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Yeayyy... exiting 10,000 views... thank you guys. Hope you enjoyed the story so far, it's hard to judge because many seem to be a silent reader. R&R :-)
Hurrying herself down the thousand steps, while the sun was yet to rise, its golden ray still shyly took a resemblance of radiant red across the horizon, Tigress let the rejuvenating cold air of early winter filled her lungs, the smell of the dew was still fresh in the air, she beheld the solemn view of the beautiful morning, as her breath dissipated into a steam against the cold freezing air. On the valley underneath, the misty cloud covered the landscape ebbed shyly, hung above the earth. Today was a very important day on her calendar, it was Po's birthday. The panda had inhaled a new life to the Jade palace, with his pathetic joke, ineptitude, creating the light and jovial atmosphere seems to cleanse her soul. It was easy to see why everyone loved Po, grinning ridiculously as he often did, lurking underneath that was a humble yet powerful warrior China had never seen. As the prophecy foretold, he would bring a peace in China, in everyone's heart. Even as mundane as everyday life, Po had brought a perpetual aura of joy and happiness to anyone he met, including her.
In all history Tigress knew the panda, he would be the one that 'took care' of everyone else. In his first year living in the palace itself, he figured out all the Master's birthday (slash adoption date), including Master Shifu, even quite a few palace servants. Po might be forgetful and careless... but when he put his mind into something, it would easily be the most magnificent thing one ever saw. The touch of his passionate soul in something so trivial, like remembering everyone's birthday, had changed how other precept him. She guessed being the affable-loveable panda that he was - giving and helping was a major slice of his life. After being the recipient of showers of birthday presents and surprise party from the panda in the past 8 years of their friendship. Tigress determined that today the table had to be turned.
"Mr. Ping?" She tapped her claw on the wooden structure that covered the front of the counter. The old goose in question made his appearance. "Master Tigress!"
"Please, just called me Tigress..." She smiled. "Thank you for agreeing to do this."
"No problem at all dear, anything to make my son happy." He chuckled meaningfully. After he reminded himself about the spotted leopard culinary attempt, he couldn't help but be a little cautious (maybe skeptical?) about Shifu's adopted children ability in the kitchen. But he quickly stomped off his bigoted view. Tigress wasn't Tai Lung, in fact, they had never shared cub-hood together.
"Now, let me know what you need, I'll follow your direction."
Both of them engaged in serious chopping, grinding, kneading, more chopping, wrapping, frying, steaming, boiling business.
"I didn't know you are...very good at... lady-like proclivity, such as cooking." The goose said admiringly. He was glad his initial prejudice had been stomped out its validity.
"...oh well, it's nothing compared to you or Po." She replied humbly.
"Who managed to entice you to be involved in such...feminine pursuit?...anyway... cooking is a good prowess to gear as a wife." Tigress blushed, but deceptively looking composed. Looking at the type of dish she was making, Mr. Ping straight away knew, it wasn't someone who came from around the area. Tigress was stunned for a moment, not knowing how to explain to the goose about her vision meeting Po's biological mother. Although she took nothing from the encounter, the memories of her recipes, even the scrolls that taught ancient healing technique were etched in Tigress' mind. Luckily enough, her comrades were giving the goose enough distraction.(**)
"Hi, Tigress... Hi, Mr. Ping." Viper, Crane, Monkey and Mantis made their presence known.
"So, Mantis and Crane, you are in charge to hang the decoration... you can find the box full of supply on the back of the restaurant. Viper and Monkey, you can help up making almond cookies." Tigress delegated. Not long after, Shifu followed by Zeng arrived, in his hand were a few of red circular box. "Ah... here are the birthday presents, finally we finished wrapping it, and I brought hong bao packet in case any of you want to put in some money here.(***) The students all nodded acknowledging the master's word.
"Now, I had to go back to the palace and distract Po. Excuse us..." with that Shifu and Zeng disappeared.
As planned, the Dragon Warrior made his descend right for breakfast. Shifu had pretended that the five already in the training hall but giving Po a day off so that he could celebrate with his dad. Po came down the Thousand Steps and headed straight to the restaurant. But as the sole of his foot touched the courtyard, there was a big cheer "SURPRISE!" everyone enjoying the bemuse look of the panda face, which quickly turned into a titanic wide grin. "Wow, thank's guys... you remembered!" He began to sniffle, as his emerald eyes began to well with tears of joy.
"Happy birthday Big Guy!" Mantis exclaimed.
"Happy birthday Dude, we won't ask what you want for your birthday... we kind-da knew." Monkey chuckled.
