Chapter 2: Simpleton Blues
Po yawned and rubbed his eyes after he awoke again, not suprised that the sun had yet to come up. He sat up alone in the hospital bed and looked over at his wife, who was now holding her child and had her back to him. As she felt him come closer, she spoke.
"I don't know what to do, Po. He won't cry, or laugh, or coo...this is so strange. He didn't even cry when he was born or even after Shifu smacked his rear. I'm worried."
Po shrugged as he put his arm around her,"So he won't show any emotion, he is your son after all."
Tigress gave him a glare to show him that she was far from amused,"This is serious, Po. If he doesn't cry, his lungs will not develop properly.", she said while looking back down at her baby who was currently suckling.
"Well at least he's eating."
"Of course he's eating, he is your son after all.", stated Tigress with a small hint of sarcasm.
"Ha, ha, ha.", said Po dryly."You know very well that I've lost plenty of weight since we first met."
"I know, Po...", sighed Tigress,"But like I said, I worry about him. Is this part of Moeru's curse? I don't even want to think about what other symptoms may come...", she tensed up at this thought.
"I'm sure he'll be fine, Ti. If it makes you feel any better, we'll ask Saisei to look him over. With the Emperor's mystics allowing her to go into the libraries now, she may find out what this might be.", Tigress did not respond, just nodded."Good, then it's settled. Now go get some sleep, the sun will be up soon."
"Agreed.", said Tigress as she withdrew her child from her breast and gave the baby a gentle nuzzle, allowing a purr to emmit to her child."I love you, son. Never forget that.", she sighed softly and handed him to Po, then buttoned up her loose blue tunic and walked back to bed as Po put a small towel over his shoulder and started to burp their son.
She fell asleep to the comforting sound of their baby making a hiccup like sound, and Po making a small groaning sound.
Once the sun had made it's appearance, the tiger opened her eyes. She sat up and looked around to determine that she was alone, and panicked inside when neither Po or their child were in the room. The feline shot out of bed and rushed to the door to swing it open. No one in the hallway either.
"Hello?", she called out loudly, for her panic was beginning to soar. When she received no answer, Tigress ran down the hall looking back and forth at the different hallways, which were all empty. She ran through the front double doors and stopped when she saw Koru leaning on the railings by the stairs and looking out at the valley. He wore a black vest with red inseams and a pair of wheat brown slacks. There was a feint road where grass had grown over that led across the almost empty fields of green that was the valley he looked over. In the far off distance there was a giant city molded out of the side of a mountain easily seen from this distance.
Tigress walked over to Koru and grabbed his arm, tugging him around to face her,"Where are they?"
Koru jerked away and looked back out at the valley, leaning on the railings again,"Relax, everyone is at the Imperial CIty right now. Po told me to stay behind until you woke up so that I could escort you."
"He took the baby with him?", she said with a quizzical look on her face.
The white tiger nodded and continued his stare at the mid point where there sat a large structure in mid construction,"The new palace is coming along nicely."
Tigress leaned on the rail as well at Koru's right and grunted softly in recognition of his comment. She watched the few workers hammering away and carrying a number of wooden planks and stone slabs,"So how are you feeling?"
"Aren't I supposed to be asking you that question?", he responded with a subtly raised brow.
"Yes, but you're being a selfish brother right now and acting like a complete basket case.", she said hitting him in the arm. He showed a small smirk for a second and rubbed the spot where she hit him.
"I am at my wit's end. It has been five months since...", he closed his eyes with great pressure and rubbed his long yet stubby fingers over the markings on his forehead. He opened his eyes again, and to Tigress' surprise, he turned and looked straight at her,"What am I supposed to do?"
Tigress showed a frown of sympathy and laid a gripping paw on his shoulder,"You need to move on. It may be bitter to think about, but you will be better off soon enough."
Koru scoffed a little and scratched his left ear by pressing his forefinger and thumb in almost a pinch. He turned back to the scenery, apparently dismissing her idea.
