Author's Note - I'm at a total loss. What are the official names of those cool sticks they use to spar with? I've always loved those things but have never known the name! In here they are just called "sparring sticks" :P
For PoxTigress fans, have you all seen the McDonald's commercial for the toys? There are two new animations of them together and the last portion is so cute, a somewhat ripped variance from the movie, but cute nonetheless!
I want to say thanks for all of the reviews! I can't update much quicker than what I have because my laptop adapter died so I can only type it up in my spare time at work. So, I will try to update every Friday.
Chapter 2
"You must use your opponent's weakness to defeat them more easily," Shifu spoke as Po and Tigress sparred. The others watched with bated breath, wondering if they would witness another inexplicable clash between the two. "This means you must study your opponent and learn his or her every move. Look for any tell-tale sign of vulnerability."
"That is easily done when my opponent is a flabby panda," Tigress said confidently. She sprung backwards with a loud "Yah!" and towards the sacred peach tree. With one swift move, Tigress kicked a peach directly off of its branch and towards Po.
Po's reflexes had become much faster and he caught the peach right before Tigress landed back in front of him. "Oh, a peach for me? I don't know what to say. Thanks, I guess." Po started to take a bite, but just as Tigress was about to throw a sneak punch, Po rolled the peach to his other hand and blocked it."
"But an even wiser lesson to learn is using your own weakness against your opponent," Shifu taught, glad that the dragon warrior had picked up on the technique. "This is why we must embrace our weaknesses until they become strengths."
"But hey, it's no really fair to Tigress is it?" Po asked, causing Tigress to eye him suspiciously. "After all, my weakness is pretty obvious. I mean, look at this fat belly," Po jiggled it with his hands as he pretended to stumble about. "Oh, I'm sorry, did I hit you? Oh no! I think I just took off some kid's head! Will the flabby horror never end!?" Viper, Monkey, Crane, and Mantis began laughing as Po made fun of his large stomach. Suddenly, even Tigress cracked a smile which then turned into a snicker. She tried to contain herself, but couldn't and began to laugh along with the others. As she did, Po used it to his advantage and spun on of his legs into hers, knocking her to the ground.
Everyone gasped and Tigress' laguhter immediately subsided. Po offered her his paw to help her back up. She accepted it and brushed herself off when she was standing up again. "I'm sorry," Po apologized awkwardly. "I wouldn't have, I mean, I, well that is, I assumed you would notice and then, well..."
"I understand, Po. You found a moment of vulnerability and I wasn't wise enough to use it against you," Tigress stopped him from blundering on and on. The smile was now completely gone from her eyes again. "I shouldn't have let my guard down."
"But I like when you let your guard down," Po said as he shrugged his shoulders a little. "I should have just stopped and let you laugh."
"And how would that help me with my training?" Tigress challenged.
"You know, it's okay to laugh, Tigress," Po defended his reasoning.
"But there's a time and place," Tigress counteracted. "Haven't you learned that yet? I must accept that you beat me in this spar because I lost focus."
"Bu we could have just left it at what Master Shifu said and..." Po started but was interrupted before he could finish. By this time, Po and Tigree were quite close, her eyes showing that she was on the brink of fury.
"Enough," Shifu held out both hands to separate them and Po and Tigress dropped their eyes toward the ground in obedience. "Neither of you can win this battle for your heads are too consumed by your hearts."
Everyone pondered Shifu's words as they looked at one another. Po snuck a glance at Tigress but immediately looked back down when she noticed his awkward stare. "So what, they're in love or something?" Mantis was the first to speak his thoughts aloud, as was usual with him. Everyone's eyes widened, fixed on Shifu for an answer and Po's and Tigress' heads both snapped up in a sudden panic at such a thought.
"What!?" Even Shifu's eyes widened at the prospect. "No, that is not what I meant."
"PHEW!" Po sighed loudly in relief. He noticed everyone's stares at him. "Nothing personal, Tigress, I mean you're, you know, you and all awesome and everything but..." Po fumbled for an explanation as everyone's eyes were still on him. "It's just, you know, becoming the dragon warrior has been enough change to last me at least two dynasties. I don't think I could handle love too."
"Believe me, you're not breaking my heart by saying that," Tigress responded with her familiar feline arrogance.
"Really now? And why wouldn't you want a piece of this?" Po joked as he jiggled his belly again. "I've got plenty to offer."
"I'll say," Tigress smirked.
Shifu cleared his throat authoritatively and the two when silent again. "I mean to finish this lesson before sundown," he said. "However, now I fear it will not resonate as it could have earlier."
"I'm sorry, Master," Tigress said very humbly.
"I'm sorry too, Master," Po echoed but as Shifu expected, didn't let it rest there. "But we can't help it if you went all mystical wisdom on us," the others snickered again except for Tigress who had a growl in the back of her throat. "Now, see, there she goes again."
