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"If… ow… any… ow… of... ow.. you… ow… mention… ow… this… ow… incident… ow… ever… ow… I… ow… will… ow… throw… ow… all… ow… of… ow… you… ow… off… ow… the… ow… mountain… ow… one… ow… by… ow… one… ow… is… ow… that… ow… understood?"
"Master Shifu, are you sure you don't want any help climbing these steps?" Viper asked worriedly.
"Very… ow… very… ow… sure."
It took all of Po, Monkey and Mantis's combined efforts not to laugh.
Shifu was wincing with every single step as he ascended the stairs with Po, Viper, Monkey, Crane, Su, Zan, Zun Chunhua and Mei Li. Haoxin and Tigress were still in the village, the elder goose keeping Tigress behind for reasons she didn't explain.
The groups' feelings towards Shifu's ordeal ranged from concerned, to sympathetic, to barely disguised amusement. Courtesy of Haoxin, the unfortunate red panda had six layers of bandages covering the tiny needle injury on his backside, making said backside a little bigger than usual. Those of the group who found it amusing had just enough sense not to joke about it. Su, Zan and Mei Li merely stared at Shifu's butt with a child-like wonder. Considering that they wer indeed young children, Shifu chose to tolerate this.
"Master, that needle went all the way to the eye." Crane spoke bravely. "We really think you shouldn't be trying to get up those steps by yourself."
"I… ow… am… ow… a… ow… kung… ow… fu… ow… master… ow… I… ow.. do… ow… not… ow… need… ow… any… ow… help!"
Crane saw the very sour expression on Shifu's face when he turned to look at him, and wisely said nothing more.
As they neared the top of the steps, a goose with a noodle bowl shaped hat descended the steps towards them.
"Oh, Po!" Mr. Ping smiled upon seeing his son near the front of the group. "I'm just heading back to my shop."
"Hey, dad." Po replied.
"You'll be pleased to know that the food is ready and waiting on the table for the guests to arrive. It's been an exhausting day though, so I'm going to have a nap the minute I finish sweeping the shop."
"Aren't you having some building work done on the restaurant?"
"I am. I just meant that I'm going to sweep up any mess the builders have left."
"Okay. I'll come and get you before the feast starts." Po replied. "Have a good sleep, dad."
"See you later, Po." Mr. Ping passed the group and continued down the stairs.
Once Po's group reached the top of the stairs and entered the palace arena, Shifu began to speak, one hand massaging his sore bottom.
"The sun is just beginning to set. The masters will be arriving in a few hours, so I want you all to sort out any remaining tasks you need to do, and then change into your outfits and be outside the hall of warriors five minutes before the feast begins. As for you, Po, I am guessing that your father and Di Tan have completed everything you need to do. All you need to do is get dressed and head back down to the village to retrieve Tigress and Princess Haoxin."
"Okay, Master Shifu." Po bowed.
"We'll just go and get ready." Zun Chunhua said. "Come on, children…" She took Zan and Mei Li's hands and led them away.
"Bye, Po." Mei Li waved as they left.
"Bye, Mei Li." Po waved back with a grin. "Right, I'll see you guys later!"
He took off in the direction of the student barracks.
"I'll go too." Monkey added. "I've finished sculpting the ice dragon."
"Take Su with you. Zeng and Pong should already be at the barracks by now." Shifu said.
"Okay. Come on, Su."
"You left your outfit in your room, didn't you?" Po asked as the primate and younger panda caught up with him.
"Yep. You haven't seen it yet, have you?"
"No, but I bet you'll look awesome!"
Monkey chuckled. Even after defeating an evil snow leopard, mastering inner peace, redirecting cannon-fire, braving an ancient temple and battling an undead warrior, Po was still his good old fanboyish self.
When they reached the student barracks, Po and Monkey went to their respective rooms, while Su went down to the very end of the corridor where Zeng and Pong were waiting for her.
When Monkey entered his room and shut the door behind him, he didn't go straight to the outfit laid out neatly on the bed. Instead he knelt down and pulled out from under the bed the box Haoxin had given him.
He lifted the lid an inch, and then hesitated and tilted his head, his raised ear listening for any sign of someone entering the room.
