It was a nice cool summer day in the valley of peace, the sky was as clear as it could be and the sun was shining at its most brightest for the villagers below it. Speaking of villagers, mot a single soul was cooped up in their homes, as everyone was out and about. Doing things like buying crafts, going out for a bite of eat, or just playing in the streets with friends and having a good time. Though all can't be said for the warriors up at the jade palace, as we see them training in the courtyard sparring with another; It was the quick and elegant Viper against the smooth and quick Crane while the small and agile Mantis went up against the trickster and acrobatic Monkey. Now as you may have already figured out, I haven't mentioned the other two Masters or I should be saying the other Master and the Dragon. Well, getting tired of always training in the same place every day and night, Master Tigress and Dragon Warrior Po had wanted change the scene a bit and what better day to do it. So, after gaining their Master Shifu's permission, the two had headed out for the lushes green forest that lay just on the outskirts of their home. Once arriving at the spot they felt best would work for them, the two took no time in exchanging fists, kicks, and so much more.
"Come on Po, I know you can do better than that." The tiger teased with a grin on her face, as she had just dodged a barrage of fists from the panda.
"Be careful what you wish for tigress, I may just shock you with my awesomeness." Po stated, putting a small smile on his face.
"Let's see it then panda," As Tigress then charged for Po, clenching both her fists up. Once she was just feet away from him, she had then jumped in the air and swung her right paw to the panda's face.
"I don't think so," Po had then ducked under the punch. But Tigress only smiled as quickly launched her left foot to the panda's face.
"Of course, she wanted me to duck!" Quickly reacting to the new move, Po put up his arms and caught the tigers foot. He then looked up at her with a smirk, but that's mirk soon turned to shock as he saw the feline hurl her left paw to his face.
"You can't dodge this one!" And she was correct, smashing her left hook into the panda's face, causing him to fly back a little and for him to land on his back while she landed back onto her feet.
"Dang it, I should have seen that coming. You are always so sneaky with your moves," Po stated getting back on his feet; he then smiled and rubbed his jaw. In a way, he just loved this; he was training with Tigress, someone he admired most in this world.
"However Ti, it's time to kick it up a notch." As Po clapped his paws together and closed his eyes, taking in short but heavy breaths. Seeing this, Tigress kept her guard up, as she knew her friend was full of tricks.
"Alright, time for me to vanish." Po stated, opening his eyes up and slowly releasing his paws from another. But as he pulled them apart, a sphere of what looked like to be wind was forming.
"What on earth?" Tigress questioned, not believing what she was seeing. Once the sphere was completed, Po sent the gust of wind all around them, causing all the tress to let their leaves go in one spurt. When this happened, the field of vision became bleak and the spot where the panda once stood became empty.
"Great, now where'd he go?" As Tigress's eyes became slits, trying to see through the leave, but as she looked, a punch came from her right side, causing her to stagger a bit. Going on reaction, she sent a fist in the same direction only to hit nothing.
"Almost Tigress," Po teased, as he moved throughout the leaves sending another punch to his partner, hitting her gut this time.
"Ah, I have to figure this out and quick. Otherwise, I'm done for." Tigress thought to herself, at which point she calmed herself and began to use her heightened hearing to pinpoint the panda. As she listened for anything that would give her clue, soon though, the sound of crunching leaves entered her ears.
"He's five feet away, no, now he's 2 feet away. I got him now." Tigress thought triumphantly, as she ducked a punch that come from her backside and quickly spun around. Giving the panda a right uppercut, sending him into the air and shortly back onto the earth. At which point the gust of leaves all died down.
"Got you now Po," Tigress said as she raised her leg up and began to hurl it down to Po.
"Not yet you don't!" He then rolled himself out of the way; little did he know that doing so was going to bring Tigress a world of pain. For when the feline's heel slammed into the ground, a huge pain shot up her leg and up to her body.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Tigress screamed at the top of her lungs, falling down onto her butt as she began to hold her right foot. Seeing this, Po rushed over to her with a worried expression.
"Are you alright Tigress?" Po asked, but soon got an answer.
"Do I look alright to you? My dang ankle hurts like crazy!" Tigress exclaimed with an angry expression on her face.
"Here let me look at it," Po said before Tigress slowly let go of her foot and placed it onto Po's lap. The panda began to examine it carefully; he then placed his paws on her foot, which made Tigress wince a bit.
"Sorry Tigress, but let's try and see how far we can move your foot before it hurts alright." Po told her, the tiger only nodded her head in response. The panda then gently tilted her foot to the right but as soon as he did, Tigress asked him to stop.
"Oh boy, you may not like what I'm about to tell you Tigress, but it seems you may have a sprained ankle." Upon hearing this, Tigress looked at him with a sad and annoyed look.
"Oh come on, how is this is possible? I can take down iron trees yet my ankle sprains hitting the ground a bit." Tigress stated as she looked at Po who shrugged his shoulders.
"Well depending on how hard you hit something, anything can happen Tigress. I'm just glad I wasn't on the receiving end," Po joked, but Tigress wasn't amused by it.
"Ah don't worry Tigress, a few bandages and some ointment and you should be good." Po told her, trying to lighten her mood up a bit. Tigress only shook her head at the words and let out a sigh.
"Could you help me up Po?" Tigress asked softly, the panda than said 'of course' and slowly lifted her up off the ground. But when she got up, she lifted her foot of and wobbled a bit.
"We can't have you walking Tigress, that'd be too much on your ankle," Po told her.
"What do you suggest then Po, we don't have a ride or anything like that out here." Tigress stated, only to see Po start to form a blush on his face.
