Day 21: Saturday

Tigress woke up a little earlier than she had planned. She knew Po and Mr. Ping would still be sleeping around this time. She took the box that had the dress. She took it out, put the dress on, and stood in front of the mirror. The dress was bright red with a golden embroidered Dragon on the front. It stretched all the way to her feet spreading out, and it had a golden rim on the bottom; it didn't touch the ground because it was 6 inches from the ground. It was held up by two straps on her shoulders, red too, that formed a V to the chest area. Tigress turned around. On the back, the dress had a gold and red Yin-yang sign, red for yin and gold for yang. "Wow," Tigress said with enchantment. "It really is amazing. Those two really did a great job." As she took off the dress and put it back in the box, she couldn't help but wonder if she looked beautiful in it. She had never been told she was beautiful, but she knew enough from Viper what it meant. Just then, she heard a knock on the door.

"Tigress, are you up?" Po asked from the other side. Tigress quickly stuffed the box in a new place, above the dresser.

"Yes, Po, come in," Tigress said. As Po entered, Tigress sat on her bed as if nothing had happened. Po nervously scratched the back of his head.

"Look um...sorry about yesterday. I was just trying to have some fun with you," Po apologized.

"It's alright. Same here," Tigress said, "And to answer your question...I don't know. I've never been in that situation."

"Really? I mean you're so beautiful I would think that-" Po stopped right there as Tigress looked at him with wide eyes. Well, now she can't say no one has ever called her beautiful. "I mean...me too. I wouldn't know either." It understandable for Po's case. He was never really lucky when it came to women. "So, what do you want to do today?"

"I was actually going to ask you that question," Tigress replied. Po's smirk came back. "What are you thinking about Po?"

"Nothing," Po replied still having his smirk. He sat down next to Tigress. "I was thinking that maybe we could look at that book you stole from the library."

"Huh," Tigress stuttered, "What? I don't know what you're talking about." She didn't trust her eyes to look at Po.

"Oh come on Tigress. You honestly thought I didn't see you take it? And I know it's my book," Po said knowingly. Seeing that she couldn't lie to him, she sighed, reached underneath her bed, and took out the book.

"I...I took it because I thought you would want to know more about your parents. I'm sorry for not telling you," Tigress said hanging her face. Po lifted her chin up with his hand.

"It's fine. Secretly, I wanted to know to but I didn't think it was that important," Po shrugged. "Now, let's see what and who I am."

Xiao Po Tai-Lung Ping, also known as the Dragon Warrior, son of Dai and Suki. Po's father, who is still alive, oversees the hidden panda village in the high mountains. The village was under attack by Lord Shen, who murdered Po's Mother. Po was put into a radish crate where the transporter took the crate to Mr. Ping, a noodle shop maker. Friends with Jin, Lin, and Huang and is a skilled archer. It was until Master Oogway chose him to be the Dragon Warrior.

"So far nothing major," Po shrugged.

"Well, you never actually told me how you came here. You really came from a radish basket," Tigress asked. Po nodded. "Then why do you not like radish?"

"I have my reasons," Po said remembering the dream he had back at the Shen event. Tigress closed the book. "You don't want to look at anything else?"

"I'm pretty sure I know more than many people know about you. Plus, I always got you," Tigress replied. Po's face fell.

"You read it before, haven't you?" Tigress smirked with an evil glint in her eye.

"Maybe," Tigress said, making Po unsure if she did or didn't. "The point is that you know something about yourself." Po and Tigress stood back up.

"Thanks Tigress," Po said. "I really needed that info." As he walked to the door, something swam into his mind. Tigress saw that by the corner of his mouth he was thinking about something. His eyebrows furrowed into a worried position, and he kept looking at the ceiling like it would cave in or something. "Tigress, there's a question I want to ask you," Po said nervously. Tigress raised an eyebrow. "Well-"

"PO!" Called a voice from below,"Can you come down here for a moment?" Po and Tigress knew that call. It was from Crane. Po winced. Bad timing. But Tigress didn't seem like she wanted him to go.

