Chapter 10

Ask Me Anything

Tigress had just finished packing her pack for the upcoming mission. A few changes of clothes, her Metal Armbands that were her first ever Birthday present from Po, still looking like they did the day she received them, and some Tofu wrapped in paper just in case. Tigress never needed to pack much for these missions, even the longer ones, she had learned long ago how to make do with the least. As she strung her pack up closed, she placed it near her door. When she went to lie down on her bedroll her thoughts swarmed her with the events of the day.

It started out so normal. Wake up, training, take care of some bandits, then come back home and train some more. But then of all the things that were to happen, the love of her life up and proposed to her! Po asked her the one question she had been dreaming of for months now and he did it in the most incredible way. And that ring! She had never laid eyes on such a bauble before, surely it cost a small fortune. How was he able to afford something fit for an empress? Regardless of how expensive the ring was or the way he proposed to her she still couldn't believe that she straight up couldn't give him an answer! She was kicking herself for it now. She felt devastated when she tried to tell him how she just couldn't answer him. She was torn, should she really make Po strip away the very thing that brought the two of them together in the first place so that they could become husband and wife, perhaps her greatest dream she's ever had? Or should she have turned him down so that things could stay the same? No she couldn't do that either…she knew what marriage meant to Po, and if he really did propose to her then she knew that he was one hundred percent committed to her.

And then there was the way he calmed her down. As Tigress began to fiddle with her necklace. He told her that no matter what her answer would be that he would always love her. And that just made Tigress's world. "How did I ever get such an amazing panda?" She whispered to herself. But then on what was supposed to be perhaps the happiest night she's ever had she gets hit with a bombshell. Supposedly she and Po are destined to save the planet from a rising Darkness, Po's got a Dragon inside his soul or whatever, and not once did he ever mention it! Dragon, Prophecy, or anything!

Tigress was getting herself worked up now and realized she needed to cool off. So she went to the one place she could always go to think at night. The rooftop.

With Po…

Po had just finished packing his own things up for the trip. He had three pairs of pants, his backup shoes, a cloak, his travel dishware, his special medical scroll hidden in his packs secret pocket. A travel mat to sleep on, and about two dozen bean buns to snack on. He figured they might pass a village where he could restock on the bean buns, if nothing else he could wait till they reached the Village of the Full Moon.

As Po set his pack by his door he pulled out the box with the ring in it and he opened it. Inside set the ring he spent nearly ten thousand gold coins on. He had to admit he was surprised by Tigress's reaction to it. He thought for sure he could get an answer from her yes, or no, But never did he think she would just not answer him! Po smiled. Thinking to himself. "She's made me work this hard just to win her heart, guess it's fitting to make me work for her hand too…" Po chuckled to himself. He knew he wanted to be with Tigress. He knew that they could be incredibly happy together if she said yes, but he also knew they could be happy together if she said no. That's why he wanted her to know that no matter what she chose, he would always be hers. She had his heart from the moment they first kissed in his old room. And he couldn't think of anyone he'd rather give it to.

Po heard a door open and close across the hall as he heard footsteps heading outside. Tigress was going somewhere, and Po had a pretty good idea where…

With Tigress, on the roof of the Jade Palace.

Tigress was sitting on the roof to the Jade Palace looking up at the stars, her arms behind her back supporting her as she held herself upright, when her ear twitched slightly. Tigress peered to the right as she saw Po climbing up the side of the Palace trying to get to her. She should've known he would have heard her sneaking out. It wasn't exactly late after all. The stars had only been out for a few hours at most. As the Panda made his way onto the rooftop, he began walking over to her plopping down right beside her. "Want some company?" Po asked her with his signature grin. Tigress smiled at him and said. "Of course." As Po scooted closer to her Tigress placed her head on his shoulder, while he put his left arm around her and pulled her closer. "What are you doing up here kitten?" He asked her with his gentle voice. She turned her attention back to the sky. "Just thinking about how ridiculous the day ended up."

Po had a slightly worried face on when he asked. "Which part was ridiculous again?" Tigress realized what she said and quickly went on "The last part! With this crazy prophecy and a Dragon, and a Darkness, and two lights! Gosh Po, don't think for one second that I was talking about our time at the Peach Tree! That was probably one of, if not my most happiest moments of my life!" as she said this she brought her lips to his and kissed him deeply and he kissed her back, relieved that she didn't mean his proposal. When they broke apart he said "That still doesn't get old." Then Po asked her. "Tigress, what are you thinking about?" Tigress returned her gaze to the stars. "Just trying to wrap my head around it all Po…it's a lot to take in at once…" Po brought her closer as he said to her. "Tigress I wish I could have told you sooner, really I do…but I made a promise, and you know I keep my promises…" Tigress nodded and said "I know Po, but I do have a question though…"

Po smiled down at her and said "Ask me anything Kitten." Tigress paused and then asked. "About Gladir…is he…always around? Like right now is he watching us?" Po chuckled and said "No, it doesn't work like that. Gladir respects my privacy and my life. The only time he's around is if I'm alone, I call out to him, or if there is true trouble around. Otherwise he just minds his own business." Tigress was confused "But I thought you two shared a soul? You said so yourself." Po thought for a moment "Well it's kinda hard to explain, especially for me…he tried to explain it to me once and I think it went something like this. He exists in his own space within my soul…like a special pocket where he cuts himself off from me. Like right now. If he was around I could sense him but right now he's just not here. Do you understand?" Tigress nodded her head saying "I think so…actually no, not really." Po just squeezed her saying, "Well the quick answer is no, he doesn't watch me all hours of the day. To be honest I think I can count on two hands how many times I've actually talked with him."

"Anything else?" Po asked her as he turned to look at her. Tigress was silent, but eventually asked. "Do you think he's right? About me?" Po turned her head towards him and kissed her deeply. When they broke he said. "To be honest Kitten I don't know…what I do know is that as long as I have you by my side, I can stand up to anything. You're my strength Tigress, don't ever forget that." Tigress smiled and snuggled up to her panda. After a while Po began to yawn and Tigress said. "Come on my panda, let's get you to bed." Po chuckled saying "Sounds good to me…" so the two lovers climbed down and went to the barracks. As they stopped outside their doors Po kissed Tigress goodnight saying "Good night Tigress" as she purred saying "Good night Po sweet dreams." And with that they went to their respective rooms. Little did they know that there would be no sweet dreaming this night…