"I'm serious. Perhaps there is someone in the Imperial City. In fact, come on.", she gently pushed the white tiger towards the stairs, and he reluctantly complied as they began their descent."I have to make sure the baby is fed anyway."
Koru fought his urge to growl at being told to walk, but he had to take her to the city anyways so the white tiger forced himself past the feeling of stubborness,"Any idea what to name the child?"
"Either Kicho or Kenka-Suru. Though Po wants to call him Ya Kaji.", she shook her head and rolled her eyes with a look to her right, away from her brother.
"Interesting...but is Kicho not the equivilent to naming him after Po?"
"Yes, it is. But I want him to be his own person, and he cannot acheive that if he is simply named 'Po, Jr.'.", stated Tigress as they reached the bottom of the stairs and found the grassy floor.
"I see.", nodded the male, and he glanced at his sister as she already looked tired from her walking,"If you wish I can carry you there."
"No, I think not. I must get used to training again and, as Song stated, I need to get rid of this pregnancy fat.", she said with a grimace once she poked her stomach that held a ridge of flab over her muscluar abs.
Koru's ears perked up slightly,"She said that? How astute of her."
Tigress gave her brother a look of intrigue, tapping his arm lightly with the back of her paw to get his attention. He looked at her, but she just continued her stare.
"What?"
"You know what. I have never heard you compliment anyone except for Po, and you barely did that.", she had a small smile.
"So? I simply made a statement pertaining to her ability to observe obvious facts.", he turned back towards their path as they continued to walk, now passing the construction site.
"Ah, so you were being sarcastic.", she raised a brow, not believing him for a second.
"Of course.", snapped Koru.
There was a silence for a minute until Tigress looked at Koru again with bared fangs.
"Hey, wait just one damn minute! Are you calling me fat?", she growled.
"What? No!", he looked into the distance in thought and blinked,"Oh. I suppose I did."
"I think I'll be getting an even better work out this October morn, do you not think brother?", growled Tigress with clenched fists. Koru took a step back.
"Er...well, you know uh...", he glanced at the Imperial City doors in the distance,"To be fair you'll have to catch me first!", he took off on all fours, followed closely by his sibling.
Tigress had already began panting from her lack of energy, and she almost cursed the day Po had gotten her pregnant,"Get back here, Koru!"
"No way, I'm not getting my ass kicked!", he shouted back as his paws started tearing away at the yellow, brown and red leaves that were on the ground, for they were now entering the small forest fortress; the first line of defense against enemies of the Emperor.
"Get...get back...", she slowed down into a full stop and sat there on her paws and knees, panting hard in her position.
Koru skidded to a stop, making a small cloud of dirt kick up as he slid his feet around and kept his paw on the ground to keep him steady as he slid around to the opposite direction. He ran back to Tigress and knelt at her side,"Are you alright?"
It took the female a minute to respond with words, yet she nodded her head,"I...I just need...to rest..."
Koru sighed through his nostrils and squated in front of her, motioning for her to get on his back. She shook her head.
"No...I need...to do this by myself..."
"Your son needs to eat. You need to eat, that is why you are so weak.", stated the white one.
Reluctantly Tigress climbed onto Koru's back and clung to his neck. He grabbed her legs and stood, and with great haste he ran for the gates as fast as he could. Koru scanned every inch of the groud that was this forest and began to run to the right and to the left at different times. At one point he jumped and spun. Soon they began to come up to the gates.
The guards at the gate saw the two tigers coming, and both rhinos crossed their long spears in front of the giant doors.
"Halt!", stated a rhino as Koru stopped,"Who comes here, and passes through the defenses of our forest with nary a scratch?"
"Someone who knows the secret triggers, you imbecile! Are you new here or something? This is the Dragon Warrior's wife, and I, her brother!", spat Koru.