"Brother, happy birthday... wish all your dreams comes true!" Viper sweetly said.
"Happy birthday Po, I won't ask how old you are," Crane added.
"Son... happy birthday." His goose dad gave an expansive embrace as his wingspan could reach unto the panda ample belly. "Thank's to Tigress for arranging for this party for you." He released Po's figure from his hug and gestured to the feline who still wearing an apron and holding 3 bowls of sweet steam buns, and sour spicy soup on each arm. She quickly deposited the bowls on the table in front of her, and smile. "Happy birthday Po, hope you liked...-" and she was interrupted by a pair of black arms that press her against his chest.
"Thank you Tigress." He said emotionally. The rest of the comrades only could chorus "...awww...aren't they cute." Suddenly there was a familiar sound of certain master clearing his throat loudly.
"M-master Shifu!" Po jolted and reeled back knocking a few chairs and table in the process. His Master just rebutted with a fiendish smirk. "Happy birthday Po." The red panda gave a rare but treasured smile and then he moved closer and whisper "I didn't oppose you to go after my daughter, Panda" The Grand Master rapped Po's side with his staff. Po gulped, his smile was rapidly dissipated into a worrisome scowl. "But don't expect me to go easy on you."
Everyone gave their present to Po, including Tigress, but she added that she had a surprise waiting for Po upstairs in his old bedroom. Po received a handwoven straw hat from Viper and Crane, a new bodaciously looking cape from Mantis and Monkey (they figure Po needs to look like a superhero), an ostentatious silk robe from his dad and Shifu, and a pair of new trousers from Tigress.
"Thanks, everyone!" He beamed from ear to ear.
"Now... let's go back to the training hall. Po, Tigress, please join us as soon as you help Mr. Ping to clear up the place." commanded the old master.
"Yes, Master!"
Po helped his dad to gather all the plates and bowls. But Mr. Ping remembered that Tigress had a surprise gift for Po upstairs. "Son, you better go upstair, Tigress left a special birthday gift got you." Grabbing the plates and bowls from his hand, his dad gave him a complacent smile. The sense of disquiet, excitement, rubbed on the panda's frayed nerves. He was both keen but diffident to know what the tiger master had as his birthday present. He climbed upstairs to find Tigress was waiting there reading some scrolls on his bed.
"Po... why don't you try the trousers I gave you?"
"Ah... okay", half confused, the bear made his way to Mr. Ping bedroom and changed into his new trousers.
He emerged from his dad's bedroom (which is just across) with his new pair of trousers. Tigress observed her own work with gleaming pride. It fit like a glove!
"Where did you get this? It's fit perfectly on me... I had never been able to find a shop...-"
"I made them Po." She smiled. Po had to double took what she said, Did she say she sew them?
"Wow... I mean... Thanks, Tigress, that means a lot to me."
"Your welcome, Po."
And then there was an awkward respite. Tigress approach Po's action figure in front of his window sill. She placed her figurine next to Po, and move both hers and Po's to look like they were embracing each other. Po was trying to ignore his heart racing and his palm began to sweat as a train of incredulous scenario playing in his head.
"Er... I don't know... that you can sew...so well." That was his failing attempt to fill the silence, his words just struggled to come out of his throat.
"I know, I am full of surprise." A dangerous smile tugged on her maw while her hand still meddling with the action figures. Po gulped to ease his unwarranted distress. He was not liking that smile.
Out of a sudden, Tigress lunged at the birthday boy, made him fell backward. An expression of unmitigated panic locked on his feature for a while. He looked at Tigress in mute appeal but she in return said nothing. Po felt her strong paw pinned him to the rack next to the window, a few items, and bowls fell down from the rack creating loud clattering sound. But before he could fight back, or get his head around what might have happened, he felt her warm succulent lips touching his, it was a brief kiss, but enough to make the panda head blew up with confetti.
Tigress quickly move back, a victorious, prideful grin was upon her face. "I am capable of doing other things than just sewing, Dragon Warrior."
"Rrrriiiight..." The panda ventured reluctantly.
And she ran off leaving Po between perplexed and spellbound somewhere in cloud nine, his idle paw still touching the spot where she had kissed him - nevermind about his weight, at the moment he felt like drifting somewhere, may be spirit realm. Was she just made revenge whatever he did in the tent on that trip to Master Ding banquet? Was this the dare they did in the tub?... Hell, why it didn't matter.
His momentous of beautiful dream interrupted when Mrs. Chu, the hog who lived next door with her window right opposite Po's old bedroom, cleared her throat as she watered the plants - having witnessed Po being pinned and kissed by Master Tigress. She shook her head inscrutably, must be wondering odd occurrences she witnessed from that window year in and year out while watering her plants.(****).
