[UPDATE] – When I originally wrote The Silver Lining, I was in a bit of a rush and, due to some rather tight time constraints, could only publish a 'less-than-perfect' version of it. Ashamed, I vowed to refine the fic to meet the extraordinarily high expectations of an OCD-perfectionist like me!

Hello ! After writing the tragic tale of No Mercy: A Rewrite, I figured that the best way to show that TheAvianChronicler does indeed have a heart would be by writing something a little more... upbeat. Having a PLETHORA of ideas (like, 4) to write about, I figured the most interesting would be a unique romance between Crane and... Tigress? Yes, a relationship rarely explored, but one that I feel has the potential to be just as powerful as Crane / Viper and Crane / Mei Ling. As a rather new member of the FanFiction community, I proudly present The Silver Lining!

Chapter 1 – The Injury

The morning light shown in through the open ceiling, the natural grass "floor" seeming to breathe in tandem with the whispering breeze. In the center of the room was a large platform, though the only shadows in the room emanated from the far corner, where a small entrance with a rice-paper sliding door remained open, revealing the dirt path that lead to the rest of the Jade Palace and a magnificent view of the Valley of Peace. The wooden walls were rather tall, yet ironically from a distance could probably be mistaken for a (rather unattractive) fence. It was easily the most spacious room in the Jade Palace, largely due to the fact that it was not a room at all, but rather a courtyard. It was here, in the sparring room, that Master Shifu paced in front of his students, the Furious Five, guardians of the Valley, and their eyes never left his small form.

Hands behind his back, he pondered the events of the previous evening, when a small argument had broken out during supper between Viper and Tigress. It was over something silly, but obviously was important to them, because "she did this" and "no that's bullshit 'cause she did that!" For the small Master, it was all very amusing.

Oh, my silly little pupils, I have seen you grow, seen you learn, seen you mature and evolve into the greatest warriors the valley has ever known - and yet you are still so much like children!

In a way, he envied them, so care-free, so at peace...

The red panda stopped pacing and realized he was smiling. Apparently his students had noticed, too, for he saw an air of puzzlement in all their eyes. Yes, it was true, he never did really smile much anymore, mostly due to the failure of his last student.

Thank the heavens he was locked in Chor Gom.

The panda's smile disappeared at that thought, and his mind returned to the matter at hand.

Tigress and Viper's argument had given Shifu a plan, and now a dangerously clever smile replaced the previous one of joy.

He was going to test the feline.

"Tigress, Crane, in the arena. Weapons only."


Tigress sighed. She always disliked weaponized combat, something Shifu called a "necessity of knowledge."

Pfft.

As wise as he was, Tigress just didn't get the red panda sometimes.

Crane flew up onto the arena platform with his weapon of choice: a chain. For Crane, the chain was a natural extension of his body, but to Tigress a weapon just seemed like extra weight.

On her way towards the arena, she snagged a staff from Monkey, who shrunk back and muttered: "what's wrong with her today..."

Without looking back she returned the primate's words with a low growl.

Tigress kept her pace up as she approached the arena, which remained supported several meters above the ground by an intricate network of awkwardly-sized struts.

The argument the previous night had been so incredibly stupid, an argument over nothing. Tigress hadn't started it, but had been determined to end it, and in doing so had embarrassed herself in front of Shifu.

She had lost her temper. Pure and simple and-

Not true!

It was always that "thing" that no one discussed because no one felt the need to bring it up. Everyone knew that Tigress was quick to temper. What of it?

The real problem was her acceptance of it, which was exactly the topic of a certain disagreement the night before.

She climbed onto the large platform they called the "arena" and was greeted with a cheery tone.

"You ready, Tigress?"

She knew the avian's words were well meant, but still rolled her eyes in response.

The bird tried to ignore this as he shifted into battle stance, chain in one talon. Tigress then followed suit. Shifu quickly glanced at both warriors, smiled, then:

"Begin."

Tigress leapt through the air with brutal speed, the staff extended to deliver a blow. Crane had apparently anticipated this for, just as the staff was to connect with him, he spun, the chain encircling him and deflecting the blow. Tigress bounced back as Crane quickly lashed the chain, the staff and it connecting once more. The bird then soared skyward when-

Monkey watched the fight, eyes glazed with disinterest. His head shifted toward Mantis, who had perched on his shoulder.

"Maaantisss..."

The insect wasn't phased.

"Mantis!"

He jumped and nearly fell off his shoulder. After regaining his balance, he answered with a playful "hmmm?"

Monkey couldn't stay interested in the spar at hand.

He was too excited about other things.

"Did you overhear what Shifu told me this morning?"

Oh hell yes!

Mantis was always a good listener, even when he wasn't supposed to be listening. He had always been one to enjoy spying in on other people's business. And this morning was no exception.

"But when talked to you, did you think he actually meant it?"

Monkey's face contorted in deep thought.

"I don't know. You were there! What do you think?"

The insect just smiled.


Tigress and Crane continued to trade blows until-

"Wow, this is taking, like, forever! Could ya' maybe hurry it up a little, Tigress!"

Tigress stopped and turned to look at the insect.

"Mantis, I-"

She stopped as Crane's chain sliced through the air toward her head. Her staff shot it back with a loud and hollow thwack!

"Tigress!" Shifu shot, "Pay attention! In combat, a single distraction could mean life or death!"

