Scars, we all have them yet everyone of us has a different story for them. Some range from an accidental burn to simply not paying attention when we should've. However, there are some scars that were done on purpose which hold a great deal pain and sorrow behind them. Though we try our best to hide those kind, people eventually find them and when they do, we are forced with two choices. Do we tell them why we did that to ourselves? Our do we simply tell them to not worry about, to just forget about it? Such a choice was something our Dragon warrior had to choose between after his comrade Master Tigress had confessed her undying love and affection for him. Once he thought about it a few days after the confession, he knew it be best to tell her now, not to just strengthen their new relationship but also so she wouldn't find them by accident later on. So after telling her to meet him at the peach tree once everyone had gone to bed, a request she found a little strange but agreed to. He then began to wait for her, sitting on the edge of the cliff that was over looking the now very dim and quite valley. His legs swinging from the nervousness of the coming confession.
"Oh Po, what were you thinking." He asked himself. His voice teaming with regret and nervousness. The panda then placed his paws together, fiddling with his fingers over and over again.
"Hopefully she won't think little of you. Hopefully she will understand." His glance changing from the valley up to the night sky, his heart starting to pound loud enough for it to echo in his ears. A hour then passed by, and with it, the sound of foot steps started to come towards his way. When he heard them, he turned his head to the left only to see his dear Tigress, dressed in her yellow outfit that gleamed in the moonlight.
"Ti," His voice becoming somewhat happy by her appearance.
"Po." She simply stated, letting her mouth form a smile she would only give her panda. Her feet then began to lead her over towards Po till she next to him, which made her sit next to him on his left and for her to gaze at him.
"So my panda, what was it that you wanted to talk to me about?" She asked curiously, for it wasn't like Po to ask her out at such a time. Let alone she usually was the one on the other end when it came to their talks. Po just took in a deep breath, extending his left paw till it was on top of his felines right paw.
"Not so much talk but rather I need to show you something. You trust me Tigress with your heart, it's only fair I trust you with mine." Po told her, lifting his paw off of hers and placing it on his right right wrist. The tiger seemed confused by his words as well as his action. It was only when Po moved his fur back on his right wrist did she see what he meant.
"Oh my god Po, what happened? Did this happen during one of trainings?" She asked worriedly, for her eyes locked onto a deep scar that was across the pandas wrist.
"No, this was before I became the dragon warrior Ti. The same goes for these," He then pulled his fur back on his left wrist where a scar was as well as showing her some scars on his legs. She was horrified by the sights, not understanding why her love had so many of them on his body. At first, she began to think maybe they were just accidental scars from cooking with his father, but on his wrists? Seeing how straight they were to, made her begin to think that maybe...he did them himself.
"Did you do this to yourself, Po?" She asked, placing her right paw on his left shoulder. Po just nodded, not being able to look at her as he showed a depressed face.
"Why?" Her voice begging for him to tell her. The panda sighed, closed his eyes for a few seconds and opened them back up.
"When I was a teenager, I was going through what all teenagers felt. I felt like no one understood me and that no one would ever would. I felt alone in a world where there were so many people around me, and unlike most who would go out and greet people in the hopes they would strike a friendship. I just sat in my room, watching and imagining things, pretty much living in my head. The best way to deal with my loneliness was to take one of my dads knifes, something I had plenty of and took it out on myself." Memories now started to flood his mind, making him remember one of the many times he cut himself.
17 years ago.
"Po, it's time for lunch. I made you those special bean buns you like with the hot paste." Mr. Ping said happily, completely unaware of what his son was doing upstairs.
"Ok dad, I'll be right down." Po replied, sitting on his bed and holding a razor sharp knife that he had placed against his left leg. Slowly, he moved it a crossed, red now mixing with his black fur.
"Ah," He moaned in pain before placing the knife down. He then grabbed a small thing of gauze to which he began to damp against the fresh wound. As he did though, he clenched the now red gauze and began to cry.
"I'm sorry dad, I'm sorry I'm so weak." His arms now became wrapped around himself, trying his best to calm himself before he had gone down stairs. Where he showed a smile that would fool anyone to think nothing was wrong.
End of flashback
"Eventually, I stopped giving myself harm when I started to see that people do care about me. But I had to show you these Tigress, to show that I wasn't just emotionally scarred from the loss of my mom but also from the feeling of never being anyone. I'll understand if you look at me differently from now on, but I hope you also understand why I did what I did." The panda then turned his head to Tigress who had a look of sorrow on her face. She then did something though that took Po back a bit. For she placed her paws on his left arm and pulled back the fur. As she looked at the scar, she leaned her head down and gave it a warm lick.
"I do understand Po, I do. I just wish me or anyone was there to pull that knife away." She told him warmly, rubbing her head against his paw for a few seconds before pulling her head back.
"We're here now though, and I promise you'll never feel that way again. It's like you said just now, people do love you Po. I love you, and know these scars will never change that love. Hopefully in time, we will erase these scars forever, how's that sound?" She asked smiling, placing her right paw on his left cheek.
"Sounds great Ti, sounds great." Their gazes turned from another and down to the valley, the felines head now resting on the pandas shoulder. With a single purr and a simple gesture of her holding his paw, he knew that everything was going to be alright. That his scars from the past would heal with the help of his family, his friends, and his life long love. Yes, things would be alright.
This story is dedicated to someone I love with all my heart, I hope they liked it and for those who have felt or did the same. Know we understand but know people do love and care for you, in time your scars will heal to. If you like, please review and tell me what you thought, thanks.