Tigress slid the door of her bedroom back in Jade Palace, still wearing the same smile as she was earlier, retrospecting, as the adrenaline rush subsided, she calmed herself. It was actually felt... good. She surprised herself with her own rumination.
Well, that's one hell of a dare is done.
The next day. In Jade Palace's kitchen, the Five minus certain tiger were sitting for their quick afternoon supper, as they fallen into conferring a few of their missing comrades.
"Hi, Guys... oh where is Jade and Tai Lung?" Monkey swept his view around the table. "And Po and Tigress?"
"Jade and Tai Lung had an urgent assignment... and left on the morning of Po's birthday yesterday. Po and Tigress went to Wu Dan Mountain... meditating, so they say." Crane expounded, every creature tugged a rather mischievous grin at Crane's rather sinister remark. Knowing that four of them were safe enough from the relevant eavesdroppers, they continued their dialogue.
"No wonder I didn't see those two cats then. I thought he had a beef with the panda that he avoided his birthday." Monkey chuckled, helping himself with a large piece of peach pie.
"What Tai? and Po?... what's with them?" Crane positioned his straw hat, quickly cut his glance towards Viper whom just shrugged unknowingly at Monkey's statement.
"Remember we talk about this before, the confession in the tub? The kitty and the panda are after the same princess..." Mantis outlined, grinning fiendishly recalling the dare he fired at the unfortunate snow leopard, while his appendage busy digging the flesh of the peach pie. The image of both men tried to woo the striped feline came across Crane's mind. Interrupting his thought, Crane enunciated, it would be highly entertaining to watch - Po had a charming, gentle approach... romantic, even borderline tacky sometimes...(even employed his ineptness to enthrall) , while the leopard had more direct tactic, audacious tendency to let his mind known straight away, and bull's eye to the point.
"But I don't see any of them get jealous over each other." Viper eye widened, she normally the wittiest when it came to reading relationship. So far she had been endorsing too much of Tigress feeling for Tai Lung, might be because she, herself, found the Master of Thousand Scroll rather desirously alluring.
"Well... Po was quite.. placid and kind..." Crane muttered, the image of Po and Tai Lung seriously harming each other in jealousy felt comedic more than disastrous.
"But still...who saved the princess, got the prize!" Monkey declared his rebuttal. If there was any form of life distraction in Jade Palace, that would be love triangle among Kung Fu Masters, and what could be more entertaining to watch Dragon Warrior and Master of Thousand scroll competing for the heart of the Leader of Furious Five? Monkey even sure Viper could start to write a novel in the love saga.
"More who saved the princess, got a punch... Tigress hated being treated like a priceless delicate relic." Viper explicated satirically.
"Ok... who sparred with the princess, got the prize..." Monkey changed his sentence, cut his gaze playfully at Viper.
"But could that striped feline possibly be someone else? I won't question's Po... I knew he was falling for Tigress long time ago." With his mouth full, Mantis retorted - suddenly realized, albeit rare, there were still a lot other striped felines around China. While the panda had never professed verbally to his comrades (save it for Crane), it was conspicuous that he had a special feeling for their striped comrade, like the saying True love is hard to find...harder to hide.
"Who else could that be, around 8 years ago we did face him on the Thread of Hope, he was openly flirting with Tigress." Viper's frowned so deeply creating creases between her headdress. "Yeah... as you said, like any other villain did." Mantis replied understandingly."But doesn't close the possibility of other striped felines that we didn't know."
"Hard to resist Tai Lung though, his hunky body, a hint of aloofness and pridefulness, totally badass attitude... " Sighing pensively, Viper continued rambling her string of adulation over the impeccable qualities of the snow leopard.
"You sold me there." Crane rolled his eyes and responded caustically, Viper suddenly regretted her words - if there was anything would hurt Crane, was to be reminded of his lacking in masculinity department. She threw Crane an apologetic look, thankfully the avian master smiled understandingly in return.
"I can feel your desire could burn an iceberg here...But had to say, Tigress distantly interested with Tai Lung. Not sure what she even thinking of those delicious six pack abdomen." Monkey shook his head in puzzlement, reminiscing Tigress vapid glances in the tub towards the prime example of male warriors of her kind.
"I heard Tigress defending him in front of the villagers though."
"I think we spoke about this before... and undoubtedly I will have a nightmare tonight." Crane deplored.
"What? imagining Tigress sharing a bed with someone twice her age?" Monkey winked his eyes towards Crane wryly. He did enjoy torturing the shy avian, and pushing the boundary with his crude joke.