"If you are who you say you are,", said the other in a cold tone,"you will have no problem reciting the-"
"Oka toru, nikumu toru! Tekko toru are mon kochira!", shouted Koru with venom in his voice from their stupidity. The two withdrew their spears in an instant and the doors began to open.
Koru huffed a breath of aggrivation right in one of the rhino's faces before continuing into the city. Once inside, you could see the many homes and stores all about. In truth it was much like Gongmen City in design, yet the buildings all led uphill. And they became larger and taller the higher up Koru treaded.
Finally at their destination, the tigers stopped and Koru set his sister down.
"Many thanks, brother.", said Tigress as she entered the sage's temple, followed by the silent taller tiger.
They stood in the open doorway and scanned the front room to see where they might find anyone they recognised, for there was a fair amount of people here praying to shrines, burning incense and speaking at each other in quiet debate. The place was very beautiful. The floors were made out of wood, of course, the walls were painted green, there were golden statues in the columns that stood around the walls, and the ceiling ran very high; almost thirty feet. Tigress noticed the snake sitting coiled on a bench on the right of a door covered in curtains and waved at her. Viper waved back and motioned for them to come over. But that was easier said than done.
The Kung Fu masters slid and sidled their way through the crowds of people who decided that they would not pay any attention to celebrities today. Which is how the tigers preferred it right now, but they still wished for the crowds to clear.
Eventually though, the two made it across to find the smiling snake.
"Good morning, Tigress.", she said cheerily.
"Morning. Where is Po, and our son?", Tigress replied.
"Oh, they're upstairs. Po is having Saisei and the mystics study your baby for any curses."
Viper frowned when Tigress failed in her attempt to hide a groan.
"What's wrong?", Viper asked, trying to meet Tigress' current stare at the floor.
"Ashamed though I am to admit it, I am very hungry. And weak.", she mumbled the last part.
"Oh sister, that is perfectly natural. And I guess Po knew what he was doing when he had food delivered here. Then again, this is Po we're talking about.", giggled Viper as she slithed in through the curtains followed by the tigers. There in front of the door was a flight of stairs that rounded to another flight of stairs, and another, and another, and another...
When Tigress finished a mental check of how many floors their were, she inwardly sighed,"Twenty-four floors? Viper, please tell me Po is not at the top.", she asked as they walked and slithered up.
Viper unleashed a gentle laugh,"Oh come on, even with your old powers back Po hates stairs. He's on the fifth floor. I'm surprised you couldn't sense him."
"I would if I did not suspect that I may pass out from just using that small amount of energy.", she mumbled shamefully.
They walked up to the fifth floor. Viper opened the lone door on this side of the floor and allowed Tigress to walk inside. She looked at the white tiger when he did not follow,"Koru? Aren't you coming?"
He shifted his weight a little,"Magic makes me...erm, uneasy...", he said, unsheathing and resheathing his claws in uncomfortablity.
Viper nodded,"Alright. Go and get some breakfast, then. Do you have any money?", when Koru shook his head, Viper smiled,"Okay, well Jiu-Ne is on the tenth floor, she should have some. And Song is on the roof.", she said with a small glint in her eye as she turned away.
"W-wait, why should I care if-", he started, but the snake did not make any signs that she had heard him. And even though they both knew she had heard him perfectly well, Koru took the sign that she did not want to continue a conversation and started to continue going up the stairs.
Once he found the tenth floor, he stopped at the door marked 'beginners mage classes'. He looked up at the gap between the many flights of stairs and sighed with his sister's words buzzing in his head.
"You need to move on."
Koru closed his eyes and sat on the third step leading up to the eleventh floor for a minute.
Flashback: Five and a half Months ago
"How could you do this to me!", shouted the tiger with pain in his eyes at the wolf in front of him; the pouring rain that drenched them both hid his many tears, so he had no fear of shedding them at this time.
The thunder clapped in the brightened sky above, shadowing the bowed head of the white furred wolf,"Koru...please...understand."
