Hello, Readers! This is my first fanfiction, and take note in the future that this story has been written for the time just after the events of Kung Fu Panda 2. I do not own Kung Fu Panda; I'm just a rabid fan just like you. Please Do Not Steal. Any events in this story and stories to come that mirror the events in someone else's fanfiction are completely coincidental.
Chapter One: The Unspoken Past
Tigress's eyes shot open. Sweating and breathing heavily, the tiger lay there, thinking about her dream. Or rather nightmare. A vision from the past.
It was early morning-not even a sign of sunlight was on the horizon. The bright moonlight shone on the floor, its cold rays illuminating the room as much as the full moon could. Everything was a ghostly white or blue tint.
Tigress sat up slowly. She remembered the cold feeling of being left alone. She remembered the feeling of a rapid heartbeat as fast as the pounding of feet one terrifying night.
"Tigress! Hurry!" "He's coming! Take my hand! Tigress? Tigress?" "Where is she? TIGRESS?"
Tigress took to her feet, quickly and soundlessly leaving her room and the barracks, taking no notice of the snoring of the large panda behind the door just a few feet away from hers. Soon, she was sitting with her back against the peach tree. The cool breeze flowed through her fur.
A lone peach blossom fell from the tree and drifted through the wind. It flew on the wind around the peach tree and lightly landed on Tigress's shoulder. She immediately took notice, since she felt a warm feeling as if someone had put a blanket around her. She looked at the petal and only one thought came to her. She turned to look behind the peach tree.
"Master Oogway," she whispered.
However, the old turtle wasn't there. It took Tigress a few seconds to realize the truth they had all learned just less than an hour after the event had occurred. Of course, Oogway wasn't there. He had gone to the heavens even before Tai Lung was defeated. By the time Tigress realized this, the blossom and the warmth had left her.
Tigress growled at herself and turned back to look at the dark and sleeping valley. For some reason, she imagined it as it had been twenty years ago: nearly destroyed and large clouds of smoke rising from various areas. Just the thought made a chill ride up her spine. That was the night she was orphaned. Again.
It was terrifying enough to be a child without her real parents. When she was at the orphanage as a very young child, there was still no one who would play with her, even though she didn't have her temper or strength at that age. What child would want play with a toddler?
What she really couldn't understand was why her parents left her on the steps of the Bao Gu Orphanage. Could it just have been that they couldn't care for her? Or wouldn't?
Soon, the first light of day-the first tinges of pink in the sky that only the most observant could see-made itself visible to Tigress. She could hear a baby's cry, faint to her, sounding for its mother to come and feed it.
It took Tigress a few moments to come to her senses. She rose and went back to her room as quickly and soundlessly as she had left. The lighting in her room was somewhat the same. Tigress lay down on her bed, her mind feeling strangely empty. She blamed fatigue and worry. She focused on clearing her mind-on purpose this time.
She had kept everything held in. Everything: her trials as Shifu's new student, her struggles in making friends, her unspoken past. There was a reason why she kept everything hidden. They were her weakness. If almost any moment during these times was made known-even to her friends-she might not be able to control herself and actually hurt someone. That was the last thing she'd want. Her returning to her title of "Monster".
The daylight hours crept closer, the tiny fragments of pink now exploding on the clouds. Early morning deliveries were being made.
Tigress sat up. There was no way she'd get any sleep at this hour. She watched as the moonlight faded into daylight. The light changed its ghostly hue to a more lively golden color. Master Oogway had once told them that sunlight always brought joy to the world as it approached at dawn. However, it brought little comfort to Tigress.
Lost in her thoughts, she stood up. Any moment now and the gong would sound.
The distraction of training should help me, Tigress thought. It always has helped me. Any moment now...
BONNNNNGGG...
Confused? You'll find out what happened in Tigress's past within the next few chapters. Stay tuned!
