So happy fanfiction is up and running again after being down for like, 24 hours!
Anywho, enjoy this little oneshot. :D
Secret Hidden Voice
Po climbed up the stairs leading up to the Jade Palace, having dealt with a couple of Warthog bandits in the village, along with the Furious Five. Tigress and Viper had left as soon as they were done with the bandits. Normally, Tigress would stick around until the authorities came to pick up the bad guys. But this time around, she had no choice but to leave as soon as possible.
Why? You may ask.
This battle was… not like any of the others they've had. The bandits had used a very strange, yet effective method, to rob the citizens of the valley. They threw small bags with a lime green goop at the place they wanted to rob, and once it hit something, it would explode and emit a very putrid stench, like rotten eggs. During the battle, one of the bandits threw one of said bags at Master Tigress.
After she was hit and the bag exploded, Tigress had to use all the will power she had not to puke while they fought. If the smell was bad for a regular person, image what it was like for a feline with a very sensitive sense of smell. Viper, who was close by to Tigress when it happened, got hit by some of the goop when it exploded on the feline, and also stank of the substance. So once the battle was over, both females made a beeline for the Palace.
Both females now sat in the bathhouse on their stools while trying to vigorously wash the substance and its smell off them. Well… Tigress was, at least. Viper didn't have much of a problem, due to the fact that the substance had just slid off her body and only left behind the bad smell, as well as it being that time of the year when she would shed her skin. Lucky her.
Tigress, on the other paw, wasn't so lucky. Since she didn't try to wash the substance off her right away, it was able to seep into her fur and get stuck in there, hence why she was vigorously scrubbing her fur while grumbling angrily. She had already scrubbed and rinsed five times and the smell still hadn't gone away.
Viper felt bad for the feline and suggested to her to take a steam bath.
"What difference will it make?" Tigress angrily asked, obviously frustrated with her situation.
Viper told her the hot water and heat of the steam might cause some of the substance to evaporate from her fur. Tigress gave a frustrated sigh, but decided to try it anyway. It sounded plausible. She got up from her stool and made her way to the hot tub. Once she was in, she let out a sigh when the water made contact with her body, causing her to slightly relax. Viper smiled and lit some scented candles to help the feline relax more, and soon left the bathhouse.
Tigress closed her eyes and inhaled, taking in the sweet calming scent of the candles. However, the scent was not as sweet as it would normally be, as she also took in the smell of the substance stuck in her fur. Although, it wasn't as bad as before. When she looked into the water, she could see bits of the substance floating in the water. She smiled, seeing that the hot water bath was actually working, so she sank in lower to allow the rest of her body to be cleansed from the stinky substance.
While sitting in the tub, Tigress became more and more relaxed, thanks to the hot water and scented candles. She smiled as her relaxed state cause her mind to drift off in thought of a certain somebody. Not too long after that, she began to sing.
I still hear your voice when you aren't next to me
At that very moment, Po passed by the bathhouse on his way to the barracks. He stopped in his tracks when he heard what sounded like someone singing.
I still feel your touch in my dreams.
Forgive me my weakness, but I don't know why
Without you, it's hard to survive
Po was mesmerized. He had never heard a voice so calm, melodic, and soothing.
"Hmm… I wonder who that could be." Po pondered. He knew that both Tigress and Viper had run to the Palace to take a bath after what happened, so he figured it was one of them. "It must be Viper." He concluded, and frowned. As much as he would like to believe that it was Tigress singing, he just couldn't imagine such a tune coming from the feline. He sighed and continued to make his way to the barracks.
Tigress continued to sing, completely unaware that someone had heard her.
Your arms are my castle, your heart is my sky.
They wipe away tears that I cry.
The good and the bad times, we've been through them all.
You make me rise when I fall.
She continued humming the rest of the song when she lathered up her body with soap to wash out the rest of the goop. Still humming, she got out of the water and poured a bucket of warm water over her to wash out the soap and whatever residue of the substance that remained. She stopped humming when she got down on all fours and shook to get most of the water off her, then grabbed a towel to finish dry off while making her way to the changing room.
She walked up to the sink with a small mirror above it. She looked into it with a small smile as she continued to dry herself, happy she was able to get the stuff out of her fur. She then remembered the song she sang earlier and frowned, wrapping her arms around herself.
"I've fallen pretty hard for him, haven't I?" She asked herself. "I'm so pathetic. But… I just can't help it."
