Secrets of the Lion
"Thank you, Dr. Lion," Mantis said, jumping out of his office. "I'll try to be a bit more considerate some times."
"I'm glad you can see things a little differently, Master Mantis." The lion smiled as he locked up the shop. He walked back to his house where he sighed a bit in relief and exhaustion.
"Busy day," Leah asked, folding some of the clothes.
"Yes, 15 clients in one day. The good news is that that probably won't ever happen again because the new recruits for the AR should have a handle on things," Lion explained as he plopped down in a chair.
"Hmm, you must be tired, then," Leah said, going behind Lion and rubbing his shoulders.
"Ahh, thank you, dear, you don't have to-"
"Just relax," Leah smiled as she helped ease the tension in his muscles. "Besides," She said with a bit of a smirk. "We both have tomorrow off, so there's no worry of getting up early." Though Lion couldn't see it, he could definitely hear the smirk on her face. Her hands left his shoulders as he slowly turned his head around.
"Leah, what are you OOHH!" Lion yelped as Leah tackled him to the ground. "Ooph! Well, I guess we could have some time together," He laughed as Leah giggled.
Meanwhile, Tigress struggled to get a clear head. Her left hand switched between clenched and unclenched, straining her eyelids shut. She finally gave a big sigh, looking at the sky in slight defeat. This wasn't working. She felt conflicted, something that was becoming very frequent in her life. The tiger got up and walked over to the barracks, where the others were chatting up a storm. "And then he said, 'well, it must be very important for you to be transparent.' And that's when I was like, 'that's actually what I said!'" Mantis yelled, causing everyone to laugh.
"Oh man, I never thought that Dr. Lion would be so helpful," Viper smiled.
"He's helped almost every worker in the Jade Palace and some bandits are turning a new leaf because of him," Crane added.
"I guess Po was right to trust him," Monkey smiled, patting the panda on the back. Po nervously grinned, rubbing the back of his neck. Tigress overheard their conversation and walked away from the kitchen. She walked over to the start of the Jade Palace stairs, looking at the night sky. She felt a feeling that she couldn't really identify. She crossed her arms as she gave another sigh, placing her head down.
"I've never seen you this way, Master Tigress," Said a familiar voice. Tigress bolted up into a bow as if mere reflex required her to do that to that voice.
"Master Shifu," Tigress respectfully said. She looked up from her bow and saw the red panda with a cup of tea in one hand and his master's staff in the other.
"Come, sit," He offered as he took his place on the stairs. Tigress did as well, sitting in silence for about a minute. "What troubles you, Master Tigress?"
"I... I don't know, Master Shifu. The arrival of the lion has...made me question some things I can't explain," She struggled to explain. Master Shifu gently stroked his beard as Tigress slowly and carefully sipped her tea. "Po seems the most at ease with him and the others are starting to... change because of him."
"I see," Master Shifu said, "And are these... good changes?" Tigress sighed, begrudgingly signaling an agreeing nod. "Then why are you upset?"
"I'm not... I... I don't believe that the lion is truly out for our best interest. And it's concerning that he almost immediately initiated changes in the others' lifestyle, especially Po. Things that I've never heard them talk about or struggle with are starting to arise and... it's hard on me."
"I can see why you are feeling this way, Tigress," Master Shifu replied, "And I think the answer to your problem may come up sooner than you think."
"How do you know?" Tigress asked to which Shifu simply smiled. He stood up and started walking away.
"It's getting late, Master Tigress. I think it would do you well to get some sleep," Shifu said with a sense of mystery around him. When Tigress was sure he was gone, she sighed heavily.
"Po was right, he's more confusing than Oogway," Tigress muttered under her breath.
Leah lifted the green fabric off the ground. It matched her simple green robe with an Indian style making. "Her fashion is very... unusual, but she makes the best fabrics and clothes ever!" Whispered a small pig as Leah walked over to her with the green fabric. "Thank you so much, Mrs. Leah. Say, where did you get the style for your clothing?"
"Oh, this comes from my homeland. It brings back memories," Leah smiled shyly, looking longingly at the green robe as the two pigs left her.
"Where would that land happen to be?" Said a voice next to her. Leah jumped, turning her head and saw Tigress standing there with her arms crossed.
"Oh! Master Tigress!" She gasped, immediately bowing, "You startled me."
"I'm sorry, but I was just making sure that... you were doing okay here." Tigress said... strangely. There are certain tale-tell signs that only women can accurately understand or translate between each other. (Or so I'm told). While the raised eyebrow did show that Leah didn't think Tigress was telling the truth, she didn't call her out on it.
"I'm fine, Master Tigress. I'm actually surprised that you came to see me. Did you need my husband?"
"No," Tigress curtly replied, "I... I was actually wanting to know more about you and your husband. Li... Dr. Lion is at work and I didn't want to intrude," Tigress replied. She was lying and both of them knew it, but Leah, ever so polite, opened up her door for the striped feline. "Thank you, Mrs..."