"Oh heavens... mental image...mental image go away! Why did I have such a creative mind!" Putting his wing covering his eyes, Crane admonishing himself. Mantis staring inexplicably at the avian as if there was a problem with a good imagination? - he should have counted that as blessings!
"During my patrol, I saw Po and Tigress cuddling rather comfortably on the top of the roof, he even sang to her...and she was looking... positively infatuated." Monkey gleamed exuberantly, and his grin only became wider.
"In fact... after our Po's birthday celebration yesterday, quite fittingly she pulled the rabbit out of the hat." Viper swept her gaze gleefully, agreeing with the simian. Well, the panda might be subtle, but he won't be down without a fight.
"Stop talking cryptic message like that Viper, you completely lost me there." Mantis crossing his pinchers, looking unimpressed.
"...what did she do to Po?" Monkey scooted closer, the golden simian eyes steaming with unbidden curiosity. Well, in face everyone else shared the same sentiment, it's normal for Po to initiate a hug, a smile, a kiss... but Tigress? She probably would initiate a brawl, if there was one thing the feline was lacking, that would be a romantic fiber in her being, not to deny that Po seemed to enjoy the torture she bestowed upon him any less.
"She kissed him...completing my dare, nonetheless a kiss is a kiss." Whispering conspiratorially the serpent enunciated her findings."The hog who lived next door to the Ping told me when I went down to do errands for Shifu." Everyone else gasped, Crane beak fell opened, Monkey covered his mouth with his hands, while Mantis laughed smugly. No one ever imagined there would be a day they heard Tigress, the fierce, hot-tempered, platinum warrior would kiss someone.
"So... this is how village gossip started." The bug grinned."...sometimes your knight in shining armor is just a retard in tin foil..." He declared, earning an explosion of coherent laughter reverberated from the kitchen.
"Oh no... now my mental image is of tiger and a panda in tin foil! Can you guys stop this!" Crane glared at the bug. The rest sighed dreamily. But after a moment of just listening to their own munching, and rattling of plates and chopstick, Crane remembered something else. "Guys, actually I saw the panda and the tiger did something more... intimate than a kiss."
Monkey dropped his pie on the floor, Viper eyes widened as a dinner plate, while Mantis... he had perched on Crane's straw hat, aiming not to miss this important piece of sensational gossip between Dragon Warrior and their leader. Crane cleared his throat before starting.
"I saw Tigress qipao and Po's trousers hang outside the bathhouse, so they both must not wear anything. I only saw them sat in front of each other, perfectly still, had no idea what are they doing. He was definitely touching her, saw his paw and her paw crossing over each other chest."
"Chest?... Heavens, did I heard that right?" Monkey was dumbstruck, Crane nodded affirmatively in response.
"That's odd... considering they both are not experienced, I thought the most conventional was beneath and...-"
"Shut it... Mantis, you pervert bug!" Viper reprimanded the bug sternly. She squinted her eyes and shot him a twisted look from the profane accusation.
"WHAT! Now this is news! And... what happened?" Monkey pounded his fist on the table giddily.
"Well, I left immediately, do you think I want to witness that with my eyes? As if my prolific imagination not enough filling the gap!" Crane spat tartly. "Besides...I don't think Po would do anything crossing the line... He was completely calm, no hint of ravenousness or anything obscene. In fact, so unceremonious almost suggesting they did this many times before."
"Honestly, I saw them doing the same thing in the training hall when you guys were off for chi mission a few months ago. I went back early, and I think caught them there. Something called chi-fusion... it's a kung fu technique to give and receive chi." Viper explicated, not wanting a salacious gossip spreading like a wildfire about the panda and tiger intimate encounter.
"...aaaand this technique had to be done...in nude?" Mantis darted his dirty, disbelief gaze to Viper, his bewildered look clearly gave way his discontentment of Viper's rebuttal. Who might have created such a perverted technique anyway?
"Skin to skin... if it's me and you, we might not need to disrobe ourselves." Viper expanded. "Yes, that because you both are unclothed already." Laughing buoyantly, Monkey retorted. Both serpent and the bug glare dagger at him.
"I wonder what Shifu reaction to any of them ..." Crane voiced his concern.
"I think he would be chuffed to bits, one is Dragon Warrior, the other one is the youngest master to complete a thousand scrolls, not to mention he was under his intense perusal, he couldn't really disagree with his own quality of work, can't he? Either one is a win-win situation." Mantis tapped his pincher knowingly.
"But I thought he disdainfully disagreed when Tai Lung and Tigress pranked him, pretending to be a couple." Crane insisted.