"I understand that you said we would be together! FOREVER! We have magic with us now, there is no need-"
"She wants an answer before sunrise, Koru! And unless Saisei can bring them all here within four hours, there's nothing anyone can do!", sobbed Yunwei.
"How long has she had a hold on you?", he growled. When Yunwei did not answer, he limped closer, now only a few feet away from her and making her step back slightly towards a broken gap in the stone railings of the abandoned hospital,"I asked you how long!"
"W-when she took away my family! I'm sorry, Koru...", she sobbed harder, shaking her head as she kept backing up,"I'm so sorry..."
Koru limped towards her again,"Please, I beg of you!"
Yunwei shut her eyes tightly and shook her head violently,"Tell my brothers I love them..."
The tiger's eyes widened as the wolf leaned back more. He lunged at her to stop her, but she fell back before he could reach. He screamed in agony as he outstretched his arm and watched her fall and disappear into the dark abyss of the canyon.
Koru clung to the rail and roared as loud as he could at the angel of death that now feasted on his heart.
End of Flashback
Koru sat there on the step with his head in his paws. He kept staring at the floor, holding his tears back like he did every time he thought about that gruesome night.
"Son?", said a soft voice. He did not look up.
"What?", he asked in a voice quieter than a whisper. He felt his mother sit beside him and he tensed his body up more than before.
"Are you alright?", Jiu-Ne asked, rubbing her son's muscular arm.
He shut his eyes and managed to inhale deeply, then exhale his shuddered breath,"May I ask you something?", when Jiu-Ne nodded, he continued,"When...when Ko-Ri died...did...how did you get over it?"
Jiu-Ne showed an ironic and bitter smile with a shaking head,"Never did.", this made Koru look directly at her. She looked down, still maintaining her small smile and nodding,"I still miss him dearly to this very day. And...it kills me to not be around him. And what scares me the most is...", her smile had faded as she stared at her leg,"I'm unsure if I remember what he looked like anymore..."
Koru frowned even more so,"So there is no hope?", he said in more of a statement.
Jiu-Ne looked at her son and smiled again, and with a small laugh she rubbed his back,"Oh sweetie, there is always hope. At least for you, you're still young. You will find many other women in this world who would be thrilled to be with a man like you. Though between you and me I think you should pitch a tent closer to our kind."
Koru actually smirked and allowed a scoff-like laugh, but it did not last,"But...she was perfect, mother. Down to the last detail."
"Koru, no one is perfect. And if you want my opinion...", she held an uncertain look in her eyes, awaiting for Koru until he looked at her again and gave a small nod of approval,"Yunwei was a little too...stuck up. She was picky, she had no spine, and she had way too many outfits."
Koru slid his paw over his ear and sighed, nodding a little,"So what you are saying is...I need someone a little more...unrefined?"
"Well that wouldn't exactly be my choice of words, but...yeah.", she closed her eyes and shrugged before she opened them again with raised eyebrows at the last word.
The son nodded and stood,"Thank you."
"Hey, it's my job.", smiled Jiu-Ne as she followed. Suddenly they blinked when Koru's stomach growled.
He held a paw over his abdomen and scrunched his cheek."Apologies, mother. I hate to ask you for something when you've just finished giving me such advice, but.."
"Oh I'm sorry, honey, I'm broke at the moment. Why don't you get some from Kugi?"
"That old boar always gives me a hard time, mother. The only reason I put up with him is because he is a good worker.", said Koru.
"Weeellll...", she glanced upward and smiled at Koru, who frowned once more.
"I...I think I can put up with Kugi just this once.", he said, then he hugged his mother and walked back downstairs.
Jiu-Ne let a laugh under her breath echo in the stairways. She shook her head and whispered,"Such a stubborn child."
Koru heard her laugh, and flinched a little as he knew exactly what that laugh meant.
The white tiger walked out of the building and made his way down the street towards the common houses. Unaware that he was being watched by two blue eyes from the top of the building he had just exited from.
