This is a story that was floating in my head and refused to go away. I've often had this problem and now recognize it as a story that simply must be told. It is a one-shot, next will be Po's one-shot which is, if I may say so, hilariously funny.
It all started when Tigress, the five and Po were fighting off wolf-villains in a nearby town, one of the villains threw a young tiger at Tigress in the hopes it would buy him time or better yet, she would fumble the child and since she was caught in the position of tight roping across a rope a hundred feet high, fall to her death.
The child clung to her like her life would end if she didn't, she barely managed to get the child to her back she was clinging so hard. Tigress made it to the other end, but was being fired upon and so could not put the child down. The five came to the rescue and the villains were driven off if not captured and put in prison.
It wasn't until she had reached the top of the stairs and was about to go in that a chuckling crane asked what she had found on her back. The child was still there, her bright cats eyes blinking up at her, she could not send the child away, it was clear she was an orphan, the state of her clothes were horrible and she looked half starved.
Taking pity on her, Tigress allowed her to stay the night. But the night turned into three days and almost a fourth.
Rumors began that the child was Tigresses' student, she faught them off vehemently but finally Tigress had had enough, she confronted the girl and demanded she leave. Being king and gentle was never something Tigress was good at nor did she hide that fact from the young girl.
Tigress had searched that day for another adult who could take her in and found Po's father who agreed to take the child, if she would come. It wasn't as if the child were a burden, she helped out tremendously, every morning they got up she was already hard at work, she cleaned and cooked, did every chore she could find, but also had the intelligence to stay unseen as well.
This was the main focus to everyone's gossip, she acted the perfect student. Rumors were not the only reason for Tigress to drive the girl away, the other problem was, no one stayed at the temple needlessly, it was a grounds to train, a humble place, not an orphanage, any child there was expected to be under the care of a master and be training full time. This was something Tigress did not want not commit to, she had never had an apprentice, she had never been good with children she saw both facts as good reasons to just never accept an apprentice.
Tigress found the girl cleaning the bedrooms, sweeping carefully but quickly the dust out of the rooms. Tigress demanded she leave, right then no excuses.
"Please, I have no one, can I please stay? I'll be the best child ever, I'll do anything you want, please?"
"This house and myself, is not for children, you cannot stay here but I will find you a better home and until then, you may stay at a friends." Tigress said.
"I don't want to leave, please just give me a chance." The child pleaded, her face going cute as a kittens
"No," Tigress was not having any of this and this child was riding on her last nerve. "There is a house you can stay at until a new home is found, it is Po's father's place, I think you will like it there."
Tigress went to walk away.
"Wait, wait wait," The young child said quickly. "Please, give me a chance, the chance that you yourself may or may not have gotten when she was a younger girl." Tigress did not have time for this and opened the door to leave. "What if I challenged you? The winner can determine whether or not I leave."
"Oh you are leaving." Tigress said.
"Make me leave and I will leave." The child said ambiguously.
"If I make you leave you will already be gone so what is the point?"
"Because, you win and I will never come back whereas if you cannot force me I will stay." She leaned back as Tigress came forward, despite a good distance still between them. But she did not back down. "Deal?"
Tigress picked the child up like a sack, threw her over her shoulder and went to walk out of the room. She had to stop part way as the room began to spin, the child slipped out of Tigresses hold and stepped far enough away that she could not be reached.
"Tigress, do you forfeit? Carry me out if you want me gone." The child called to her.
"You are not staying here." Tigress said
"Im not losing so far either." The child mocked "If you want me out, come on and make me."
"Oh Im going to.." Tigress leapt at the girl, both tumbled out the door and rolled down the stairs. Tigress, even in her angry state, took the care to shield the young child from the harm of the stairs as they rolled together down to the bottom. The child pounding, kicking and biting the entire time. Once down Tigress landed on top the child, pinning her down, and still she did not stop trying to fight. Careful now of her venomous claws Tigress had her completely immobilized.
Snake, crane, Po and the others surrounded the odd scene.
"Why is this so important to you?" Tigress demanded exasperated.
"Because your the only person I've ever met where I felt safe, where I could trust and not be afraid." Tears streamed down her face uncovered, and fear gripped into her heart like a steal spike of hurt. "Fine, you win I'll go." Tigress got off her and to her feet in a single pounce, she even offered her hand to the younger girl but she used the same pounce as the older Tigress and walked away tears visible as she turned away from them. Po tried to follow but Tigress stepped him with a single arm.
"I won so I can say whether you stay or go?" Tigress called. She stopped and turned to face Tigress her eyes begging. "You can stay, for now."
The childs face turned into a great big smile and she raced forward and hugged Tigresses' legs, as far as she could reach. "Oh thank you, you won't regret it, you've made me the happiest,... and I will earn it..." Tigress sure hoped she wouldn't. Together they walked back up the stairs and into the house.