There was no sound other than the creak of floor boards and slight rustle of clothing as Po changed into his brand new outfit.
Monkey turned back to his box and removed the lid.
His eyes unblinking, his mouth a thin slit, Monkey slowly pulled out the aged Dao sword. His breathing became heavy as he ran a thumb over the edge. It was sharp enough to draw blood.
Carefully setting the sword on the bed next to his outfit, Monkey reached into the box and pulled out the little scroll. He unrolled it and reread the contents.
Dear Monkey.
This sword was recovered from the Himalayas a few weeks ago during a mission. I apologize if this brings up any bad memories, but I figured your father would have wanted you to have it.
Please don't think you're the only one who suffered that night. Remember, the commander who was also killed was my brother.
If there is anything you want to talk about, anything at all, don't forget that I will be visiting the JadePalace soon for the winter feast.
See you soon.
Master Boar.
Monkey set the scroll down, and again took the sword into his hands. His fingers stroke the slightly rusted flat of the blade, and his other hand gripped the dull golden hilt tightly. He closed his eyes…
Commander Shan lay lifeless against the cold cave wall, a stalactite protruding from his chest… an impossibly massive figure covered in dark fur and even darker blood stepped slowly towards the rhino and the terrified young primate…
And opened them again when he heard the sound of Po stepping into the corridor.
"I'm going to the village! I'll see you later!"
The creaking of the floorboards faded as Po set off down the corridor.
Monkey sighed and placed the sword back in the box. He replaced the lid and pushed the box back under the bed, pushing it all the way to the wall so no-one would see it if they entered the room.
His father's murder had happened a long time ago. Whether his killer was still alive or not, Monkey had to forget.
If only forgetting what had happened that night fifteen years ago was easier done than said…
Half an hour later, rigged out in a golden rimmed rice hat, the awesome shirt Haoxin had given him, black pants and a golden cape, Po strolled down the main street. The sky was a vivid bright red, the bright yellow sun now touching the tip of the horizon and starting to sink.
As he neared his father's noodle shop, he saw an elderly female goose in a silk robe coming towards him."
"Hey, Princess Haoxin." Po greeted her with a bow. "Are you heading back to the palace?"
"Yes, it is time that I reunite with my family and get dressed." Haoxin replied cheerfully. She beamed when she saw that Po was wearing the shirt. "Oh lovely! I hoped that you would wear that shirt tonight. You look utterly dashing!"
"I really like this shirt, your highness. Thanks again." Po replied. "Where's Tigress?"
"She went into a noodle shop. I believe she is still there."
"Right, thanks your highness. See you in a bit."
"Of course, my darling!" Haoxin exclaimed as she and Po passed each other.
Po went into the noodle shop, smoothed a crease in his shirt. For the first time in his life, he wanted to look flawless. Perhaps his newly realized feelings for Tigress had something to do with it… the thought sent blood rushing to his cheeks.
Most of the tables and chairs that filled the outdoors eating area were gone, replaced with the scaffolding the builders traversed to reach the roof, where a recent storm had caused severe weather damage. The builders were absent, the wooden poles supporting the structure sending dark shadows stretching over the paving.
Po frowned. The place was empty. A quick glance showed that the kitchen was also empty.
Odd. Haoxin had said that Tigress was in here. So where was she?
"Tigress?" He whispered. He didn't risk raising his voice; his father would probably be having his quick sleep by now. "Tigress, are you here?"
He stepped into the kitchen. All the dishes had been washed, and the stove was dark and unlit.
"Tigress?"
He heard the tiniest creak coming from up the stairs.
Po made his way up the steps as quietly as he could, remembering Shifu's advice to always watch out for enemies, even in the most unlikeliest of places. Feeling a twinge of anxiety, Po stopped by his father's bedroom door, opened the door very slightly, and peeked through the crack.
His father was sleeping in his bed, peaceful and unharmed. And also not making those weird irritating sounds with his beak for once.
Po gave a tiny sigh of relief and shut the door again. He continued up the steps, towards his old bedroom on the top floor.
When he poked his head through the opening in the floor, the first thing he saw was a black lean figure leaning over his bed.
"Hey!"