Song sat there on the slanted roof of the tower with her elbows on her knees staring down. She watched the tiger stroll through the crowds like the kingly man he was and-
Song shook her head and growled."Damn it, do you want to go through that again?", the snow leopardess sighed as she was unable to keep from staring,"Well...maybe if...", she said under her breath.
"Maybe if what?", said an old voice, making her jump.
"Oh, it's you.", Song said with a sigh and a paw on her chest,"Give a girl a warning, would ya?", she said looking back down at the street. Shifu sat beside her with the old staff hugged to his body.
"I am sorry that my son put you through this, Ms. Song. But you cannot be so wary when it comes to love just because of one bad experience.", he stated.
"Shifu, drop the 'miss' talk. It's just Song."
"I like to keep things formal, just as you should be referring to me as 'Master Shifu'.", he said calmly.
She shrugged,"Sorry, but I'm no Kung Fu student. And even if I was, you're not my master. So the way I see it, you're just a kind old man with some badass moves in my eyes.", Shifu's ear twitched. But then he laughed.
"I can see your logic, Ms. Song, but in this subject only. Might I trouble you with some advice?", he said looking at her. When she closed her eyes and shrugged after crossing her arms over her raised knees and resting her head on her arms, he continued,"You brought out what was the kindest time I have ever seen in Tai Lung, and I include his time as a child. You have a talent, Ms. Song. And it should not go to waste when it is so readily needed."
She rubbed her eyes,"Well I can't argue with that. But you've got to understand, that was lust, not love, Shifu."
"Perhaps you are right. But I do not think that it was your...shall we say 'actions', that made Tai Lung so at peace. Your talents rely on the unspoken, Ms. Song. The unspoken, pure, unfadable aura that you keep. And for that, I thank you for being with my son in his trials."
The two kept in silence while Song collected her thoughts.
Flashback: Five Months Ago
"Master Oogway, are you certain?", asked the red panda with a large smile on his face, the leopards behind him showing mixed feelings. With one showing excitement and the other showing regret.
"I am most certain, Shifu. Tai Lung's reason for living again is being fulfilled as we speak. He will go with the monks to hone the great knowledge he has learned with the Soothsayer, and turn it to wisdom. And once this happens he will be worthy of becoming the Channeler; the great monk who keeps the Spirit World and the Physical Realm from falling together to create complete chaos."
Despite this ominous last word, Tai Lung was ecstatic."I will do my best to honor my father and master by completing these trials.", he stated with a bow.
"And where does that leave me?", said Song with her arms crossed, showing a look of annoyance.
"Child, do not be fearful of attachments breaking away. It is a requirment that must be faced if he is to pass. And for your sacrifice the gods will bless you.", said Oogway in his glowing figure.
"Funny you mention attachments. I was really starting to get used to you, Shiro. And I...I could have even...", the female turned her back to the male, leaving him to frown softly.
"I am sorry, Song. But I have wished to make up for my wrongdoings since the day that I turned on my father. And to be the Channeler...it is more of an honor I could have ever dreamed of!", he said with enthusiasm.
"Fine. Just go...go on to your sage's slumphouse, or whatever it's called."
Tai Lung hugged her from behind,"Song, I truly am sorry. And I thank you for all that you've done for me. You put me at peace whenever I was around you. For a long while I wasn't sure how, but when Hikage took your soul...I knew. You have such a wonderful soul, Song, that it made my heart float away from my own personal darkness. Thank you, Song. Thank you..."
And with that Song felt him let go. And she heard him leave with Shifu out of the hospital to leave for the Imperial City. Song refused to move from her spot. And would not until she was sure that the old turtle that took her Shiro away had left.
End of Flashback
Song looked at Shifu, and smiled. She stood up and bowed to the master, who returned the bow once he too got to his feet.
"What shall I tell my son?", he asked.
"Tell him...tell him his attachment is no longer attached anymore.", she said before jumping down the sunroof and running down the stairs.
