Perfect Match
"TIGRESS!"
Tigress sighed at her name being called. By whom? None other, than the Dragon Warrior himself. She was meditating at the Sacred Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom before being interrupted.
"Tigress! TigressTigressTIGRESS!" Po continued as he ran up the hill. When he finally got to the top, he was panting heavily.
"Ti- *exhale* Ti – ugh – gress!" he breathed heavily, dropping onto the ground next to her, trying to get his breathing back to normal as much as possible.
Tigress sighed again. "This had better be important, Po." She said, not looking at the panda, allowing him time to recover.
After some time, Po finally recovered and stood up in front of her.
"It is important! It's super important!" he exclaimed frantically.
"Really?" Tigress deadpanned. "Because the last time you said something was important, you dragged Mantis and I to the Kung Fu exhibition… in the middle of the night!" she said with a scowl.
"It's more important than that!" Po then paused. "Well, maybe not more important. I mean, didn't you see all the awesome stuff that was there from kung fu history? The Masters Ox, Croc and Rhino statue was like-"
"PO!" Tigress yelled at him, her annoyance starting to surface.
"Okok! It's much more important than that!"
This caught Tigress' attention. It had to be really important for him to say it was more important than the Kung Fu exhibition he was dying to see before everyone else.
"And it concerns you." Po finished.
Tigress' ears perked up as she stared at the panda in front of her. "Go on." She told him, giving her full attention.
"I was passing by Master Shifu's room and I overheard him talking to someone about you." Tigress raised an eyebrow at him. What was so strange about Shifu talking about her to someone?
"It wasn't just anyone, Ti." He continued, seeing her expression. "It was a Match Maker!"
Tigress gasped and her eyes widened. Her thoughts were racing at what Po just told her. "Match Maker? But… I'm a warrior. A Kung Fu Master and his most prized student. Shifu would never do that to me." Tigress thought. After a few seconds, she scowled and glared at the panda before her. "Unless…"
"How many almond cookies is Monkey paying you to tell me this, Po?" Tigress sternly said to the panda.
Po gasped and eyes widened in shock. "TIGRESS, I'M SERIOUS!" He said, raising his paws to his head in frustration to Tigress not believing him. "Look, I know I can be childish at times, but if there is one thing I NEVER play around with, is someone's feelings and emotions. Shifu is going to have you meet with a Match Maker. I – y-you can go ask him! I'll come along to prove I'm not playing around!"
Tigress continued to stare at the panda's face, specifically his eyes to find some kind of trickery in his statement. But she found none. Only true, pure honesty… and… something else, but wasn't sure what. She sighed and stood from her sitting position on the ground.
"Ok, Po. I'll go ask him. But if this is a trick…"
"IT'S NOT!" He whined.
Tigress nodded toward him. "Let's go." she said. They left the peach tree and walked briskly toward the Jade Palace.
A few minutes later, they arrived at the Jade Palace. They entered and made their way toward Shifu`s room.
"Master Shifu?" Tigress said, as she and Po stood outside the doorway of his room, which was blocked by a rice paper wall.
"Ah, Tigress. I've been expecting you. Please, come in." Shifu said, from inside his room.
Po and Tigress looked to each other for a brief moment, and then entered.
"I assume you're here because of what Po told you?" Shifu stated once the two entered.
"Yes." Tigress replied. "Master, is this true? Did you organize for me to meet with a Match Maker?" she asked, doing her best to hold in her anger.
Shifu sighed. "Yes, Tigress. I did."
Tigress gasped. She couldn't believe it. "Y-... I- Why would you do that!" she said, almost yelling.
"It has come to my attention that you are in need of companionship, Tigress." Shifu replied.
"Compan- companionship!? I'm perfectly fine. I've already got everything I need!"
"And that would be?"
"You, Po and the rest of the five. And most importantly; Kung Fu! I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."
"Yes, but do you really want to spend the rest of your life alone, Tigress?"
"What do you mean?" Tigress asked, confused.
"I will not be around for very much longer, Tigress. What's going to happen when the five decide go their separate ways and I pass on?"
"The five is NOT going to split up, Master." Tigress argued. Po still stood in the doorway, worriedly and silently watching and listening.
"Really?" Shifu raised an eyebrow toward her. "Tell me Tigress, do you think that the others would want to stay the Furious Five for very long? What do you think happened to the Furious Five before you?"
Tigress stood silent, unable to answer.
"I only want what's best for you, Tigress. I want you to be happy." Shifu told her. "I don't want you growing old and lonely... like me." he sadly thought.
"And what's best for me is you making me take part in this Match Making business?! I don't think so! I refuse to go along with this!" Tigress exclaimed.
"Tigress-"
"NO!" she yelled, cutting off her master. "And that's my final answer!" she swiftly turned around, and on all fours dash passed Po and out the palace.
Po slightly stretched out his arm, ready to call out to her, but choked for some reason.
"Tigress..." he whispered, a worried expression dawned on his face as he slowly brought his arm back down at his side. He turned and frowned at his master.
"...So... you knew I was listening, huh?" Po sadly asked.
"My ears aren't big for nothing panda." Shifu replied.
Po continued to frown at his master, then turned and left the room without another word to him. This greatly surprised the old red panda. He was certain the giant panda would argue with him about arranging for Tigress to see a match maker. Shifu let out a heavy sigh.
"Don't you worry, Po. This is more to help her realize who her match is, than it is of actually finding her one." Shifu thought. A few seconds passed before he turned around to face the being that had just made his presence known.
"Are you sure this is the right thing to do, Master?" Shifu asked his master, Master Oogway.
"Yes, Shifu. I am positive. When have I ever been wrong?" Oogway asked.
Shifu thought about it and sighed. His master had never been wrong about anything when he was alive, and he definite isn't wrong since he was no longer an earthly being.
"Never." Shifu softly replied. Oogway gently smiled at his student, who he had always considered a son.
"I have seen the way they interact with each other, Shifu. I have seen the aftermath of their fights with each other. Did you know, that they both silently cry themselves to sleep whenever they have a big fight? Of course, the Dragon Warrior will apologize the next day because that is who he is; but Tigress…" he paused with a frown, "…If she doesn't let go of her pride as a Kung Fu warrior, and allow her feelings to be expressed; I fear she may lose everything and everyone she cares for."
Shifu sighed again. He knew his master was right. He was always right.
"She has made it very clear that she will not go along with the match making, but I will see what I can do to make her change her mind." Shifu said.
Oogway smiled. "There is no need for that." He said. Shifu looked at his master with a questioning expression. "Trust me, she will come around."
Shifu's ears twitched as he caught sound of the wind.
"This is all the time I have right now, Shifu. I will return, when the time is right…" Oogway said, and then was gone in the form of swirling peach blossoms.
Published: 22.11.2013
Hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter. Plz review and let me know what you think.
