my mouth, because it is so beautiful.  It is a figure holding the world in one hand above its head while the other is pointing to his head, which symolizes the creative mind that has the ability to change the world.  Its a significant achievement for any Inventor to salivate over, only its making me feel so ill, that I take a step back.

"Princess Bai Qian of Qing Qiu and The Seventeenth Disciple of Kunlun Mountain......" he begins which I just know would have put a scowl on Shifus place for mentioning him second to my father, and I might have laughed had this judge in front of me not smiled his big fake smile at my face.....  "It is an honour and a privege to present to you, this trophy of excellence for your contribution to the world and therefore the lives of the many." he says holding it out towards me.

For a few seconds, my hands waver about the air in front of me, but in the end I drop them to my side and look back at Liwei who is genuinely smiling his pride at my win, while his father stands stoically behind him and looking at me with an expression I just can't read.   But it is when I look back at Shifu who is looking as if his big head might just explode, that I finally shake my head and take another step back.

That judge is trying to push the trophy towards me, while the whispering that is starting up from the spectators has me blushing profusely, because I am now making a spectacle of myself.  But I know right from wrong, and this is just so wrong.

"Seventeen...." Shifus soft voice moves closer to me as I move back even further.

"Shifu I can't accept it."  I whisper with my head rising sharply to look up at him.  Where there was smug satifsfaction on his face before, it is now furrowed in concern as my brothers and family also move in to close the gap.