"Well, technically you do have a ride though Ti."
"By that you mean?"
"By that I mean me, I-I mean if you want, I-I can give you a piggy back ride." Po said in like a whisper, twiddling his fingers as he did so.
"That's very generous of you Po, but I'm sure I can make it. I've been through tougher situations, I mean, I was shot by a cannon. A little sprain isn't anything." Tigress said with a smile, but Po could see right through it and as he saw Tigress trying to walk, he walked over to her and placed a paw on her shoulder.
"Come on Tigress, I know you have your pride. However, I'm not going to let you be in pain as long as I'm around, alright." Po told her in a serious tone, but as Tigress was about to protest, Po got down on his knees and presented his back to the feline. When Tigress saw Po's determination to help her, she couldn't help but feel a bit warm, just like the time when held her paw in that cold harbor.
"Po." Was all Tigress's mind said, before she gently placed her front side onto the panda's back and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Thank you." Tigress said quietly, laying her head against the back of Po's. The panda then slowly put her between his arms and stood up.
"You're welcome." He simply replied and started to head for the jade palace. As the two headed back for home, they couldn't help but take in all the sights and how calm everything seemed to be around them, there wasn't any shouting, there wasn't any gong going off in their ears, they didn't have to push their way to get somewhere, the stress they usually felt was nonexistent here. As Tigress took all this in, she began to think about the times with the one who was carrying her right now.
She began to pander her feelings for her comrade and what he truly meant to her. She wandered if this panda was her path to a new life, a life away from the training she always thought was more important than anything. Could Po become her new main focus, it's true she values his friendship very deeply, but she knows something more lies in that heart of hers. He's always there for her, he takes the insults she gives when she may go overboard, and he always asks her if she is alright, more importantly he never goes out of his way to hurt her or to make her sad. It's true at times he does make her mad but not on purpose and apologizes for it.
"Could after all this time, of searching and wandering, I may have found that special person?" Tigress thought to herself, it was the she rested her head on Po's right shoulder and looked tot eh sky.
"Po, I know this may be a weird question, but do you think the events that we make or come across lead us down a road predetermined for us?" Tigress asked with wander, catching Po's attention.
"Hu, that's a good question Tigress. To be honest I'm not sure if I can say, we can pander many things and wander if we did something different we would be somewhere else. All I know is, what's happened in my life has been up and down, but it's because of those that I'm here now with you Tigress, I've had a good life up to now. I've come to know a lot of people and I've also known pains like my past, I just hope my future won't be a repeat of the past." Po told the tiger softly, who looked at him with gentle eyes.
"I see, I hope the same to Po. Life is what we make of it and all we can do is try our best for a good one. Whether that is by ourselves or with somebody we care for." Tigress said. She then slowly closed her eyes let her body rest against Po's.
"Yeah, with somebody we care for." Such words made Po's heart beat gently and for his mind to wander on that person he loves. By the time they reached the valley of peace, the sun was beginning to set and everyone began to head on home for the night. As he made his way to the palace, he did get some looks and some whispers but continued on his way, making it to the palace steps.
"Oh boy, I really hate these steps." Po said quietly to himself, not wanting to wake the sleeping tiger. Beginning his long journey, he began to make his way up the steps, taking a few breaths every now and then and when he reached the top of his steps he saw the sun disappearing behind the earth letting the night sky and the stars take its place. Little did he know, he had arrived just in time, as Viper and Crane came out of the palace doors.
"Where have you guys been? We were about to go and search for you," Viper stated with a worried expression.
"Sorry guys, Tigress got a sprain and I had to take slow just in case. But just let the others were home and I'll get dinner started soon." Po said with a smile, walking past his friends and into the palace. He then began to make his way to the barracks. Once arriving at Tigress's room he walked in and slowly put her onto the bed.
"Now to get that paw bandaged up." Leaving the room as quickly as he did he came, back with some bandage and ointment. Putting some of the ointment on his paws he began to rub Tigress's ankle and some of her foot and once done he began to wrap the feline's foot up. But as careful and quite as he was, Tigress began to slowly wake up and saw Po at the end of her bed.
"Are we back home Po?" Tigress asked, noticing familiar surroundings.
"We sure are Tigress, and you're ankle should be fine now. I was actually about to go cook some noodles, would you like some?" Po asked, looking down at her.
"Noodles sound pretty good, I would love some." Tigress replied smiling.
"One hot bowl of soup coming up," Po said with a chuckle and began to make his way out that is until Tigress stopped him.
"Wait Po, could you come here for a second?" Tigress asked, feeling her heart beat quickly. AS she asked, Po walked to her.
"Could you come closer?" Tigress asked, this made Po a little confused on what Tigress was doing, but he knelt down to her and looked at her.
"Yes Tigress," Po said looking her in the eyes, but his cheeks soon went red as Tigress placed a paw on Po's cheek and brought him close to her face. She then proceeded to give Po a warm lick on the cheek, showing her affection and love to him.
"Tigress, why did y-?" but before could finish, Tigress spoke.
"Let's just say that's my way of showing how I feel about you Po, and how much appreciate everything you have done." Tigress simply stated. Po could only let out a 'oh' as he rubbed his cheek and just like she did, he gave her a warm lick on the cheek.
"The same goes for you, my tiger angel." It was then Po got up and slowly left the room but not before saying something that made Tigress feel warm like the sun and that was….
"I love you to, Tigress."
Well I hope you guys liked this one shot, sorry I did the sprained ankle thing all wrong I just didn't know how else to do it and stuff. But let me know what you thought of it, thanks.