The figure whirled round, and Po's alarm disappeared as he recognized the orange striped head perched on top of the black body.
"Po!" Tigress gasped, genuinely startled.
"Sorry, I didn't realize it was you." Po said, then paused and listened out for his father. He heard nothing. His father had not been disturbed by Po's exclamation.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have trespassed." Tigress replied.
"What are you doing in here?" Po asked.
"I found your Mantis figure lying in the outdoors area, so I thought I would put it back with the others." Tigress said. Po leaned to the side, and saw that the Mantis figure had indeed been placed next to the other four.
"Hey, thanks." Po said. As he gazed at her, he realized that the black that consumed Tigress's body was a kimono, a loose simple one that didn't even have a different color trim. "Isn't that dress a bit morbid for a winter feast?"
"Oh no, this is just to keep my proper outfit from getting dirty." Tigress said. "My actual dress is underneath.
"Oh…" Po fought the urge to try and look.
"You look pretty good." Tigress said as her eyes took in the shimmering silk shirt and gold cape. "The tailor really outdid himself this time."
"Thanks." Po replied with a small grin. "Why did Haoxin keep you behind?"
"She wanted to put some make up on me." Tigress said. Po raised an eyebrow when he saw no difference in her features. "After nearly an hour, she decided that I didn't need any."
"Good for you." Po grinned. "I mean, it's great that you don't need make up to look pretty."
Tigress blinked and Po blushed furiously as he realized what he had said.
"Er, I mean… I'm saying this as a friend! Being supportive, you know…"
"It's okay, Po." Tigress smiled and raised a hand to quiet the flustered panda. "I know what you meant. And thank you."
"Anyway…" Po tapped his blunt claws together nervously. "The winter feast is about to start. If you're ready, do you wanna get going?"
To his absolute surprise, rather than nod and lead him out the room like he thought she would, Tigress's smile slipped from her face and she sank down onto the bed.
"Tigress?!" Po was beyond alarmed.
The striped feline didn't answer.
"Tigress, what's the matter?"
When Tigress still did not reply, Po walked over and sat down on the bed beside her. It creaked slightly under their combined weight.
Silence filled the room for some time. The reddish orange of sunset faded into moonlight as the sun went down and night fell.
Po gazed at the feline sitting next to him, her eyes staring at the floor. His own eyes took in her hunched over form. His mind tried to figure out what was going on.
"Tigress…" Po whispered. "I've never seen you act like this before, and I have to say it's freaking me out. What is it?"
For a moment, he expected Tigress to remain silent, but instead she lifted her head to look at him. Po was utterly astonished when he saw an emotion in her eyes he had never, ever seen before: fear.
"I'm not sure I'm ready for this, Po." She said softly.
"What do you mean? You've been to the winter feast loads of times!"
"I'm not talking about the feast, Po." Tigress replied. "I'm talking about this." She gestured to the kimono she was wearing.
"You're not ready to wear a dress?" Po asked. "But there's nothing to wearing a dress! I wore a dress once!"
"You what?" Tigress's eyes widened.
"Don't ask. It's a long story." Po replied. "Getting back to your issue with dresses…"
"It's not really the dress itself." Tigress said. "It's what the dress represents… are you following?"
"Are you talking about how much pain and labor went into the making of this dress?"
"No."
"Then I'm not following."
One corner of Tigress's lips curled upwards.
"The point is… I'm not sure I'm ready to be a woman."
Po nearly laughed.
"Are you crazy?" He grinned. "You've been a woman since you were born!"
"Po, for god's sake!" Tigress snapped suddenly, wiping the grin from Po's face. "I'm not a freaking idiot! I know I'm already a woman!"
"Woah, Tigress, I didn't mean it like that!" Po exclaimed. When Tigress continued to glare at him, he began to get worried. "Hey, I'm sorry."
Tigress exhaled audibly.
"No, I'm the one who should be sorry. I shouldn't have bitten your head off."
When Po didn't answer, she continued to speak.
"The thing is… I've been a woman all my life… but…" Tigress cringed. "… I've never really… acted like one."
Po shifted himself a little closer to her.
"What's wrong with that?" He asked gently.
"You heard what Shifu said. This is no longer a simple gathering of kung fu masters. The emperor himself is going to be there. That means you can no longer think like a kung fu master."
