Disclaimer: I do not own any Kung Fu Panda Characters
New Beginnings
Tigress came in from the rain as she walked into the Jade Palace. She was boiling with anger as tears fell from her face. A few months ago a new warrior by the name of Leon a tiger like herself came to the Jade Palace. He was strong and very handsome. Tigress fell fast as she tried to get his attention but it was all in vain. On the last day of his visit she told him that she loved him and his words hurt her. He said", Sorry Tigress but I don't date monsters even if you wear a dress or make up you are always a monster". Then with a cruel smile he left and Tigress was heartbroken. She stalked toward the kitchen and found Po tracing his finger along the table looking sad. But Tigress was too angry to care. "Love is for the weak I am never falling in love ever again!" she shouted. She grabbed some milk and drank it but what Po said next made her spit some up.
"You are wrong", he said softly. She spit up some milk and glared at him angrily.
"I'm wrong oh I keep forgetting the great Dragon Warrior knows everything so clearly I am wrong!" she hissed.
"I don't know everything but I know what it feels like to be hurt and rejected by the one you love", Po said looking straight at her and not even flinching from her anger. This caught Tigress off guard for she had told no one about her feelings for Leon not even Viper knew and that girl was all about love. So, how did Po know about it?
"What do you mean you know what it is like to be hurt and rejected by someone you love?' Tigress asked sitting down. Po just got up and got some cookies he made and poured two glasses of milk and offered a cookie to Tigress. She accepted it and waited for Po to talk.
"Let's just say being hurt and rejected are two of my closest friends", Po said looking away from her.
"Po come on what did you mean by what you said? Or are you just trying to annoy me further?" Tigress asked getting angry again.
"Oh yes Tigress that is my only purpose in life is to annoy you. Now I can die a happy panda", Po snapped. Tigress gave him a shocked look as a hint of pain came across her face. Po realizing he went too far sighed a sad sigh.
"I am sorry Tigress I didn't mean it. Today just holds a bad memory for me", Po said shedding a tear.
"Would you please tell me", Tigress asked softly.
"Okay I knew when you came in here you had your heart broken by that Leon guy" Po began.
"How did you know that I never told anyone about him especially not loving him", Tigress interrupted.
"Because when you came in you had the exact same look I had a long time ago", Po told her.
"Who hurt you that bad Po, please tell me", Tigress said placing her paw on his. She was angry but she had no right to take it out on him and she really wanted to know who hurt him so much causing him to act so out of character.
"Her name was Elaine, a beautiful silver fox with the most gorgeous pair of blue eyes. Her smile melted my heart and her laugh brightened my day. I would have given anything to be her boyfriend. I did anything to get her attention. I wrote her poetry, drew her pictures and saved up some money and bought her a bracelet with a heart on it. But she rejected me saying she could never love a fat stupid panda and that I wasn't worth her time", Po began getting a far off look in his eyes like he was reliving that day.
"So, what happened after she rejected you", Tigress asked getting interested and shocked that this Elaine girl couldn't at least give Po a chance. Especially for everything he did for her.
"I found out she was dating some guy named Cliff, that was a Rhino and I was destroyed. I barely ate, hardly slept even thought about suicide", Po said his voice now very calm. Tigress couldn't believe her ears Po was going to kill himself over some girl. "Anyways later I found out her boyfriend abused her and I went off to find him. I was so angry Tigress if you thought Bad Po was evil I was way worse. I don't even remember what happened exactly all I remember was talking to him and then everything went black. I woke up on the ground and he was at my feet and I had blood on my paws and he was beaten up very badly. I dragged him to the hospital and Elaine asked if I really did that to Cliff for no one believed kind and gentle Po could ever harm a fly. But I told her I did and she asked me why because she never would or could love me. And I told her that just because she wouldn't love me didn't mean I was going to let some brute hurt her", Po said as a tear fell from his face.
"So did she say thank you at least?" Tigress asked wanting to hear the end of the story for she was fighting back tears.
"No she didn't she just shook her head and said I was stupid and left the village forever. I never saw her again and today is the anniversary of her leaving", Po said drinking some milk.
"What you mean you risked your life for her and she didn't even say thank you. Man what a bitch", Tigress growled.
"Like I said I know how you feel", Po said. "But Tigress don't let an idiot like Leon change your mind about love. Heck if anyone could find love you have a better chance at finding love and happiness than I ever could", Po said looking at her.
"What do you mean I am monster no one would love me", Tigress said sadly.
