A/N: Wow, I feel like a lot of people will be all WTC? (haha, like my clever twist? XD) after reading this twoshot. It's a very...interesting topic to say the least. I don't know if it'll be a homerun, but it was hilarious to write, haha. XD

Another thing is that this inspiration came from a Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman episode - so, no, I'm not that crazy, coming up with this idea n' all. Hopefully you guys can, uh, get a laugh from this, haha. XD

I'm rating it K+, but if you think it should be moved up to T, lemme know.

I don't think I have anything else to say. Just, uh...enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own KFP or Dr. Quinn.

Changes

Part I

Shifu was observant. One had to be in material arts; however, it wasn't just kung fu that he was observant of, but people, too. That was why he noticed Tigress' strange behavior.

While he had to admit that he had a somewhat estranged relationship with the young tigress, he could also admit that he still cared deeply for her, although he never showed it to anyone; and that was why he was worried about her and her strange behavior.

Tigress had been under his care for five years now, making her twelve years old. She was young by his account, and she had much to learn. While he would never say it to her face, she was extremely smart. She was the mind of strategies and big-pictures, she could be told something or see something and understand the steps behind it. She always knew what to do; however, while she knew what to do, her body still needed training on actually doing it, which would take years and years to master.

But she was in the right place. Her grand mind always gave him conversations that he had never had with Tai-Lung, his previous student. While Tai-Lung was a near kung fu prodigy, being able to see anything and then do it, he was unable to comprehend most of the ideas behind the art. And while the snow leopard and the tigress had many things in common, both also had numerous differences.

Shifu's conversations with Tigress were always genius, and he had to admit to himself, he was proud (although the words never left his lips, albeit he had been tempted at times). However, unlike his conversations with Tai-Lung, to which he knew everything about the snow leopard, Shifu knew close to nothing about the tigress.

But he could recognize how strange she was acting. She was emotional, which was not normal for her. She was emotionless when she was with him, and so the way she would anger quickly, and the way her chin would quiver when he would correct her tipped him off that something was amiss.

"Again!" Shifu shouted to Tigress.

"I can't!"

It was the first time she'd spoken for quite sometime, and by the way she fell on her knees, clutching her stomach in pain and sniffing every so often, he knew that it was a big deal. Shifu didn't move towards her, and instead he watched as she tried her best to gather herself. When time had passed, and she finally stood, he said, "Again."

She glared at his feet, and even though she was furious, she was smart enough to never glare directly at her master, and so she performed the steps again and kicked the adversary with as much might as she could.

"Tigress," He said sternly, but all anger had disappeared when she had fallen. "I told you to watch that leg. Again."

"I'm trying!" She retorted, but went back to her starting point and repeated the steps.

His eyes went wide as she back-mouthed; she never did that directly to his face and so simply. Something was wrong –

And once again she fell on her knees, clutching her stomach. "Master, I – "

"Go." Shifu said simply, dismissing her with a nod. "But come to dinner."

She nodded, stood up, bowed, and then fled the Training Hall.

Tigress didn't come to dinner, and at once, Shifu was worried. Halfway through his meal, he left the kitchen and Grandmaster Oogway, who was eating along side his student, and went to her corridor. He knocked on the door when he heard no protest.

"Tigress?" He said as he scanned the room, but his jaw fell when he saw her sitting in the corner of her room, crying. He was sent back to the time he first saw her, almost six years ago…

He shook away the thought. "I told you to come to dinner."

She looked up in thought, then wiped her eyes quickly. "Forgive me, master. I lost track of time."

"So I see." Shifu commented, then stepped into the room, shut the door, and took a step towards her. "What seems to be the problem?"

She shook her head, refusing to answer. He glared with determination. "Tigress," He said sternly. "You need to tell me what's wrong – if you don't, nothing can be fixed."

She stayed quiet, but by the way her eyes were scanning the room, he knew she was thinking about what he said – and that she knew he was right. Suddenly, she jumped up, throwing her hands out and letting out a sob. "I'm going to die!"

