AUTHORS NOTE: The issue of html has been resolved. An explanation is in order. I'm on my phone, I used the default notepad, which apparently wants to make everything an html document. I simply downloaded another notepad app.

dumpling dragon: it's now possible to read, lol. Sorry about that.

lola3934 my last story, in my opinion, seemed to be getting chaotic and confusing. I deleted it to resolve that issue. I can repost it if I can find my usb again though.

Guest :A

Have you ever wondered what wold happen if, once deniued the dragon scroll, master tigress took to the bottle? This begins the night of the ceremony.

It's the night when Po was appointed dragon warrior. All the students, shifu presumed, were asleep. He was alone under the sacred peach tree, plotting to force the unsuspecting panda from theIr midst. It was a chilly night, but he would stay out as long as it took to come up with a foolproof plan.

One of his students, aN angry master tigress, rose from her bed, and donned a black hooded cloak. It would be imperative that nobody knew who she truly was. She set off, careful to avoid shifu, towards the valley. Upon arriving at the bottom of the staircase, she hastened to the nearest inn. She prepared to enter by her hood up. Upon opening the door, she was hit by the overwhelming stench of stale ale. Her nose wrinkled at the smell, but eager to blend in, she quickly unwrinkled it. She made her way past a rowdy crowd towards the innkeeper. She bought the cheapest ale she could, unsure of whether she would need the coin to go out drinking more often. It tasted slightly bitter, but it was alright with her. After several mugs, she started to feel nauseous. The realization hit her that she'd gotten drunk. She realized what would happen if shifu found out. So she proceeded out to the street, eager to bathe before morning. She gazed across the street, slightly sobered by the chilling air. She noted a figure sitting against a wall in the alleyway across the street. Unwilling to blow her cover, she approached slowly, hood still concealing her identity.

The figure, his head resting on his knees heard someone approaching. His first thought, to strike. He restrained himself. Counting her steps and estimating the distance. He heard her crouch down beside him.

"Are you alri-" she was cut off as she realized there was a blade to her throat. The cold steel, the blade, it all sobered her up rather quickly.

"Who are you and what do you want" the figure asked. "I must know. You approached me in a darkened alleyway, good up. Now how am I to trust you under those circumstances?"

"I'm going to remove my hood now." Tigress stated. She reached up and pulled her hood back. While the figure was stunned as to who he nearly killed, tigress made her move. The grabbed his wrist and twisted, the blade slipping from his hand. Tigress immediately grabbed him by the throat, choking him slightly.

"Not bad... Not bad at all. But what are you gonna do? Kill me? You spooked me in a dark alleyway, I reacted rationally. Now, you're a warrior of skill...to some degree." The figure stated, tigress flinched when she heard a blade being drawn from a sheath. The blade found its mark, her right forearm.

Tigress immediately released her grip on his throat. She punched him in the throat. Adrenaline coursing through her veins, she yanked out the dagger and pinned him to the ground. This time, the blade was to his throat.

Silence. Nobody talked for what seemed like forever. All that could be heard was heavy breathing of the 2 combatants and drops of blood hitting to ground.

Finally, tigress relaxed. She tossed the dagger to the side. "Who are you?" She asked venomously.

"I'm leskov, I traveled down from Russia. Now, I know you're not supposed to be drinking. We all know it's forbidden of masters of the jade palace... Now tell me, why would you approach a dark figure in an alleyway?"

"I don't... At least.. Not normally. It invites trouble... And the last thing I'd want is it going around that I got into a fight while breaking curfew." Tigress said, sounding ashamed.

"Don't worry, we all need a drink on occasion" leskov noticed her forearm still bleeding, "let's get that wound dressed and get you back to the palace."

Leskov led tigress to a small healers shop on the far side of town, careful to avoid any that the jade palace members regularly visit. The experienced healer dresses her wound in minutes, eagerly questioning tigress. They leave, it's now only 4 hours before the students must wake.

"You've been so helpful tonight, why don't you come stay at the jade palace for as long as you're in town? I never get on this good of terms with somebody, so not even shifu will question your presence." Tigress urged as they neared the stairs.

"No. I can't. It would only let everyone know you were out all night. Besides, I'm not exactly...a social man. I despise being in populated areas or being questioned by those unknown to me." Leskov stated plainly.

"At least let me rent to a room at an inn." Tigress pressed on.

"Nonsense. Do you feel lack of funds is why I was in that alleyway? No.. I would like that more than my current reason. But... That's a story for another time. I'll be around. We'll meet again, I assure you." With that, leskov reach out to shake her had while tigress bowed. "As you can see, our traditions vary quite abit."

Tigress can't help it, she busts out laughing. It takes her around 3 minutes to stop.

"Tigress, just how much did you have to drink?"

"Too much, but that's a story for another time." Tigress said mockingly before departing.

Leskov stated after her. He felt something he hadn't felt in... Well... Ever. Trust. The woman he'd just met...the woman he'd stabbed...the woman who could've snapped his neck...he trusted her? "How can this be?" Leskov mumbled to himself before turning and heading away.