In my life I have been in many battles and fought many foes, some of the most notable being Tai lung, my deranged step brother, Shen a psychotic peacock with no remorse and finally a former friend of Oogways, Kai, who stole souls for the joy and fun of it. Sure, every one of those battles was hard and life changing but they could have never prepared me nor my friends for what came next, and that something being war. As you see, just a few years after Kai's defeat, a war had broken out between two clans in China, one of them being the gorilla clan from the north and the wolf clan from the south, each fighting over the land and to rain supreme over the other. As you could guess, they didn't care what harm or deaths they caused in their fight for something so simple, and due to the destruction they caused, Masters from all over China were called to the front lines to help and end this conflict before more lives were claimed. Some of those masters that were called were my friends and they were Monkey, Crane, Viper, and Mantis. People I had known since childhood and who I called my family, however though, they weren't the only ones called out of the people I hold most dear, the final person from the valley called was the love of my life, the Dragon warrior or who I call...Po ping. I can't tell you how much my heart tore at this, and I can remember the day we said our good byes so clearly, it brings tears to my eyes.
3 Years Ago in the hall of Warriors
Today was the day, perhaps the last day I'll ever see my friends and panda again. Though I tried my best to keep my emotions in check, I couldn't help but sob as I stood in front of them with my father beside me trying to comfort me. I could then hear my friends speak to me as they saw me in my saddened state.
"Sister, it's ok. We've been through worse before, and besides I'm sure this battle won't last for to long." She told me softly, giving a warm smile in my direction, if only she knew though how full of lies her words were.
"That's right, we'll show those clans a thing or two and end this silly conflict." Mantis had said in his usual upbeat tone, hoping into Monkeys shoulder who nodded in agreement.
"Not only that but we will send messages as much as we can so you know what's going on." I started to feel a little better hearing all this from them, but my gaze turned to my Po who was wearing his bright smile that he always had.
"It'll be alright dear, just trust in us ok." He told me gently, walking up to me and wrapping me up in a tight hug. I started to feel warm at that moment, I usually did when I was in his arms and could feel my tears start to recede.
"I do Po, but please make it back to me, cause I'm not only one who will be waiting for you." I told him in a loving tone, he then broke the hug and looked down at my round belly which had grown over the last several months. He then placed a paw on my belly and gently started to rub with affection before he looked back at me.
"Until then, take great care our child Ti, but knowing you I'm sure no harm will come to them." He chuckled at his remark, most likely from remembering the times I was rough on him. He then turned his gaze to our master, Shifu who couldn't help but smile at his student.
"Master Shifu, I ask you that you please keep them safe from danger, no matter what kind. I know you will, but I just had to say it," I heard Po say to him, Shifu then slowly bowed to him and with a serious tone told him.
"I will Po, with my life they will be safe." Po bowed back to the master as did the others.
"Thank you so much. I guess we better head off guys," I than saw Po turn to the others who nodded their heads in agreement before he looked at me one last time.
"Ti, I love you and I promise I will see you again." Quickly he pushed his lips to mine which I greeted with great affection by pushing mine to his, once we separated I told him something.
"I love you to, my sweet panda." Soon after that good bye, he and the others left the palace and made their way to the battle, leaving me and my father to worry endlessly on the coming years ahead.
Back to present
With them leaving though just two months before my delivery date, Po had missed the birth our child, who was a beautiful and healthy tiger cub named Mei Ping. She wasn't all tiger though, she had her fathers bright green eyes along with his round belly, her fur though was mostly all white with the exception of black stripes on her arms and legs none on her tail or head though. Just soon after she was born, I had a picture painted of her and sent to wherever Po might be, and just 5 months later I received the first message from him.
7 months into the war
"Master Tigress, I have a message for you." Zheng said coming into the kitchen where I was feeding Mei a warm bottle of milk.
"Thank you Zeng, go ahead and place it on the table please." I told him, not wanting to stir my daughter while she was eating.
"Sure thing, I'll leave you to your privacy now Master." I then saw Zeng walk out after placing the scroll with the message on the table. I then placed a free paw on it and rolled it out, seeing that it was from Po I smiled and looked down at Mei.
"Look sweetie, it's our first message from daddy." I told her sweetly, lifting her up a bit so she could see the writing. She then took her mouth away from the bottle and began to examine the strange words on the scroll.
"Mmmmmm," I heard her moan out as she was reaching out for the scroll.
"How about I read out what it says sweetie?" I asked, looking down at her as she then showed me a smile.