Shifu's eyes went wide. "What? What makes you think - ?"

"I'm bleeding!" Tigress said, letting out another sob. "I've been bleeding for two whole days, and it won't stop!"

What was she getting at – oh, gods.

"Uh…" He stuttered, which was uncommon for him. Never in a million years would he ever have thought he was going to have to give this speech, and to be honest, he knew close to nothing about it anyhow. But he knew one thing for certain: "You're not going to die."

"I'm not?" She said, sniffing and suddenly becoming calmer.

"No, you're not. It just means that you're…well…growing up."

"I don't understand." She said as she wiped the remaining tears, but with eyebrows scrunched together in confusion.

Shifu began to rub the back of his neck awkwardly. "It means, that now, you're able to…uh…reproduce."

She continued to look at him in confusion, until suddenly, her eyes went wide with realization. She covered her mouth with her hand, looking absolutely mortified.

The awkward tension was so think Shifu could hardly breath, let alone speak. Finally, he managed to say, "So, do you, uh, have any questions?"

She shook her head quickly, although he knew that he hadn't explained it right, and there was loads of things that still needed to be said.

"Okay," He said, leaving it at that and walking out of the room. He stood outside the door for a moment, however, take deep breaths of the fresh, unawkward air, when he heard a muffled scream, knowing at once that Tigress was yelling into her pillow.

I think I'll do the same, he said with a shake of his head. But as he walked down the hall, he decided not to go back to the kitchen to Master Oogway – however, he passed by the open doorway, and Oogway called to him to enter and tell him what happened.

"She's, uh, growing up." Shifu answered awkwardly.

Oogway chuckled, imagining the uncomfortable conversation. "I see. Well, did you explain?"

Shifu sighed. "No, not really."

"Well, she needs to know, my friend. What do you plan on doing?" Oogway asked as Shifu sat beside him.

"I don't know. I can't explain it. Do you think…?"

Oogway shook his head. "No, not I."

"How about the physician?"

"Please, Shifu," Oogway said with a laugh. "Spare the girl!"

Shifu forced a smile, however, he knew the old tortoise was right.

Oogway said, "Are there any women she knows or is close to?"

Shifu thought about it, then shook his head. "She knows no one – well, there are the caretakers at the orphanage, but I swore I'd never take her back."

Shifu adverted his eyes quickly, but not fast enough for Oogway not to see the hatred in the red panda's eyes. There was a moment of silence as both masters thought, when finally the tortoise cried out.

"Ah! I know! You have a new student coming, do you not? From the Lee Da Kung Fu Academy?"

Shifu nodded. "Yes, Crane."

"Why not send a message and ask for a female student to help with this, uh, mission?" Oogway presented.

"Master, that is a grand idea." Shifu said, smiling slightly as he stood. "I'll begin writing at once."

Shifu bowed and then exited the kitchen. As Oogway watched the red panda leave, he couldn't help but pray to every god that he knew that the right person would come.

Tigress finally removed the pillow from her mouth, collapsing on her bed mat. She cringed again. She felt absolutely mortified with herself!

Shifu was a lot of things to her. For one, he was her mentor. He was her teacher, her idol, and the closest thing to a friend here at the Palace. And he was, well, technically speaking, the closest thing she had to a father, too.

She might as well have been in an entire crowd! And, well, it might have been better than with Shifu.

She shook her head. Well, one thing she knew, she wasn't going to die. And at the end of the day, that was always a good thing. But she could…well…reproduce now?

She cringed again, but this time because she knew absolutely nothing about reproducing. She sighed, but then cringed a third time when she replayed the awkward conversation.

"Oh, gods," She cursed. "Will I be able to go on?"

She shook her head. Well, nothing left to do but just deal. She'd gone through worse before – hadn't she?

Either way, she would be looking at the world differently now – and, well, she knew Shifu would be cringing each time they were together. This memory was never going to fade...

Cringe.