"You are no monster Tigress maybe a bit short tempered but you are no monster", Po said with a smile. "You are a great fighter, a loyal friend, you have a great sense of humor if you would show it more often, and I love your laugh. Your eyes are very beautiful and you never give up", Po told her as he ate a cookie. Tigress felt tears fall from her face for no one ever said such nice things about her before.
"You really mean that Po?" Tigress asked with a smile.
"Sure I do why when I was little I used to", Po said but quickly stopped himself.
"You used to do what when you were little?" Tigress asked curiously.
"Don't get mad or freaked out but when I was little I used to climb the tree behind the wall of the Jade Palace and watch you train. I remember you let out a laugh when you sent a dummy flying into the wall. Then when the others came I drew pictures of you and wrote some nice things about you", Po said with a blush.
"I remember that we would find the drawings floating in the breeze and I acted like I didn't care but they looked so lovely I kept all the ones about me", Tigress said. "Come to think of it we were training with a ball but it flew over to the other side of the wall and before I could jump up and get it. The ball flew back over like someone had thrown it over. But when I went to thank whoever did it all I saw was a small black and white blur running away", Tigress said smiling. "Was that you as well?" she asked him.
"Yep that was me", Po said with a smile.
"Why did you run away if you didn't we could have met sooner", Tigress told him.
"Because I was afraid you wouldn't like me for I was a big fat stupid panda and thought guys who were as awesome as you would never want to be my friend", Po said looking away. Tigress was again shocked by this statement as she digested what Po had said. "You guys were my idols and I wanted nothing more than to be just like you", he said. Now a knot formed in Tigress stomach as she remembered how they treated him when he first arrived and the way she treated him most of all.
"Po I am so sorry", Tigress said as she shed a tear.
"For what?" Po asked in confusion.
"For the words I said when you first arrived I didn't mean it I was just angry that you were picked as Dragon Warrior instead of me. And I took my anger out on you I am so sorry", she said sadly.
"Oh please Tigress you have nothing to be sorry for. If it makes you feel any better your words didn't hurt me at all", Po assured her.
"What do you mean Po? I was horrible to you how can you say they didn't hurt you? Are you trying to make me feel less guilty", Tigress asked firmly.
"No I am not I am just saying all those words you said I have heard them since I was little. It hurt but after a while you grow to not let the ones who hurt you know you were hurt. And they were only words and besides of all the members of the Furious Five you were my favorite and it did hurt to be hated by your idol and the girl you had a crush on, Po said not realizing what he said. When he did his eyes were the size of golf balls and he went pure white.
"Did you just say you had a crush on me?" Tigress asked in surprise.
"Yes I did after I stopped watching you guys train I made those action figures to remind me of all the fun times I had watching you guys train. But then I met Elaine and I thought I had found love but I didn't and then I remembered how wonderful you were Tigress and I had a crush on you and I said that if I could have a second chance at true love I would want it to be with you", Po said softly. The look Tigress gave him really scared him. Her eyes were big like they were in shock but her mouth was closed. Po seen this look before and he waited to hear what he always heard. That he was not worthy of her and that he was just a stupid panda. Waited for her claws to come out and slice and dice him into tiny little pieces. But what Tigress did shocked him for the rest of his life. Tigress grabbed him by the shoulders and kissed him on the lips. Po was in deep shock as he realized what Tigress was doing. When they released they were breathing very heavily.
"Thank you Po", Tigress said smiling.
"You're welcome, but for what exactly?" Po said not sure as to what Tigress was talking about.
"For mending my heart and for showing me who my true love was. It just took me a while to find you. If I had known you were that blur I saw running away I would have dated you right then and there. I never told anyone this but when I found those drawings of me I loved them and I felt so special that someone saw me as beautiful and wonderful instead of a monster. I wish I would have caught you before you ran", Tigress said smiling.
"Me too", Po said with a smile. Then he walked her to her room and she kissed him goodnight.
"Good night my Dragon Warrior", Tigress said with a smile.
"Sweet dreams my Kitten", Po said. She closed the door and Po closed his and for the first time since Elaine left today was no longer the worst day of his life. But a new beginning for Tigress was his girlfriend and he was going to be the best boyfriend ever. Today was the best day of his life and went to sleep smiling. Tigress was in her room dreaming of Po and knowing that when it came to love she had finally got it right. It was not for the weak but for everyone and she was glad that Po made her realize that for now she knew her heart was complete again.
The End
Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed this story and please review. Also, a special thanks to Kung FuPandaFanatic for giving me the idea for the title.