"But Tigress, we've save China. I'm sure the emperor wouldn't mind you being yourself."
"But I don't feel like myself in this dress." Tigress replied. "It's hard to explain…"
"Well give it a try. I'm all ears."
Tigress took a deep breath.
"Alright…" She clasped her paws together as she hesitated. "Po, how long have you worn those pants?"
Po looked down at his new black pants.
"Half a day."
"No, sorry, I mean your normal pants. Your patched ones."
"Oh, those. I've worn them since I was seventeen."
"Well, imagine if one day someone took away the pants which you have been familiar with for as long as you could remember, and replaced them with a flowing silken robe that someone like the emperor would wear."
Po screwed his eyes shut as he tried to picture it.
"What color is this robe?"
"Why?"
"It's so I can imagine it properly."
Tigress rolled her eyes.
"Red."
"Okay…" Po hummed for a few seconds. "There, I have a picture of it in my head. Go on."
"Okay… it's the first time you have ever worn something like this. It's like nothing you've ever worn before. You look nothing like your usual self. You probably didn't even want to wear it in the first place. How does that feel?"
"Kind of…" Po paused, his eyes still shut. "… weird, I guess. Like I'm not even me." He opened his eyes and looked at Tigress again. "Is that how you feel?"
His friend nodded. Then their eyes locked, and for the first time in his life, Po could see the vulnerability in hers. He wondered why he had never noticed before.
"So what you're saying is, that because you're wearing a dress, you don't feel like yourself? You feel that because you're wearing a dress, you have to act more like a woman?"
"Yes."
"Well, if you don't know how to act like a girl, why didn't you ask Viper for some tips? She's a woman and-"
"I couldn't do that tonight." Tigress replied. "Viper has to look after the children of the royal family tonight. And you know what Zan and Mei Li are like, she's have her hands full, if you'll pardon the irony. And I can't talk to the guys about it. Monkey and Mantis are idiots if you think about it…"
"That's kinda true…"
"And Crane comes from a farmer's background. He wouldn't know anything about the behavior of a lady. And Shifu already has enough on his plate between Princess Haoxin and the upcoming meeting with the emperor. I'm basically on my own here. There's no-one at this feast that I can turn to. I'm practically going to be heading to this feast by myself this time."
She closed her eyes and looked away.
Po stared at the side of her head, his mind reeling from everything Tigress had just told him. His heart throbbed with growing sadness, and when he shifted his arm slightly, one corner of his cape lifted up and onto the bed, just touching Tigress's paw.
Three short words came from his mouth before he could stop himself.
"What about me?"
"What about you what?" Tigress didn't look back at him.
"What if you…" No, stop! Po's mind screamed at him. "… went to the winter feast…" What are you doing?! "… with me?"
For a moment, Tigress didn't reply. But then she lifted her head, and looked at him with golden eyes narrowed in confusion.
"Are you asking me out?" She asked.
Po turned a brilliant bright red beneath his fur, and his paws furiously twisted a piece of his cape.
Uh oh… no turning back now! Just say it, and hope she won't use her claws when she beats you up!
"Kinda…" He whispered.
Tigress's eyes widened, and she stared at the wall in front of them.
"Wow…" She murmured softly. In the darkness and from his position, Po couldn't see her expression.
Feeling that he had to rectify the situation as fast as possible, Po began to speak rapidly.
"I'm sorry, I was just going off what you said about going to the feast by yourself…"
"I get it, yeah…" Tigress also began to speak.
"I know I'm a guy but a lot of my dad's customers are ladies…"
"I understand completely…"
"So I understand a little bit about what ladies act like…"
"You have your father to be with…"
"Nah, he's probably gonna to be fawning over Di Tan all night…"
"Oh yeah, I forgot about him…"
"I'm sorry for just asking you like this…"
"It's fine, it's fine…"
"I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to…"
"Yes."
"You can pummel me at training tomorrow if you want, just please don't use your claws, I beg of-" Po stopped talking suddenly. "Wait, what did you just say?"
Tigress gripped her elbows slightly.
Her orange cheeks turned as red as Po's.
"Yes… I will go to the winter feast with you."