Tigress let out an annoyed sigh and returned to the battle at hand. Then-

"Go Crane-"

"Monkey, just shut the hell up!"

Shifu glared at her, and Tigress got the message.

I can't believe this, he's not going to do anything about it! Arrgh!


As the battle raged on, so did Monkey and Mantis.

He probably thinks this is good training or something stupid like that-

Tigress felt something tug at her hand, and saw that Crane's chain had wound itself around her staff. Instinctively she pulled, trying to release it.

You think you're gonna' disarm me, are you? We'll see about that-

Crane tried to free his chain from it's death-grip on Tigress' staff but found it bound unyieldingly tight. Furiously they tugged, fueled by Monkey and Mantis' banter until-

Suddenly, the tension on her staff released and the feline, without any chance to stop herself, shot forward. The bird did the same.

Tigress felt something slam into her abdomen and fall in her arms. She slowly shifted her eyes downward, knowing what she would see.

Mantis and Monkey turned toward each other, eyes wide, biting their lips.

Crane looked up at the feline, his head adjacent with and resting on her stomach. He was being held up by Tigress, supported in her arms, which she guessed had caught him out of sheer instinct before he could fall. His wings had slid down her back and firmly grasped (also out of sheer instinct) the first thing they could use to catch himself on.

Their eyes locked, first showing uncertainty, then gradual surprise. Tigress watched the bird's expression quickly shift to embarrassment as the reality of the situation finally set in. His cheeks turned a brilliant red.

"How romantic!"

The arena exploded with Monkey and Mantis' laughter, echoing off the walls and into the cloudless sky above.

Even Viper was blushing.

It took Tigress a second longer to grasp what had happened. A dull thud emanated from the floor as Tigress dropped the bird, not on purpose, but out of her own disbelief. Still in slight shock, she helped the shy Crane to his feet. They stood looking at each other, uncertain of what to do next.

"Tigress! Crane!"

The two students' shifted to face their master, unsure of what he would have to say...

"A draw! Excellent, my students-"

Tigress cocked her head slightly.

"Great defensive maneuvers, Crane-"

Does Shifu even realize what just happened? Did he even notice?

Apparently not, for the red panda continued as if nothing had.

"However, Tigress, it has come to my attention-"

Tigress was still in a slight daze, not fully aware of what was happening-

"That you have a serious problem controlling your emotions, particularly anger."

That woke her up.

It wasn't until now that Tigress noticed the full state of the room. Sure, the two hooligans had cracked a joke and started laughing, but now their loud guffaws seemed to echo around the whole world.

Anger?

Wait, ANGER!

Tigress' eyes rapidly darted around the room, at Monkey, at Mantis, at Viper-

At Crane.

Crane's cheeks were still a blushing red as he raised his wing, lightly scratching the back of his head. His hat tilted clumsily as he did this.

Arrgh, you stupid dolt! This is all your fault!

Crane's gaze quickly shifted down, then back up. He looked Tigress directly in the eye (his hat still off-center), and...

And he smiled.

Then he began to chuckle, and then he began to laugh. It seemed the sheer absurdity of the situation had just caught up with him, and he couldn't help but join in laughing with the rest.

Except Tigress.

While, to Crane and the others, it seemed that Tigress was just a little embarrassed (something perfectly understandable considering the situation), the young feline was really in an ever-deepening fury.

The laughs were smothering, helping fuel her anger, each chuckle a heap of coal feeding the furnace of rage in her head.

And the furnace was getting pretty full.

What the FUCK are you all laughing at, HUH!

Tigress was fighting an internal war, fighting to keep her anger within.

You don't have anger issues, just a slight temper-

Crane walked toward Tigress, still smiling.

FUCK OFF!


Crane still felt a little awkward, but letting himself laugh with the others certainly helped to ease his embarrassment. Tigress, however, still looked tense.

The young avian walked over, hoping to relax her nerves with a bow, traditional after any spar. The bird stopped roughly a foot from the feline and squinted, gazing into her eyes. Was that hate he saw?

No, just unease.

Crane placed his wings in front of him, tips barely touching. The master slowly bent over, looking down just in time to see an orange paw speeding up towards him.


The world seemed to become a blur to Tigress as confusion and rage took over. Blind spots appeared in her sight, and she realized that she was going to black out.

Completely shut out from her own body, she could only guess at what was happening, but one thing was certain:

Whatever was happening felt good.

Real damn good!

As the world rapidly became engulfed by endless darkness, Tigress knew that this feeling of pleasure was wrong.

At that last moment, between mild awareness and complete unconsciousness, Tigress was given a final, horrific moment of clarity, only a single image, nothing more.

Crane...?

What have I done?

Tigress' world seemed to fade, fade away into oblivion...


Right off the bat, let me clear up the confusion around the absence of a certain Panda. Yes, this is before the time of the Dragon Warrior, and I figured the bit about Chor Gom would be enough to clarify this without having to directly explain it (which would just seem awkward stated in the fic). I don't think I've ever put so much of my time into a piece of writing! So, now that you've read it, tell me what you think! As a writer, I am always open to feedback (both positive and negative) because, as a writer, it helps me become, well, a better writer! That means... Read n' Review!

(WOW! This is, like, five whole friggin' pages in NeoOffice!)