Chapter 9

Tigress wished she could hate her prep team. She wished she could hate the colourful poodles that would be decorating her for death. But, she just couldn't find it in her. They seemed like simple-minded fools. She knew they probably had no idea why they had to make her look 'presentable'. All they seemed to care about was how she looked. After the initial 'tiger fear', they got working. They started commenting on her current apperance after the first few hours. All Tigress could do was lie still and watch; a word from her and they would all freeze in fright. Then they'd get nothing done. Better to stay silent.

"Okay, we've done your face, arms and feet," the brave, pink poodle, whom Tigress had come to learn had the name Liea, spoke directly to Tigress "Now, we need you to get up and strip."

"WHAT?" Tigress cried out in horror. She had not been expecting this, at all!

"Sorry," Liea whispered in fear, as she and her teammates (of whom she'd learnt their names: the blue one was called Yein, and the orange called Myniea) leapt back in fear. "We thought you'd been told..."

"NO! No, it's fine, don't worry, sorry for my... outburst, it just came as a shock..." Tigress tried to calm the poodles down as best she could.

"We... w-we could f-f-find a wa-way around-d-d it, if you l-like?..." Myniea stuttered, terrified that the kung-fu master would lash out upon her. Tigress had enough patience not to, however.

"No, it's okay, I'll strip if I must... could I have a robe for when I don't need to be, well, naked?" Tigress decided just to follow along with what anyone asked and not object. If she did, it was more likely she'd spot a loophole in what they said. They're more likely to tell her more than they should if she pretended to be all 'sweet, humble and innocent'. Everyone is gullible in that way.

"Yes, Master Tigress. Thank you, Master Tigress." Liea answered, before trotting out, then returning witha plain white bath robe. Everything was plain white in this area, very futuristic-seeming.

I guess it means that no message can be sent through. Plain white, blankness, nothing-ness. It's not like colours could really send a message through, though.

Tigress returned from her mind-land and, as fast as possible, stripped. She would've felt embarrased, but the poodles didn't look at her like she was a naked tiger as such. They looked at her as a rugged stone that needed to be smoothed out. Tigress lay down on the bed, closed her eyes, and feigned being asleep so she could overhear them while they worked. Maybe she could find some information about escape, or the mysterious threat, or anything... sadly, this proved a useless exercise, as all that came out of her prep team's mouths' was gossip and rubbish. Nothing useful whatsoever.

"Master Tigress, we've finished. Would you like to see yourself now?" Yein prodded her lightly in the side. She immediately shot up, startling her poor prep team.

"Yes, if you would so please." He scampered out of the room, only to return with a large mirror, that he propped up against a wall. Tigress, barely containing her curiousity, strode over and scanned her newly-altered body:

Her fur had changed the most. It had been trimmed much thinner to what it was before, it wasn't half as thick as before. If Tigress could feel anything, she thought she would've felt much colder. Her feet, thankfully, hadn't been bound. These 'games' would've been near impossible if they had been. However, they looked different with certain fur having been removed. Tigress admitted they looked a lot nicer, though she had no idea about the practicality of the adjustment to her body. Her usually tussled fur from training and fights had been perfectly straightened... almost too straight. Her face had been mildly edited to bring out the more 'attractive' areas.

Tigress gave her prep team some credit - they certianly knew how to do their job well. She didn't look half-bad.

"Nynso is going to come in now, to inspect you." Liea half-whispered, as the trio slowly retreated out of the room. Tigress stood in silence.

"Hello again, Tigress." The lynx re-entered. He started to circle her, checking her body. "The prep team have done a fine job with you, haven't they? I have your clothing designed. Have you heard about the chariots yet?" he made it sound almost like an absentminded query.

"No. What are they?"

"Oh. The chariots? You know the person you met when you first arrived? He told you about the warriors 'being at the top of their fame'?"

"That horrible beast? Yes, I remeber all of that clearly."

"Well, top of fame: there has been a message sent out to all of China 'COME! SEE THE MIGHTIEST OF CHINA'S WARRIORS FIGHT FOR YOUR ENTERTAINMENT! SEE THEM IN ALL THEIR GLORY, BEFORE WATCHING THEIR SKILFUL FIGHTS OF TRUE POWER!'. Obviously, the part about you all having to kill each other hasn't yet been mentioned. One of the things he plans to do to bring about your 'glory' is to hold a festival in your honour, in which you'll be taken around a track in chariots. He wants you all to look amazing, 'glorious' for the event. That's one of the main reasons I've been hired. I'm a part-time stylist, and the emperor approved of my designs." Tigress looked at him, disgust for the emperor clearly written on her face.

"So you're here to make me look pretty for the emperor?" Nynso leaned forward and looked her in the eye

"No. I'm here to help you make an impression."

A/N: Okay guys, this is actually starting to hurt a lot. One review. ONE FRICKIN' REVIEW! Please, I work hard on this, sohw some appreciation and review, even if it is just 'Nice', 'Cool' or whatever. Just to know someone has bothered makes me feel happier. Please, review! Next chapter will be our first meeting with Tigress' mentor, Kunku...

Also, if you haven't already, go and read all of FFCrazy15's stories for KFP. They are amazing and a heck of a lot better than mine! WOOHOO GO FFCRAZY15 AND THE AMAZING STORIES! Sorry, just needed to put it out there. Au revoir!