Shifu shook his head and laughed,"So free spirited..."
Back with Tigress
She sighed in relief as she relaxed on her pillow in her kneeling position at the low standing table,"I swear, if this baby did not need me to provide any milk, I would never eat so much.", she grumbled.
Viper rolled her eyes,"As I've said, it's natural sis."
"Perhaps...", said the tiger as she stood,"but that doesn't make it any less unsettling."
The two walked and slithered over to the table where Po stood beside their son as Saisei stood on the other side chanting. Tigress walked up beside Po and joined him as they looked down at their boy, who just looked at his parents with a blank stare.
"Saisei...will he be alright?", asked the mother as she kept her worried look. Po put his paw in hers and gripped gently.
Saisei finished her chanting for now and looked at the two,"Well, I can say this...mom definitely put a curse on him, that much is certain.", she sighed, crossing her arms and massaging the bridge of her snout,"Problem is, I can't figure out what type of curse it is. I already checked to see if it was somehow related to the poison she put in you, Tigress, but that came up with zilch."
"What about emotional curses? That seems to be the most likely anway...", suggested Po.
Saisei scratched the back of her head and turned around to look at the many scrolls provided for her. She scanned around with her other paw running along the shelves,"Okay, problem with that is...mom is an expert at emotional curses, she knows the deepest, darkest secrets ever thought of in regards to altering people's minds and how they percieve the world around them. So for all we know, your baby might be looking at us like we're some sort of weird creatures he's never encountered before. Which is true for all newborns, but other babies still cry and laugh and show emotion, at least to their parents.", she paused, then flinched at that thought,"Oooh...", she exclaimed in a cringe and slid out a scroll.
"What? What is it?", asked Tigress as she almost shot beams of anxiousness into the back of Saisei's head. Her anxious feeling was prolonged when Saisei's ears dropped low.
"Uh...I think...mom might have...", she turned around and showed her feelings of sympathy and sorrow for the two. Tigress and Po looked at each other, then back at Saisei.
"Saisei, it's alright. We can take it. Whatever it is, we'll do what it takes to help our baby.", said Po.
Saisei nodded and released her bitten lip,"Do you know how babies are born?"
The two before her showed a look of awkwardness. She facepalmed.
"Not the physical aspect, but the spiritual! Like I would be dullminded enough to ask that!", she said in an anggravated growl.
"Sorry. Please continue.", said Tigress.
Saisei sighed and opened up the scroll in her paws, laying it down on the table beside the baby. The drawings on the scroll showed three circles; one made up of five dragons, one made up on three, and one made up of two. below the three circles was a yin yang symbol with four strange symbols at the polar points.
"You see when the gods create a soul, they bestow upon it the five basic emotions; love, hate, lust, freedom, and faith. All other emotions are taught into the soul after it is born, and depending on how the soul has matured depends on how much of each emotion is taught, creating sub emotions like jealousy, greed, joy, and bliss."
Not liking where this was going, the two nodded for her to continue, now focused completely on watching their child and listening to Saisei speak. Viper coiled around herself tightly on the table.
"Now once the basic emotions are given, it moves on to another stage; the knowledge stage. It is here where the soul is bestowed the gift to have a thirst for knowledge. The good,", she pointed to the first dragon that made up the right side of the circle,"the bad,", she then pointed to the left sided dragon,"and the neutral logical.", she pointed to the center dragon that circled itself,"And just as before, depending on how the soul is raised depends on how the soul determines what is right, what is wrong, and what is logical in life."
"Okay...", said Po as he began to understand the process.
"The soul then enters the final stage, the stage most people know of; the physical stage. It is here and here alone that the soul's development is influenced before birth, and it's physical body takes shape and form depending on what it's parents look like,", she gestured to the two dragons.
"Okay so if that is the final stage, then what does this signify aside from balance? And what of the symbols around it?", the tiger pointed to the yin yang symbol.
