The Stupid Bet

Chapter 2: Moonlight

Welcome to chapter 2! I told you it was going to be a two-shot. Without further ado, continue reading.

If you dare...

No, JK. XD. Just read, deuces.

Tigress stared motionless at the top of the stairs leading to the peach tree at the breathtaking sight before her.

Precisely under the lantern-decorated peach tree branches, sat the young Dragon Warrior in a tux at the edge of the cliff, reading from a small book under the soft moonlight, seemingly oblivious of her presence.

Although the breath-taking sight wasn't the panda himself at all, but rather how Crane even managed to gather enough cloth to make a perfectly fit tuxedo for someone so...oversized.

Tigress felt paralyzed at such a calm sight. He looked so calm, so peaceful, possibly even beautif-

No Tigress, focus. It's Po they were talking about. The same pudgy panda who made a living nightmare being handcuffed to that certain day in the woods. The same panda who saved the world everyday and barely spent any time with her at all. The same panda who saved her multiple times-

Stop it, Tigress. You're doing it again. The orange feline shook her head. Maybe she should go. Yeah, that seemed like a good plan. He seemed very pacific without her company. Yeah, she should just turn around and slowly, quietly, leav-

"Leaving so soon?" His calm voice startled her. Did he read her mind?

Po closed his book, dropped it in his pocket, and turned around to face her despite their distance. "But we haven't had dessert yet," he joked chuckling. Slowly, the panda paced towards her, cunningly, closing their distance one step at a time.

At the sight of his small smirk, Tigress ducked her head and blushed fiercely. She was sure her heart skipped a beat. Unless she hadn't already died and gone to hell. Or was it heaven? She mentally slapped herself. Did she actually have some feelings for Po? No. Just no. She couldn't. Hell no. Not even IF those little girls brainwashed her.

Blame her chronic fevers and constant trips to the infirmary, where mostly little girls, that asked if Po was her boyfriend, went. Tigress had denied the same question every time they asked, but she noticed that the more the little girls asked, the more heat she felt rush to her cheeks.

"Hey," Po said making her look up. "You look great tonight," he said smiling.

Tigress blushed. "Thanks. You too." She stared at the panda towering over her. Had he always been so tall? An awkward silence overcame between the two, and although the feline wasn't aware of such, his jade eyes, needless of words, described how happy he was to be here, unlike her.

The panda cleared his throat. "Ahem. Shall we sit down?" He asked politely, signaling to the table for two under the peach tree's beautiful leaves.

The feline gulped. "Sure."

Walking over to their table, Po helped Tigress with her chair and pushed it in. Then after he sat down, Mantis leaped atop the table out of nowhere, dressed in a black waiter's outfit and a notepad in his hand.

"Ahem," the little insect said clearing his throat, "May I interest you in some appetizers for the night?" They both nodded. "Good," he replied scribbling on his notepad. "We have wonton and dumplings. Which would you like?"

"I'll have the dumplings," Po replied.

Mantis wrote on his notepad. "And you, ma'am?"

"I'll take the wonton, please," Tigress replied. It's not that she minded dumplings, in fact, she loved dumplings, but for some weird instinct she had, sharing interests with the panda might lift her friends hopes too high.

Mantis scribbled on his notepad some more. "Crane!" he yelled, "One wonton order and on dumplings order!"

Then out of seemingly nowhere as well, their winged friend, also dressed in a similar black waiter's attire, flew not-so-high above them and swiftly dropped a bowl of dumplings, a bottle of bean sauce, a bottle of soy sauce, a bowl with wonton, and two pairs of chopsticks neatly on the table, each bowl in front of their corresponding order.

"Enjoy," Mantis said. Then he leaped off the table and walked down the stairs.

"Well," Po said grabbing a pair of chopsticks. "Dig in!" And loosing all manners he supposedly had, the panda began stuffing himself with dumplings. Surprisingly enough, no stain ever reached his clothing.

Tigress, aghast by the living horror of Po and dumplings, slowly took her plate and chopsticks and carefully took the soy sauce, so cautiously to not get her hand bitten off by accident.

When he'd finished eating (taking record time of forty dumplings in five minutes), and noticing that Tigress was on her second-to-last wonton, as well as realizing her quietness, her decided to break the ice.

"I know you're not one with conversations, Tigress," Po said, "But you've been awfully quiet lately.

Tigress kept a blank expression as she ate. "I am needless of words. As they say, silence is worth a thousand words."

"Oh yeah?" the panda asked forming a smirk. "What about yesterday? Was your silence worth a thousand words every time I passed by?"

Her cheeks formed a light blush but was hidden immediately. "No. My silence meant the displeasure you bring every time your face showed up anywhere. Who on earth made you think that trash?"

"Crane," he replied. "He also said you'd lost a bet and because of that we're both here. That true?"