She really couldn't help it. The more she tried to ignore her feelings; they'd crash right back onto her tenfold. So in the end, she just decided to accept them. Another song came to her mind, and she began singing the first verse softly and slowly.
Wise men say… Only fools rush in…
She immediately thought of Shifu, knowing that's exactly what he'd say when he finds out.
But I… can't… help….
Falling in love… with you
This she knew for sure.
She looked up at her reflection with a determined expression.
"I have to tell him how I feel. Sooner than later. Or else I might end up blurting it out at the wrong time and embarrass myself." Tigress thought. She put on a bathrobe, having completely dried herself and exited the bathhouse, making her way to the barracks.
With Po, around the same time Tigress was in the bathhouse
It didn't take long for Po to reach the barracks. As he walked down the hall to his room, he met Viper coming out of her room and heading towards the exit.
"Hi, Po."
"Hey, Viper." They greeted as they passed by each other. Po suddenly stopped in his tracks when he realized something.
"Wait… VIPER?!" Po yelled with a stunned expression, causing her to stop.
"Yes?" Viper asked, when she turned to face him, tilting her head to the side, wondering why he'd call her in such a tone.
"But if you're- then who's-… wait…. Where's Tigress?" He asked, looking towards the feline's room.
"Oh, she's still in the bathhouse. That stuff got pretty deep in her fur. She might be in there for a while." Viper replied. "Why?"
"Oh, no reason. Just… curious… seeing that you are already out." Po nervously replied.
"Yes, well. It wasn't as bad on me as it was on Tigress." She said. Po nodded, stating he understood. "Anyway, I'm going to the garden to soak up what's left of the day's sun. See you at dinner." She finished, finally exiting the barracks.
Po also turned around and continued his way to his room, but not as his usual panda self. He walked like he was in some kind of trance. He entered his room, closed the door and sat on his bed. And that was all he did for the rest of the afternoon. Sitting on his bed in a trance like state as his brain keep repeating everything in an effort to fully process what he couldn't believe.
After a few hours, just before dinner time, finally coming out of his trance, he managed to mumble. "Just when I thought, she couldn't get any more awesome." He smiled.
He looked out his window to see the sun about to disappear behind the mountains. He got up and made his way to the kitchen to prepare dinner.
During dinner, Po kept glancing over at Tigress while they all conversed with each other. Tigress spoke little to no words, as usual; Viper commented on how happy she was that her idea worked to help Tigress out; Crane, like Tigress, spoke little to no words; Monkey and Mantis… well, they just HAD to upset the feline. Only those two would be able to turn a casual conversation into something else.
How a conversation about their battle and Tigress getting stink bombed, turn into, the reason men aren't interested in her or why she can't get a date, no one wanted to know.
This hit a nerve in the feline. She growled at the two, slammed her paws on the table as she stood up and glared at them. She muttered that she was going to get some fresh air, before exiting the kitchen. Mantis, who refused to learn his lesson, was about to open his mouth to say something, but was wacked upside the head by Viper's tail, followed by a threatening hiss, causing the bug to shut his mouth.
They all finished dinner then made their way to the barracks to retire for the night. Po, however, decided to go find the feline. He had a fairly good idea of where she was.
Tigress sat under the Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom, while looking down over the Valley. She took a deep breath and sighed to try to calm her nerve. She knew how childish and annoying Monkey and Mantis could be, but there were times they just went too far.
Tigress leaned back and rested on the trunk of the Peach Tree, letting the cool breeze and sweet smell of the blooming peach flowers calm her, as she closed her eyes and started to relax.
"You know, you have a very beautiful singing voice." She heard.
Her eyes snapped open in surprised, then she sat up straight and swiftly turned to see Po standing on the other side of the tree. How she did not hear him approach she couldn't understand.
"W-what are you talking about?" she asked, as a blush began to form on her cheeks. Po chuckled.
"I heard you singing when I passed by the bathhouse." He replied, sitting down next to her.
Her face was starting to heat up now.
"D-don't be ridiculous. I-I can't sing. You must have heard Viper." She tried to cover up, knowing very well that even if Viper was in the bathhouse with her at some point, she wasn't singing.
"That's what I thought too. Until we crossed paths in the barrack hallway after I left the bathing area." Po countered with a grin.
Tigress gulped, knowing she was caught. She didn't want anyone to know she could sing.
"Why didn't you tell me you could sing?" Po pressed on.
"It's not exactly something I'm open about." She replied.
"Why?"