"I'll take that as yes, so dad says 'Hi my two special girls, I'm sorry if this message doesn't get to you for a while but I got your message and Mei looks so adorable, I wish I was there holding her. But please tell her daddy loves her and want to give her kisses so badly, I'll try and send more messages down the road and by the way, everyone says hi and wishes you well. I love you guys and hope to see you soon, love Po.' After reading my husbands message, I was relived to hear no one was hurt or gone, maybe they would end this fight soon and come back home I hoped. Once I folded the message back up, I bent my head down and gave Mei a kiss on the head.
"That's from daddy sweetie and he loves you very much." Mei couldn't help but pad my face with her paws, showing her happiness from her dads words. I knew just by that, she couldn't wait to see him, I hope she gets to see him so much.
Back to the present
The months then continued on by, everyday I hoped to see a message come on for us but it seemed one never did. It made me scared to be honest, it made my mind race with so many thoughts and what ifs that it was driving me crazy, luckily Mei usually calmed me down with her happy demeanor. Yet I always found myself back to being worried to death, before I knew it, a whole year had passed by us. Still nothing, I tried sending countless messages but none of them ever got returned, some consisted of my worry and others consisted of our daughter and her accomplishments like her first steps and her first birthday. Eventually, after about 8 months into the year I hadn't heard from him I finally got a message from Po, and it was a message that broke me.
1 year and 8 months into the war
"That's it Mei, your doing so good." I told my daughter as we were in my room and was watching her walk around. Soon she turned her attention to me and started walking towards me.
"M-mom," I heard her speak out, my eyes couldn't help but widen at her. This was the first time I heard her say a single word put together.
"What did you say Mei?" I asked, still shocked in the moment.
"Mom." She blurted out with a giggle, coming right up to me and holding out her arms. I swear I felt my heart jump for joy and I soon showed it by wrapping her up and holding her close to my chest.
"Oh I'm so proud of you sweetie, so proud!" I said with a warm purr, it was moments like these that kept me going and kept my mind of off the war. Little did I know though this happy moment was about to be shattered, for I could hear footsteps coming towards the room. The culprit behind them was Shifu after I saw him open the door.
"Tigress, I have something for you." I heard him say, not noticing the tone of his voice which could've prepared me for what was about to come. Instead my mind went right to the one thing it could be, a message from Po.
"Please tell me it's from Po or from one of them. Please," I told him in a pleading tone, he shook his head before presenting a scroll to me.
"It's from Po, but I think it's best if I take Mei with me before you read it." He told me in a sad tone, I just looked confused and worried by his tone upon hearing that.
"Why? What happened!?" I half shouted, gaining the attention of Mei as she looked at me with wander, not knowing why I was acting the way I was. Shifu only walked in and slowly took Mei from me before handing me the scroll.
"It's better if you read it for yourself daughter. Come on Mei, let's go play some dominoes." I heard him say soothly to her, leaving the room with only me in it. I then looked at the scroll and could feel my heart beat a mile per minute, scared to read the contents of it.
"Come on Tigress, you have to open it, you have to read it." I told myself with some confidence, but it didn't stop my paws from shaking uncontrollably as I unrolled it slowly. The first thing I saw was the hand writing, and from it I could tell Po wrote this, making my nerves calm down greatly. Still though, by the way Shifu was acting, something bad was in this message which made me start to read it.
"Tigress, I want to apologize greatly for not sending you this before now. You must've been worried sick about us, but we did receive all your messages and read every single one. I'm glad to hear you, Mei, and Shifu are doing well and please say hi to them for me. Now that I got that out of the way, there's some bad news I have to tell you and it's about Monkey and Viper. I-I'm sorry to say that they have passed on into the next life. Both of them were sent deep into battle to try and lessen the wolfs forces but there were to many, I tried my best to get to them but by the time I did, it was to late, both Mantis and Crane were hit the hardest though, you can see it in their faces. We've just lost so many since I last talked to you, it's hard to see and cope with it, I do hope this war ends soon so I can see you, because I need a face that isn't crying or motionless, I love you Ti, never forget that, Po." After reading the last word, it started to sink in with what he told me, my sister and friend, I was never going to see them again. Shifu would never see his friends again, and Mei would never see her aunt and uncle. It seemed so surreal that I didn't want to believe it, just like that, part of my family was gone forever.
"Why?" I asked my self, placing a paw on my head.
"Why did this have to happen us? To so many?" Water soon started to flow from my eyes, my memories of them coming all in at once, something I'm sure others were feeling at this moment and before.