Tigress nodded and internally growled. Now, she'd take revenge on two individuals. Viper AND Crane.

Po had a small heartbroken look in his eyes. "Would you be here now if it wasn't a bet?"

Okay, now she swore her heart had stopped. How could a person respond to that without hurting the other even the slightest way possible? Hesitation kept their silence firm.

"Maybe," she replied with no control over her words. "Perhaps I would, or not. Really, does this even matter? Protecting the Jade Palace is our top priority. I have no time for silly games."

"I see..." he replied staring at his empty plate. "When do you think the main course will be ready?"

Tigress managed a dry laugh. No one has ever heard a genuine laugh escape from her. "I don't know. Twenty more minutes? Right now? I honestly have no idea."

That's when Monkey climbed up the steps and set a single bowl of noodles on their table.

"Dinner's served," the primate said smirking at Tigress.

"Where's the other plate?" she asked frowning.

"There is no other plate," Monkey replied retiring the other two bowls from the table. "Bon-appetit."

Tigress glared evil daggers at the orangutan until he was out of sight.

"So..." Po said. "Do you want the first serving?"

Tigress almost face palmed. Po really was stupid, wasn't he? It was obvious what their friends wanted them to do. The corny, cliché, accidental "both-eating-the-same-noodle-kiss". Very funny, Viper and Crane. Very funny.

She shook her head. "No, Po. You can take the bowl. I've lost my appetite," she groaned crossing her arms.

"Aw, c'mon, Tigress. Don't be such a downer," he whined.

"No!" she growled. "I said, that I am not hungry." The feline held the bridge of her nose. She certainly was getting a migraine.

Unfortunately, the panda continued whining like a child. "But you love noodles!"

Tigress groaned. "Fine, I'll have some noodles!" And taking the bowl, she karate-chopped it in half. Then she slid one half to the surprised panda. "Happy now?" she growled.

Po gulped in terror. "Sure."

Meanwhile, at the Jade Palace steps, behind some tall bushes, the four members of the Furious Five face palmed simultaneously. Well, Viper face-tailed.

"She's too clever, isn't she?" Viper groaned.

"I'll say," Crane agreed. "Plan B, anyone?"

"I'm all out," replied the stumped Monkey.

"Let's just wait and see if either one makes the first move," Mantis suggested. They all nodded.

"My money's on Po," the snake said.

"Me too," the orangutan quickly agreed.

"Ditto," Crane replied.

"Aww, why do I have to bet on Tigress?" Mantis whined.

Po blinked.

"Looks like this is my seventh staring contest win in a row," Tigress said. "Seriously, is this all you do for fun?"

"No," Po replied. "I can dance."

This statement made her scoff. "Yeah, right."

Po laughed. "Yeah, you're right, I can't."

Tigress managed a minute side-smile. Maybe this wasn't so bad. But it was still humiliating to be in pink.

Po stood up and stretched his arms. "I had fun tonight," he said.

Tigress stood up as well. "Congratulations," she said hinting sarcasm.

The panda towered above her once again, but he stood a tad closer, making her queasy.

"You know what the funniest part was?" he asked. His breath tickled her nose annoyingly, making chills roll down her spine. "When you chopped the bowl in half," he laughed.

Tigress managed an uneasy grin. Since his face was dangerously close to hers, any wrong move could make the most awaited moment for their comrades, happen. Which is the reason she had no choice, but to stand perfectly still.

"And you know my favorite part?" he asked smirking.

"What? The dumplings?" Tigress chuckled dryly.

"Uh, yes, but besides that," he closed their distance further, "This." And he landed a soft peck on her cheek. And her face turned, not pink, not red, not crimson, but scarlet. Then he grinned stepping back.

"Goodnight." And without another word, the Dragon Warrior walked down the steps away from the peach tree, leaving a stunned Tigress with a hand on her cheek.

Tigress stomped her foot and clenched her fists. Yes, she was now reassured that even if she's not capable of (literally) murdering her friends, they were going to get a huge beating for this humiliating night. She felt...funny. Grossed out, perhaps? She just hoped it wasn't love. Because it's not. Never.

Looking up at her smirking comrades at the steps of the Palace, without much pondering, she shot them a look full of vengeance and a dark aura surrounded her. 3,2,1...she grinned seeing their shocked faces. They knew she was mad.

As Tigress began walking down the steps herself, her stubbornness never left her. This was all just a stupid bet.

The end.

Okay, so this may not have been what you expected on Tigress' reaction. Or maybe it was if some people actually prefered in-character better than OOC.

How did you like Po's unusual behaviour? I liked writing his dialogue because of that. Well, rate, comment, follow, or just eat some noodles at Mr. Ping's, I don't care. I just care that you enjoyed this two-shot.

-Mayu