A.N.) I hope I don't disappoint anyone. Also this does talk a bit about what goes on in the second movie, so if you don't like that I suggest you see the movie first, or simply not read. It's up to you.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kung Fu Panda. I just watch, enjoy, and write.

Can't Let Go

Prologue

With the Dragon Warrior watching over the citizens, the Valley of Peace truly felt peaceful. The worst was gone. Tai Lung and Lord Shen were defeated. The Furious Five had lost some tension among their minds. Stone walls among Tigress and Master Shifu were cracked (but were not crumpled). The panda, Po Ping, was happy to live his dreams and felt more empowered in himself then ever before. Also, Mr. Ping had accepted that his son was more than a simple noodle folk. Most importantly, everyone was getting along in the Jade Palace.

In the home of China's heroes, the Furious Five sat to breakfast. Mantis made jokes and Viper would hiss about keeping it PG. Though after saying that, she'd smile and brighten the room as always. On the other hand, when Mantis made a joke, Monkey would laugh hysterically and put his arms over his head. Crane sat patiently and listened. He and Viper would speak one-on-one every now and then. The last member of this elite team, Tigress, was sitting quietly and ignoring the voices, isolating herself from everyone, even from the person cooking the meals. It wasn't to be cold, it was just habit. The only other person in the room wasn't a member of the Five. He was the hero of the Valley of Peace; the Dragon Warrior. Po minced carrots, mushrooms, and beats for the dish he was preparing for his idols. He glanced from Mantis to Monkey, to Viper, to Crane. Only when his eyes reached Tigress did his muscles tense. What a beautiful, deadly, scary, mute creature she was.

He was aware that Tigress had accepted that she wasn't the Dragon Warrior and no longer wanted to kill him. They had even become more comfortable around each other than anyone else. In Gongmen City, he had felt something… something warm inside when he and Tigress had their moments of understanding each other. He felt at peace inside when he hugged her. He was sure Tigress had felt something too! He wished to take their shallow relationship a bit deeper. But it wasn't like a crush or anything right? Tigress was his favorite Furious Five member, but, well… he didn't know what else to say about it. He was a panda. It was in his nature to be cute, cuddly and friendly. It was then Po realised he was staring at his feline friend, which was strange. It was very rare for Po to watch Tigress for as long as he was, and not get caught.

Po swiftly turned back to the pot of soup. He stood stiffened at the counter, stirring the last minute seasoning in the soup. Stir, stir, sir was what he kept repeating to himself, but that obviously bored him, so he looked around the kitchen for something to occupy himself. He looked at the wooden cabinets carved to perfect detail, with the coco butter colored paint on the front. There were baskets on the counter with flour or salt or certain spices inside. He noticed the shiny metal knifes hanging from a rack beside him. Last, he gazed at the white paper windows adjacent to the one exit out of the room. All these details he'd seen already, so this magnificent architecture meant nothing to him. It was then that he smelled the soup was just right then.

Po took a deep breath before giving his signature grin. "Order up!" he exclaimed with a sociable attitude.

He placed Mantis' bowl down and watched the bug dig in. He gave Viper and Crane their bowls, which interrupted their conversation. Monkey jumped up and took his food from Po's hands, leaving the chef with one more person, besides himself, to serve. He turned to Tigress and was heartbroken to see that his friend looked so depressed. He placed the bowl in front of her, but she didn't eat. Her eyes looked at it, but she was so in thought she didn't take notice to it.

As was said before, Tigress did not hate Po anymore. She knew she wasn't the Dragon Warrior, but the fact still plagued her. If she was not the Dragon Warrior, then what was she? All of her training and hard work from the very moment Master Shifu adopted her and brought her to the Jade Palace… was it all for nothing? What was her future now? All she wanted with the title was to defeat Tai Lung and finally prove herself worthy to be Master Shifu's "daughter". Now that that dream had faded from her grasp, there was nothing left. She didn't want to keep walking into a dead end by doing nothing but kung fu forever. She was starting to feel it wasn't a real purpose, though she'd never tell any of her comrades that.

"Come on, Tigress. You gotta eat you know," Po said trying to see if his voice would awake her, though she still stayed frozen.

"Tigress," a familiar voice called from the door. The feline suddenly snapped out of her trace and turned to the voice, along with the others. There they saw the voice was by their own Master Shifu.

The red panda looked at his students. He maintained his stoic face even as he heard his students say in union, "Good morning, Master." He looked at Tigress, who seemed to be under some stress and thought, Maybe a walk in the village will help her.

"Tigress, I need you to retrieve a few things from the village today, so eat your fill. Be at the bottom of the stairway in fifteen minutes, so I can give you the list and yuan." With that told, he walked out to prepare the said list.

With a fire lit in her heart to follow her orders, she scarfed down her soup and ran out of the kitchen in under five minutes. The rest of the Five and Po turned to each other, speechless.

"Er… What just happened?" Mantis asked.

"Tigress got something to do when we didn't," Crane replied and took a sip from his bowl.

"We should not be so shocked," Monkey said.

"Right. Master Shifu just knows Tigress doesn't really do anything, but train on Saturdays," Viper added. The room was quiet when they went back to eating their soup. After a few moments of fustrating silence, Mantis suddenly banged his spoon on the table.

"What are we talking about! Tigress has nothing to do? We've got nothing to do!" he screamed. They all looked at each other and knew it was true. Po, being a peace maker, came up with a solution in no time flat.

"Why don't we go to my dad's restaurant for lunch today then? Hang out around the village? Help Tigress finish her errands?" the panda proposed to his fellow warriors.

Viper smiled big. "That is a wonderful idea!" she exclaimed. She turned to Monkey, Mantis, and Crane. "Are you guys coming?"

"Yeah!" the boys said together. They quickly finished their breakfast and left to have their fun-day. When the warriors reached the front gate, they saw Shifu emerge to the top of the stairway.

"Hello Master Shifu. Did Tigress leave already?" Viper asked politely. Shifu nodded.

"Yes Viper. She ran off." With this question answered, he walked away.

"If Tigress ran off, it will take awhile to find her. Let's go hang out and see if we'll find her on the way," Po suggested. The crew of kung fu fighters raced one another down the steps of the Jade Palace to experience the liveliness of the Valley of Peace.

A.N.) I just want to have fun with the plot idea I have. If you like the beginning so far please review, but you don't have to, but I'd appreciate it if you did.