"It represents the completed soul. The symbols that surround it are the four basic elements; earth, fire, water, and air. You see, it is a requirement, ever since the dawn of time, for these four elements to be ever present in each body for a soul to take form in the Physical Realm. It was said in the beginning,'Of this earth, I give you flesh. Of this fire, I give you hunger. Of this water, I give you blood. And of this air, I give you life.'"
"So what is our problem?", asked Tigress warily.
Saisei closed her eyes to mentally prepare herself. She opened her eyes and looked at the baby,"I think mom disrupted the soul creation process. You see a soul does not enter a body until it is close to five months in it's development during pregnancy. I think mom...made some sort of filter...", she narrowed her eyes,"A screen of some sort to keep away the basic emotions. He will know right from wrong if you tell him, but he will always go back to what is logical. For instance, if you told him to save himself if you two were trapped in a burning building, he would die trying to save you because you two can have more children when he alone cannot."
Tigress shut her eyes and hid them in Po's chest. Po looked down at his boy with angry features, for their son could not feel fear. But he was simply angry at Moeru.
"What must we do?, he asked in a deadly tone.
Saisei shook her head sadly,"That's just it. You can't do anything. Souls only get a small window to enter the body, and once that window is closed anything it leaves behind would just go away. Anything short of asking the gods to...redesign his soul would be futile."
"Then it is settled...", said the red panda that walked in, followed by a man wearing a black and white robe. Tigress, Po, and Saisei looked at Shifu and the man. Viper was busy still trying to wrap her head around everything to notice,"You must go to the Spirit World and speak with the gods."
"But can't Master Oogway do it himself? Not to sound lazy, and I would do anything for my son. But would that not be simpler", asked Po.
"I have spoken to Master Oogway, and he says that his favors have been used up...to both give me another chance at life and to give me this chance to put this life to good use."said the man as he took off his hood, revealing the leopard's face underneath.
"So I must go myself.", said Po.
"We must go ourselves.", said Tigress who narrowed her eyes at him.
Po rubbed his temples,"Fine. But we will need someone with a little more knowledge about the curse.", he said, and they both looked at Saisei.
"Me?", she asked with raised brows.
"Yes, you. Do you mind?", the panda asked in a hopeful smile.
Saisei rubbed the back of her neck. Never having been to the Spirit World before, she was far from eager from the rumors she'd heard. The liger sighed and shrugged,"Fine. Should be fun."
Po smiled wider and picked up his son, with Tigress hugging the panda's side and gently pressing her cheek on their son's head."We're going to get your soul completed, little guy. Don't you worry. Mom and dad will be back before you know it.", he whispered with a soft kiss on the baby's nose. Tigress smiled a little.
"I know it is still early, but we need to give him a name. He cannot just be called 'little guy' or 'kiddo' his whole life.", she giggled a little.
"No Ya Kagi?", said Po in a cringe.
Viper shook her head, Saisei laughed a bit, Shifu and Tai Lung looked at each other, and Tigress just stared.
He sighed,"Fine, what did you propose again?", he asked in a bored tone.
"Kicho or Kenka-Suru. Your choice, but only those choices.", she said pointing a finger in his face threateningly.
"Alright, alright. Kicho it is, then.", he smiled at the tiger, making her smile.
"Good. Now come on, we need to get ready, Po. And Kicho...", she whispered said the last sentence in a whisper to her son,"Happy birthday.", she gently rubbed her fingertip on the baby's chest, making him squirm a little.
Hours later...
The tiger, the panda, and the liger all sat in the lotus position in a triangle formation with their backs to each other. Shifu stood there in watching, as well as Viper and Tai Lung. Just before the three began to close their eyes, Jiu-Ne came running in.
"Wait!", she said desperately as the older feline burst through the doorway.
"Mother, what is it?", asked Tigress over her shoulder to look at Jiu-Ne.
Jiu-Ne tightened her paws and looked at her daughter with eyes filled with a light of determination,"Let me come with you."