"He'll be there in a minute," Tigress called back. "What is it?"

"Well, now that we're a bit more comfortable around each other, I wanted to know the question I asked you earlier," Po replied twiddling his thumbs.

"Which was," Tigress asked, not really liking where this was going.

"What do you see me as," Po asked. Tigress had a feeling that was the question.

"Po! Tigress!" Crane called.

"Ask me again some other time, okay," Tigress said. Po nodded. When they descended the steps, they saw Crane seemed extremely nervous. It looked like a pin could make him jump.

"What's up," Po asked. Crane looked at the ground.

"Um...I was wondering, if it's okay with Mr. Ping, that...maybe if you could...ah...reserve a table for me," Crane asked. Po and Tigress looked at each other with confused faces.

"Okay," Po said slowly, "For one or two?"

"No not now. Later," Crane explained, "I...I want to ask Lu on...a date." Po fell to the floor as Tigress's eyes widened. Tigress picked up Po but his face was still in shock.

"You're going to ask her on a date?!" Po exclaimed.

"Shhh," Crane hushed, clamping down his feathered wings on the panda's mouth. Unfortunately, the feathers tickled his nose, causing Po to sneeze on Crane. Crane flinched and brought his wings back to him, rubbing them off. "Yes, I'm asking her on a date."

"You mean you haven't told her yet," Tigress asked. Crane shook his head.

"Well, what are you doing down here then," Po cried out, "Let's get you to that mountain!" Before poor Crane could say anything, Po grabbed his wing and ran up the stairs with Tigress right after him. Quickly, quicker than Crane wanted, Po and Crane were inside the Training Hall where Lu was watching Krista and Gorilla train with Tigress trailing along. "Hello, Master Lu," Po announced, "Mr. Crane has something to tell you." Po shoved him in front like a stick in the fire. Lu could see that he was nervous. She felt pity on him.

"Dragon Warrior, Master Tigress, Gorilla, and Krista, could you guys give us a minute in private. I'm pretty sure that Master Crane is already worried about this 'something'," Lu said. Po pouted but complied as he, Tigress, Gorilla, and Krista left the training hall. "So what did you want to talk to me about?"

"It doesn't make it any easier that you got rid of the others," Crane sighed. Lu place her wing on Crane's heart, making it beat faster. Lu's own was speeding up too.

"Just say it," She soothed. Crane mustered up the legendary confidence that Po blabbered on about.

"Lu, will you go on a date with me?" Lu stepped back in shock. Her eyes were as wide as saucers, and her heart beat rapidly. All of Crane's blood seemed to stop. It was like that split moment when you stop blushing to your love, confess, and wait for the answer. Everything seems frozen.

"Yes," Lu said a little unsure of what was coming out of her mouth.

"You...you mean it," Crane asked.

"Yes, I'll go on a date with you," she replied giggling out of excitement. Crane leapt into the air and started flying in big lazy loops and circles. He was happy, obliviously. As he came down, he kissed Lu, who was surprised out of her mind. He leapt back.

"Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-" He was stopped when Lu kissed him back, wrapping her wings around his neck. As she pulled away, Crane had a goofy grin on his face that made Lu giggle again.

"So, when's the date," She asked.

"Today, if that's okay with you," Crane replied nervously. Lu chuckled.

"Today's okay with me," She smiled, "And...I know that we've just met and everything, and this is our first date but I've come to the realization that-"

"I love you, too," Crane finished. Lu's eyes widened. She smiled widely as she kissed him again. That night, they had a wonderful dinner at Mr. Ping's, granted that Po ate all their food while they were talking. Po had completely redecorated the place with single sweet candles, red table clothes, pretty bright pink flowers in every vase, and red lanterns on strings making up the romantic atmosphere. Everyone was surprised how Po could really put his heart into interior decorating. It was wonderful.

to be continued.