A Reminder

By corset-rebellion-follower

Disclaimer: I don't own Kung Fu Panda

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Chapter 1- The Diary Entry

Dear Diary,
I'm not quite sure what to do with this thing. Viper gave it to me so that I can put down my feelings instead of keeping them bottled up like I sometimes do. So I guess I'll write about me.

I'm a master of the tiger style of kung fu. I've been studying kung fu all my life, it's basically what I live for. I have great friends who also study kung fu. And I have a very wonderful husband, who was also my kung fu master. Lately, though, I haven't been training much, at Shifu's insistence. I wish I could at least practice a few combinations, but Shifu won't let me. He says I'm in too delicate of a condition to do any training.

You see, I am pregnant with our first child. I'm due in about a month or so. The only one of my friends who knows so far is Viper, but I have a very hard time keeping anything from her. Crane, Mantis, Monkey, and Po all look at me strangely whenever I pass and I'm not drenched in sweat or practicing kicks.

A few months ago when I was having really bad mood swings, Po asked me if I put on weight. At first, I cried and asked him if he thought I was fat and ugly. Then I was mellow because I said I should be happy with my appearance just the way it was. Po nodded and agreed, but his eyes dropped down to my stomach and stared. So I punched him in the face. That was a very bad phase.

I know that they are all suspicious of what's going on, and I think that Crane and Monkey have just about figured it out, but I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens. I'm surprised I could keep it a secret this long.

Many people would think that me being married to my kung fu master would be very awkward and infuriating, since I had to take orders from him when I trained, but it's really not because I love him. I have since I was twelve. I know that sound kind of pathetic, but I never really let that crush go. In fact, it's what brought us together. It took a while and for me to run away before we both realized it, but it all worked out in the end.

All my friends are really supportive of me and my marriage. The only problem is that I haven't told my family about it yet. I haven't seen them in years, and normally I would rather keep it that way, but my conscious is nagging me that my parents and my brothers know that their only daughter and sister is married. Maybe I'll write to them later, if I can think of what to say.

I'm not the only one around here who is dealing with love, though. Viper and Mantis are engaged to be married. Crane is a little bit sour about this because he used to like Viper. Whenever Crane watches Mantis and Viper, Po always tells him that he needs to find a girlfriend. And Crane always retorts by saying that Po shouldn't talk since he's the girl repeller.

I feel so SorRy for CranE, he always REAlly cared aBOUT Viper. Ugh, sorry about my horrible handwriting, but the baby keeps kicking and I'm smudging ink everywhere. I know that kicking is a sign that the baby is healthy, but it's so annoying!

I'm really worried about this baby. Right before Shifu and I fell in love and decided to get married, something happened, and it might really affect the baby's life…

"Tigress!" Viper slithered over to her. "How are you feeling?" she asked, trying hard not to stare at Tigress's growing stomach.

"I think that this baby is going to be a kung fu master too, because it won't stop kicking!" Tigress said, putting a hand over her stomach.

Viper laughed. "Well, it is your child, Tigress. What did you expect?"

Tigress smiled and nodded. "I suppose you're right. And let me guess: Shifu is looking for me," she said knowingly.

"Well… yeah. He said he wants to talk to you about something really important," Viper said. Tigress rolled her eyes.

"If it's more about when we're starting to teach him the basics of kung fu, then you're my witness. That child doesn't even go near the training hall before by the age of five." She went into the Hall of Warriors, where she found her husband meditating by the Moon Pool. She walked as quietly as possible so she wouldn't disturb him.

"You were looking for me?" she asked. He jumped at the interruption and fell into the Moon Pool. Tigress burst out laughing. Shifu came up out of the water. He had a peach blossom petal on top of his head, which made Tigress laugh harder. He scowled and shook the petal from his head, getting out of the pool.

"You know, most wives would actually help their husbands up when they fall," he said bitterly.

"Shifu, can you seriously think of anyone who wouldn't laugh at their husband falling into a pool of water and coming out with a peach petal on the top of their head?" Tigress asked, calming down from her laughing fit. He didn't answer. "Well, when you're over your pouting, Viper said you wanted to talk to me. Is something wrong?" she asked.

"No, no, nothing's wrong. I just… I want to make sure that you're safe. If anything happened to the baby before it was born… I would never be able to forgive myself," Shifu said quietly.

Tigress smiled and sat down next to him. "Shifu, I'm fine. And nothing is going to happen to the baby. If anything did, I would be the first to know. After all, this kid has been kicking me all day. It would be pretty obvious if it stopped."

Shifu nodded. Tigress sighed. Now's as good a time as ever. "But there is something else I wanted to talk to you about. And it is about the baby." Shifu looked at her worriedly.

"What? Is there something wrong with it?" he asked.

"Well… sort of... here's the truth. That night before I first kissed you, when you warned me to be careful? Well, after I fell asleep… Tai Lung came in and took me by force into the forest outside of the village, and…" Tigress felt a tear slip out of her eye. "… He raped me. And I think that I'm carrying his child right now."

She hid her face in her hands and sobbed. Shifu's mouth was hanging open. My wife… carrying Tai Lung's child?

He gently patted Tigress on the back and hugged her, letting her cry. He started crying, too. "Don't worry, Tigress. At least now this child will have a better chance than it ever would with Tai Lung," Shifu said comfortingly.

Tigress smiled at her husband and nodded.

A/N: Ok, this is the sequel to Big or Little Ears? and the thing you just read is the first chapter. So read and review, please.