"Let's just say, when I was younger, I may have snuck out of the Jade Palace to audition for a singing competition that was taking place in the valley. And it just so happened that it was about the time my child voice was changing to my adult voice. So long story short, it was a disaster. I never dared tried to sing in public again."
"Oh."
Silence fell between them after that.
"Well, you're not in public now." He smiled toward her, hoping she got the message.
"You're here, aren't you? I consider that, public." She shot back, knowing full well what he was suggesting.
Po continued to cox her, every time she'd say 'no'. Then she thought of something and finally gave in.
"Yes!" Po cheered, before staring silently at her, waiting for her to start.
Tigress smiled and gave a soft chuckle before she closed her eyes and began to sing in a soft and slow tone.
I'm waiting for the night drifting away
On the waves of my dreams to another day
I'm standing on a hill and beyond the clouds
The winds blowing still and catching my doubts
I'm hunting on the night the slave to my dream an illustrated scene descends in the sleep
We're playing for the fights emotional games
I'm turning off my eyes and hiding my shame
Po was once again, mesmerized, as he listened to her sing. To him, she sounded like an angel sent down from the heavens. Not that he knew what singing angels sounded like, but he imaged it would sound as heavenly as the female feline before him. If he hadn't already fallen for her, he definitely would have after hearing her sing. Of course, that would be a stupid reason to fall for someone because of that, but you get the idea.
A neverending dream a dream of you
I believe I received a sign of you
Tonight I want to hide my feelings too
As you do and I want to be with you
A neverending dream a dream of you
I believe I received a sign of you
Tonight I want to hide my feelings too
As you do and I want to be with you
Once she was done, she slowly opened her eyes to see the panda staring at her like he was in a trance.
"Po?" she asked, a little worried.
She hoped that he understood the message in the song, but also hoped that it didn't scare him. She bit her bottom lip, worried that she may have just ruined their friendship.
After a good few seconds, she heard him mumble something.
"Just when I thought, I couldn't fall any harder." He mumbled, slowly getting out of his trance state. It was barely audible, but Tigress managed to hear him, causing her eyes to widen and ears to perk up.
"Wha- what did you say?" she asked, thinking she heard wrong.
Po shook his head to bring himself back in touch with reality.
"What? What did I say?" he asked, unsure what he may have said to the feline.
"You said something about, 'falling harder'." She told him.
"Falling harder?... …. … Uhoh." Po realized his mistake and tried to quickly cover it up. "Oh! Nah! I said, just when I thought you couldn't get any more awesome!" he laughed nervously.
"No, I'm pretty sure I heard you say you have fallen hard for me." Tigress said in a seductive tone as she slowly crawled over to the flustered panda.
Po tried backing away from her, a bit scared of what she might do to him. His back softly hit the tree trunk, keeping him from going any further. He closed his eyes in anticipation of what was to come. They snapped open once again in shock, when he felt something soft and warm on his lips, only to see the feline, still on all fours with her arms on either sides of his body as she kissed him gently and lovingly. His eyes drooped and she broke the kiss before he had a chance to reciprocate.
Tigress looked up at the panda with a smile as he looked down at her with a confused expression. She then nuzzled her head under his neck and laid the rest of her body on his soft chubby body.
"So have I." She uttered while resting on his body. It took Po a few seconds to register what she said and meant. A smile formed on his face as he wrapped his arms around her in a comforting and loving embrace. They sat in silence simply enjoying their moment together.
"So…" Po said, ending their moment of silence. "That song you sang was your way of telling me how you've been feeling about me?" he asked.
Tigress removed herself from his chest and sat up to face him.
"So you got the message." She asked and stated.
"I may have fallen into a trance listening to your beautiful voice, but I did listen to the words of the song. So yea, I got the message." He replied with a grin.
Tigress also grinned.
"Good. Because there's going to be many more songs to come, but you're the only one who's going to be hearing this beautiful voice from now on." She told him, before leaning towards him to form another kiss. This time he was able to partake. Once they broke apart, they smiled towards each other.
"…Awesome…" he whispered, before they continued their embrace and slowly fell asleep under the Sacred Tree.
Published: 02.09.15
Hope you all liked this little oneshot. This was for Tigergirl713 & MT4444's competition. Topic was 'Singing'
The songs used in the story (in the order they appear) are:
- 'Everytime We Touch' by Cascada
- 'I Can't Help Falling In Love with You' by Ub40
- 'A Neverending Dream' by Cascada
Yea, this was different from what I normally write, which is why I decided to give it a shot. :D