She accepted the fact that her fangs will never grow longer. She accepted the fact that she will never have poison in her fangs. She accepted the fact that she will never have fangs like all the other snakes do. She accepted all this years ago when she proved to her father and everyone else how strong she was without fangs. Everybody accepts her for who she is now...

"You're worthless."

...or so she thought.

Tears flowed rapidly down her cheeks. She wanted to slither away from the voice that constantly insulted her, but she couldn't. She couldn't move her body, not that she knew where to go in the first place. Darkness surrounded her and all she could do was to listen to the haunting voice. It spoke louder and louder with every insult it threw at her.

"Fangless freak."

She wanted to scream.

"Pathetic snake..."

She wanted to get away from the voice.

"Such a disgrace you are."

She wanted someone to come and rescue her.

"Absolutely useless...but you already knew that...didn't you Viper?"

"No!"She screamed and breathed heavily. Looking around with blurry eyes, she realized she was in her room. Today was a day off and she decided to take a nap in the afternoon, while everybody else did their own thing. Taking a deep breath, she sighed slowly and shook her head.'It was just a nightmare...'She thought as she wiped away the tears in her eyes.

"Viper! Are you ok?!"

Jumping a little from the sudden voice, she looked at her doorway and calmed down. It was Crane. He rushed to her side and knelt down, gently placing a wing on her back."I heard you scream. Is everything alright?"

Viper softly smiled at him."I'm fine Crane. I just...I just had a nightmare that's all."

He sighed in relief."Thank goodness."She gave him a look."I-I mean I'm glad it was j-just a nightmare! I thought that something terrible happened to you and-"

She giggled at his stuttering."I understand."

He chuckled nervously in response."Good. So...do you want to talk about it or..."He watched Viper shift uneasily and rubbed her back a little to calm her nerves."You don't have to if-"

"I'll tell you...I-I want to."She said and told him everything. Crane listened to every word she said carefully. He nodded every once in awhile to process everything he was hearing. He hugged her whenever she looked like she was on the verge of tears.

"I don't know who the voice belonged to. It could have been nobody really. Every word it said...I know it's not true but-"

"You can't help but to think about it."Crane said knowingly. She nodded, wondering how he can read her thoughts sometimes."You dont really believe all that...do you?"He asked worriedly.

Viper chuckled."No, no. I've learned to except my fangs years ago. Still...it hurt to hear those words..."She said and felt herself tear up again. Tears were running down her cheeks again, but none of them made it to the floor. They were wiped away by a soft feathered wing.

"Don't think about it too much."He said, smiling at her."Your fangs make you who you are. They show the potential you have, how strong you are without poison, how...how cute you look with them, how-"

"Wait, w-what?"Viper asked with a blush rising to her cheeks.

Crane blushed madly as he realized what he just said and looked away, scratching his neck nervously."Huh? What?I-I mean your fangs are cute. Yeah! They, uh...look cute, heh heh."

She smiled at him blushed a bit more."Thank you, Crane. I think I get what your trying to say."

"Oh...well, good. I'm glad you get it...what I'm trying to say...and all that. I'm just babbling now aren't I?"

"Yes, yes you are."She said and wrapped her tail around his neck to bring him closer to her."But...I thinks it's cute."She said and kissed him softly on the cheek. The expression on his face was priceless and she couldn't help but to giggle again.

Slithering past the dumbstruck bird she went over to her door and looked back."I'm going to head over to Oogway's tree for some peaches. Would you like to join me?"

Shaking his head and smiling goofily, he nodded and walked with her towards the peach tree."So...does that mean you think that I'm cute?"He received a giggle in response.

"Maybe."