"Leah and you're very welcome, you honor me with your presence," Leah formally said.
"Hm. So you mentioned something about your homeland?"
"Why yes, although it's really Indian, we lived mostly in the Arab lands."
"Very harsh environment," Tigress observed. She read a lot when she was studying in the Jade Palace as a teen.
"At times, but it can have its good sides. Anyways-"
"So, Lion's name can't be... Lion," Tigress said. Leah giggled.
"Of course not, his name is Ali Lion. He changed it because he thought people would be more accepting of him," Leah illuminated. Tigress still seemed doubtful. "Master Tigress, is there a particular reason why you came here?"
"Ah," She paused, finding herself caught between revealing her intent and not revealing enough. Just then, the door opened. "Po?"
"Tigress?! What... what are you doing here?" Po asked with a very nervous grin. Leah quickly read the situation.
"I'm sorry, Master Tigress. Po usually comes here for advice with a problem he's been having with a particular woman," Leah smirked, causing Po to stiffen.
"EHPE! Don't tell her that!" Po exclaimed, embarrassed. Leah simply giggled while Tigress looked at the panda with a face of mild shock.
"Who?"
"Not telling," Po quickly answered. Tigress glared at him with her deathly eyes, but if there was one person who could withstand that gaze it was Po who stared back in determination. His green eyes were set, his jaw clenched, and his eyebrows furrowed. Tigress shook her head a bit. That... that thought she just had about his eyes. Where did that come from? It felt foreign yet... so familiar.
"I'm sure that Po enjoys his privacy just as much as you do, Master Tigress," Leah smiled, but to Tigress it seemed more like a smirk. "Besides," She said in a more serious and less smug tone, "It hard to express one's feelings sometimes." They shared an understanding lock of eyes. Tigress sighed.
"I can understand," The tiger replied as she silently left.
About three weeks after that, Lion was going back to the office at night. Leah rolled her eyes as she followed him. "I'm telling you, you could get it back in the morning," Leah reminded him.
"And I told you, it's important to me because you made it," Lion replied, caressing her face. Leah rolled her eyes again but smiled. As they got to the office, they noticed the door was open and a light was lit inside. The two lions carefully snuck to the door, hearing the whispers of trespassers.
"Are you sure that the panda's stuff is here," Said a huge boar bandit.
"I'm positive. That yellowtail of a brother of yours mentioned this," said the next one. Just as Lion was about to open the door, two other bandits snuck up on them and caught them by their hands, holding them. When the lions saw they were caught, they didn't struggle.
"Hey, boss, we have a couple of visitors," gurgled the wolf holding them.
"Excellent," said a very feminine voice. The two lions looked and saw a small female Siamese cat. "Ah, you must be the doctor. I'm-"
"Lu-Chang, Po's told me about you," Lion replied with a stern look.
"Mmm, I guess it was bound to happen that I would become famous," Lu-Chang smirked, looking through the files and scrolls.
"Who is she?" Leah asked.
"Lu-Chang is the ring leader of the Divergent Bandits. Her reason for wanting Po out of the picture is... personal," Lion smirked, causing the cat to growl.
"Whatever that panda told you is a lie!" She shouted, but Leah could see a small blush on her face.
"Ah, I see," Leah smirked along with her husband. Lu-Chang groaned, rubbing her muzzle in frustration.
"We don't have to be here trying to discuss my past. One of my... former bandits says you help people by talking to them in a personal setting, including the panda?" Lu-Chang asked. Lion nodded. "I want Po's scroll." Lion looked at her with an emotionless face. "And I'm sure that your lady friend wouldn't appreciate being involved in all of this." The bandit held Leah tighter. Lion sighed, looking at the room. "Well."
"Just... give me a moment," Lion sighed, looking at the room as if he were taking the entire memory of the room. "Okay, open that cellar," Lion said. Lu-Chang's bandits did so. "In there, you should see a red scroll-"
"Lion!"
"It's... it's for the best, Leah." Lion sighed. "Now, I have a trap on that scroll, make sure that you take it quickly from the place and run up here. It will cause the cellar door to lock you in in 15 sec once you pull it from the shelf." Lu-Chang motioned her bandits to do so. The pig bandit quickly ran over to get the shelf and got out before the cellar door slammed shut.
"Mmm, interesting security," Lu-Chang purred, impressively. "Now what?"
"Now, this!" Lion exclaimed, breaking the hold of the bandit, turning around, and punching him in the gut.
"How much time do we have?" Leah asked, breaking the bandit's hold on her as she skillfully spun around to the back of the bandit and struck her foot right into his back, making him tumbled forwards toward Lu-Chang and her men.
"Um."
"You don't know?!"
"Just get out of here!" Lion shouted, shoving the bandit onto the ground as the two lions darted out the door. The bandits ran out as well as a great explosion sounded through the whole village.
Continued...