"Po, come back to me. PLEASE COME BACK TO ME!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, the tears now rolling down my face. I then fell to my knees and started to hold myself, never have I felt so weak in my life in that moment. That night, I prayed to the gods as much as possible for Monkey and Viper, hoping they were with Oogway but also asking for them to bring the rest of my family back safe and sound, as well as for all the others who were wanting the same thing.
Back to the present
Eventually I started to come to terms with the loss we had, I had to for Mei's sake, for the last thing I wanted was for her to see me broken. She needed me to be the person I was before all this happened a strong warrior with a stern demeanor some what. Not only that, it seemed the war was coming to a close at least that's what Po was telling me in his messages which he was sending more frequently, something I was more than happy he did. Both the gorillas and wolfs were being pushed back to their own lands and from what it sounded like, when this war is over, both sides are going to have to pay a price and that's to never set foot in China again or else. Considering all that they have done, they are lucky they get that. Anyways it was until close to the third year of their absence that I got a message that made me happy inside.
2 years and 10 months into the war
"Father, come quickly!" I shouted with a smile in my face as I was holding a message from Po in my paws with Mei next to me.
"What is it Mama?" Mei asked with eagerness, in all the excitement I forgot to read it out loud to her. Just as I was about to tell her, Master Shifu came running thinking something was wrong.
"Are you ok?" He asked quickly, I nodded my head in response.
"Yes, but I just read this message from Po. He says the war is finally over and everyone is being sent back home. He and the others will be back in two months," I told him, happiness radiating from my voice.
"You mean I finally get to see daddy!" Mei asked with excitement, I picked her up quickly and began to kiss her softly.
"You sure do sweetie, you sure do." I told her, rubbing my head against hers.
"Yay!" She yelled, I could already tell she wouldn't want to let go of when she she's him for the first time. Truth be told, I probably will to, it will be the first time in three years I finally get to see my panda...finally.
Back to the present
So, that's where we come to now. The two months had gone and I along with Shifu and Mei waited outside the palace doors for our family to finally be home again.
"Where are they mama?" Mei asked, jumping up and down. I giggled at my Cubs excitement and patted her on the head.
"Give it time sweetie, I'm sure they will be here soon ok." I told her, looking down at her which made her nod her head. Both our glances then turned back to the palace stairs, minutes began to tick by or us and soon the sun began to set. It seemed like my hopes were starting to drop, thinking that maybe they got held up somewhere. That was until I saw three heads start to poke up from the stairs, three heads I knew all to well.
"They're back." I heard Shifu say above a whisper, and soon Po and the others came into view and when they did, Mei's eyes widened.
"Daddy?" She asked with hope, staring at her father who looked tired but showed a smile to her.
"Mei, my beautiful little girl. I can finally see you," That was all our daughter needed to hear before she rushed from my side and to her father, tears running down her face.
"DADDY!" She then jumped into her fathers arms which he greeted with great affection, wrapping his arms around her tightly. It made me smile so much to see this sight, and soon I came rushing to Pos side to.
"It's ok baby, daddy's here and he isn't going anywhere anytime soon." I saw him then kiss our daughter on the head who was sobbing in her fathers chest. Soon, when I came up to him he turned his gaze to me and as we looked in each other's eyes I could feel my heart beat warmly.
"Po," I chocked out, feeling my emotions coming up to the surface.
"Tigress, it's good to see you again, my beautiful warrior." Right then and there, I wrapped my arms around him and pressed my lips to his. Something I hadn't done for a while but was happy I was doing it right now. As I was enjoying my moment with my family, I looked over at Crane and Mantis who were trying their best to be happy. Soon though I pulled away from Po and looked at them.
"I'm sorry you two, I truly am. One day though, we will see them again in the next life, but also don't feel like your alone in this. We're are still here and we will get through this as a family, just like we have in the past." I told them sincerely, holding out a paw to them.
"That's right, as a family." Mei said with hopeful eyes, Crane and Mantis soon joined us and together we shared one big group hug, for in times like these we have to stick together and make it through the hard times. Though the scars of the war laid on the land and in the graves of many, we will never forget those who protected us from threats and will always remember those we lost, no matter what though, we pray and hope our loved ones come home safely to us.
Well hope you guys liked this story, it's inspired by soldiers who leave for her and how their families deal with it in hopes they come back to them. I mean no disrespect I just wanted to try and capture this in the kfp universe so sorry if this sucks or offends anyone it wasn't my intentions at all, if you guys want leave a review , thanks.