"I'm not the one making a game out of everything and dishonoring my master," she snapped.
"I don't mean to dishonor Master Shifu," Po argued with her, something he would have never done just a month prior.
"You both are vexing my last nerve," Shifu said with an agitated grumble, his brow furrowed and one finger rested on his temple. "You need to see that you are both wrong in your approach! Po, you want to hide your insecurities with making a joke of everything and, Tigress, you want to hide yours behind a no nonsense exterior, which I can understand." There was silence for a few moments as Shifu hoped his words were getting through. "This clashing between you must stop. Po, there is a time for seriousness, as you well know yet have learned to fully grasp. And, Tigress, laughter is good for the heart and can be a faithful friend and tool to aid you. You both need to learn to bring balance and harmony in your lives, or there will never be harmony between the two of you."
"But, Master..." Tigress started but was not allowed to finish.
"I will prove my point," Shifu instructed. "You will be paired off into teams and we will work on some double team spars. Now is as good a time as any to see if you, Po and Tigress, can overcome your scuffle with one another to work together in a fight."
"What?" Po wasn't exactly sure he liked the idea of being paired with a more competent warrior who still seemed to think very little of his ability.
"Your hesitance is already proof enough of what may come," Shifu responded quickly to Po's protest, knowing Tigress also was protesting inwardly. "If you can over come this test, then hope is high. If you can not, we will have much work to do. Now let us begin."
"You better not make me look bad," Po joked to Tigress as they geared up to spar with the other two teams which consisted of Viper and Mantis and Monkey and Crane.
"I don't think that's possible," Tigress said with a little less edge in her voice than Po would have expected. "Now look out!" While they had been busy talking, Crane had already taken off for an air attack, holding monkey who in turn was holding a sparring stick. Crane had let go of him and Monkey had come sailing towards Po's gut with the stick at a rapid pace. Luckily, Tigress had seen it in time. "YAAAAAAH!" She jumped in front of Po and grabbed the stick with Monkey still on it and spun him back through the air towards Crane. "This is why joking is a serious matter," Tigress said as she turned and looked at Po with an annoyed look on her face.
"Wait? Is that like a play on words? Because I..." Po paused, ran past Tigress quickly and stopped Viper from attempting a mid-air coil attack on Tigress. He grabbed her tail and flung her like a rubber band directly towards where he anticipated Mantis would jump to dodge Viper in order to knock them both out. "Okay, where was I?"
"Don't think that you can just have it both, Po. You can't be this all-play panda and the dragon warrior while the rest of us work to...to...grr! Nevermind!" Tigress growled while dodging another attack from Crane.
"What are you talking about?" Po asked in confusion as he did a roundhouse kick on Mantis then turned and did the same to Monkey. "I can be serious! I think I've improved alot since defeating Tai Lung!"
"I know you have," Tigress didn't disagree with that statement. "But you're still far from what you could be!"
"It's only been a few months!" Po defended. "Can't you cut me some slack?"
"Not if my life and the life of my friends depends on it," Tigress roared back as she jumped into the air and landed on Viper's tail with a loud "Hi-yah!"
"Now wait just a second," Po wouldn't stand for that particular insult. "You think I wouldn't do anything to protect all of you, even you?"
"You have a bad way of proving it," Tigress accused harshly. "Because all I see is a flabby panda who just happens to have the gift of the dragon scroll and some training under his belt," there was no end to Tigress' sharp tongue and she didn't even realize how much her words had actually struck a blow to Po.
"Oh, yeah, well, I..." Po wracked his brain, unaccustomed to saying a mean word even when pressed, but this time he finally had been pushed past his own limit. "All I see is a scared pussy cat who just happens to have claws and sharp teeth to keep everyone else from seeing the truth."
Before anyone could even gasp, Tigress grabbed Po by his arm and sent him flying into the courtyard wall. As soon as she heard the loud thud, she realized what she had done. Her eyes nearly bulged from her head and she began breathing heavily in a panic. "Po! Po, I mean, dragon warrior, I mean, I'm so sorry, Po, I...Master Shifu, I didn't mean to and I..." Tigress couldn't take it.
She ran for the protection of her room as the others stared in disbelief. They then hurried to see if Po was alright. Meanwhile, Shifu stared at where Po lay before turning his gaze towards the direction Tigress had disappeared. As he did, he hung his head in despair.
(A/N cont.) Okay this is a random request but does anyone know a place to generate or that lists kung fu yells better than yah or hi-yah? I don't want to bore everyone with my lack of imagination in that department. And yay! I'm about to go see the movie for the second time here in 10 minutes! Yay again! That will get my imagination going double time!
