A/N: So I wanted to try something a little bit different than my usual songfic oneshots that I do in between chapters as warm ups. It's kind of easy to just take song lyrics and write a story that matches them. Almost too easy. So I wanted to try something different. Instead of doing that, I'm going to write the story as if the lyrics were pulled from it.
I know that sounds kind of weird and maybe I'm explaining it wrong. What I aim to do is write a story based around a song in which the story itself will take inspiration from the song. I'm really interested to see how this works out, so any reviews you guys can give me on this new method would be sincerely appreciated.
I'd also like to say that I want to dedicate this story to three people. All of whom are writers on this site and in the KFP section. All three have taken the time to review my stories in the past and whom have proven to be a great inspiration in order to keep me going. And while I'd hate to put them on the spot like this, I feel I must to show the appreciation I have for them and their reviews.
So this story goes out to FFCrazy15, Ltspade – Omega 7, and Shouvin. Thanks guys!
This story takes its influence from the Johnny Cash version of the song "Hurt". It's up on youtube and I do encourage all of you to listen to it.
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She shouldn't have said anything. To any of them. Everyone would have been better off not knowing about the things she had done as a child. The monster she was. The worst part was that she couldn't even imagine what had brought her to share such an intimate story about herself. She never told anyone about her past, ever. She didn't want those judging eyes on her ever again.
But yet there they were once again tonight. They tried so hard to hide it, but she could see it. So deep down in their souls, they were passing judgment on her for a stupid mistake she had made as a kid. She ran deeper into the forest behind the palace, intent on running as far as she could from them. She never wanted to look back, to see those faces again.
She had hurt nobody but herself telling that story. The worst part about it was that she had honestly thought that by opening up to them after all these years she would be able to feel again. Truth be told, she had been right. But she didn't feel relief or happiness. She felt pain. The same kind of pain you get when you poke yourself with a needle by accident. It tore a hole in her, one she thought was long healed over. She focused on the pain it caused her and reminded herself that at the end of the day, that was the only real thing she had that was her own. Pain. And no matter how much she wanted to forget those faces... she'd remember them always.
Tigress could hear them calling her name far behind her. But she had no intention of stopping. Not ever. She let out a growl as her muscles burned in her attempt to stay far ahead of the others. What had she become? She had gone from the monster child to a respected kung-fu master. But try as she might, that small child, that monster, was still part of who she was. She would never be able to outrun that.
While deep in her musings she hadn't noticed that Po had managed to get ahead of her. She ran headlong into the panda's large stomach, bouncing off it and landing hard on her butt. She looked up at him with honest fear in her eyes. She couldn't bear to see that judgmental face again. She closed her eyes tightly before she could make eye contact, pulling herself into a tight ball and just hoping he would go away. Again the question echoed through her mind.
'What have I become?' she asked herself. Her sweetest and nicest friend, no - brother, was standing over her and she was so scared to look him in the eyes. Scared. Now that was an old word for her. She hadn't used that word since she was a mere cub. Master Tigress was scared of nothing, feared no one. Master Tigress was the unspoken, uncontested fearless leader of the famous Furious Five.
"Tigress." Po tried, but she wasn't having it.
She ignored him. She just wanted him to leave her alone. Everyone she ever knew had gone away in the end. Once they had learned of her past, they ran from her. This time would be no different.
"Tigress?" He tried again, causing her to whisper quietly. "I will let you down. I will make you hurt." She replied, standing up and turning to run again. "You stay away from me, understand?" She shouted, running back into the woods. Po stood stunned behind her, his jaw agape at what had just happened.
And again she was off running as a new set of thoughts entered her head. They had every right to be upset with her. She had lied to them for all these years about who she was. Who was she kidding when she thought they wouldn't have been upset with her when the truth came out? It was her crown of thorns to wear, her liar's throne to sit upon. No one elses.
She cringed slightly when she heard the sound of the panda giving chase again. He was always persistent like that. She couldn't remember a single time she had told him to stay put where he had actually listened. She pushed herself harder, running as fast through the thick forest as she could.
But again she found herself crashing face first into him. How had he managed to get ahead of her again? Shifu must have taught him that damn trick. She growled as she managed to stay on her feet this time, glaring daggers into that damn stomach of his. That plush... warm... she shook her head to clear the thoughts.
She could never be with him now. The truth was out. She was a monster. The entire empire she had managed to construct around herself had been turned to dirt. And no matter what her friends... her family would say, they were going to leave her in disgust now. In her mind she knew she had let them down. She had made them hurt.
And again her voice echoed within her own head, 'What have I become?'
Before Tigress had another chance to escape the panda had wrapped her up in a giant hug, lifting her just slightly off the ground. A snarl erupted from her throat. No! He wasn't supposed to forgive her! He was supposed to be mad at her! They were all supposed to be mad at her! The snarl had done nothing to scare off the panda, instead, Po was actually holding her tighter and struggle as she might, she couldn't escape his grasp.
She heard a rustle behind her and knew the others had caught up on the scene. She expected the air to feel tense and unforgiving but... instead she felt... love?
Tigress let out another growl as she conceded that she wasn't alone. Her past hadn't driven them away, but had caused them to seek her out... to help her. And again, her mind asked 'what have I really become'?
Tigress finally allowed herself to enjoy the embrace of the panda who had refused to let her leave. A heavy sigh escaped her form. She now knew who she had become. She knew what she had and who she was.
And if given the chance to start over again. To start over a million miles away from where she had began her journey, she knew she wouldn't change a thing. That she would find her way back into the loving arms of the family that was hers and hers alone.
And maybe, just maybe, that wasn't so bad.
Story: MT2011
Based on: Johnny Cash's "Hurt".