"That is because he didn't know Tai Lung nobility and heroic deeds had returned. I overheard them talking in Shifu's chamber when Zeng wanted to borrow one of my acupuncture scrolls. Maybe both cats hugging or kissing who knows what... but Shifu came out that chamber a different person in the morning, same for Tigress and Tai Lung." Mantis added his thoughts.
"I would take your comment with a pinch of salt, Mantis, I still highly doubt Shifu would allow Tai Lung to court Tigress so openly and so quickly. He was here only days. He was even hard on Po, and he'd been here for years!" Monkey stated his reasoning.
"Heavens! Made me feel so lonely, I need a girlfriend! Viper are you available?" Mantis eyed the serpent and winked sensuously at her form - earning a death glare from the green snake.
"Oh... you guys will have a date tonight, right?" Monkey smiled a little too sweetly at Crane's direction. The avian hid behind the shadow of his hat, while Viper smacked the simian and glared menacingly.
"...and... according to the dare, you must stay in Crane's bedroom for the night!" Mantis rubbed a naughty look, wagged his brow up and down. Viper sighed dejectedly, welcoming endless teasing and perverted humor. She pulled Crane indicating. Let's get out of here!
Crane clutched a canister with his talon. It was handed by Zeng an hour ago, but he had no courage to reveal what's inside. The canister sealed with Lee Da academy seal, giving away a strong clue from who it might have been.
His mind trailed off to his janitor days, yes it was decades ago - and those were a severely mundane day, until... he met Mei Ling - the creature responsible for changing the course of his life, transforming a humble janitor to an avid kung fu master.
"Crane you are amazing...!" Her sweet, silky voice that empowered him, instilled that confidence, suddenly he felt he would be able to do anything and everything, in fact, nothing could stop him. Not even the fact he was a bird and she was a mountain cat. He reminisced how Mei Ling often confided him for being too modest, often belittling his attainment, even after he victoriously grabbed that red flag on the kung fu tryouts. They were so different, Mei Ling was confident, friendly and inspiring, Crane, on the other hand, reserved, shy and unassuming.
Crane cursed himself for being too critical of his lack of hyper-masculinity looks, for being not intimidating enough in front of his foe, he could imagine how nice it was like to be Tai Lung. He was good looking, burly, badass, menacing and every single inch of his body screaming of manliness. But again, he was also surprised there was a creature, like Tigress, whom assuringly would be enraptured by Tai Lung (or Jade), they are much more alike, both unparalleled warriors with very similar background, and to everyone surprise, she was less than interested on other felines because the existence of fat, klutzy, infantile panda. But again, Po had a personality that impossible to hate, and presumably with her heart, Tigress could appreciate his true self behind his looks. So.. there was hope for me after all.
"Believing in yourself doesn't mean you are arrogant, Crane." That was Mei Ling's word. Her thoughtfulness probably what made him falling for her, she never judged any book by its cover, she was considerate, encouraging and kind.
Gah, Crane... why did you fall in love, should just fall from a bridge, it hurt less!
It did feel strange, he was dying to know, yet afraid to find out. As soon as he remembered her - even just imagining her presence mentally, a wave of warm, thick adoration washed over him, his heart pounding against his chest. But again, when he thought about their differences, it absorbed all this intrepidity back as a size of a mustard seed. How can two creatures so different could fall in love? What love was anyway?
"Love is not about finding differences and similarity, but about making a space in your heart, and placing someone in it, shower her with the things she needs." He recalled Viper's line of advice to Po.
What if she did not feel the same?
After his conversation with Po weeks ago, how life went on, whether you chose to take chance to the unknown, or stayed behind, locked in the past, and wondered about how things could have been... And yes, admittedly Crane had been locked in the past, thinking about Mei Ling... about how things could have been if he told her his feeling earlier. He shared his uttermost grief in his life during the truth and dare - the worst feeling was regretting not having done something when he had a chance, and he had dozens of opportunities decades ago - here to the words left unsaid and thought unexpressed. But after realizing his own mistake, a few weeks ago Crane had decided to let his feelings known, and sent a letter of confession to Mei Ling.
"You never know unless you try, Crane." He recalled her wisdom. He let a frustrated groan under his breath.
Oh well, fear will pass, but regret stayed forever. He reprimanded himself.
He unraveled the scroll warily, he could feel his breath spluttered and his talon shaking.
Dear Crane,
It's so lovely to hear from you, after all this time. I appreciate how you poured your heart out on your letter to me, that must not be easy. To perfectly be honest with you, at some point, I did store a special feeling for you. You are a true gentleman, kind and considerate, any lady would be fortunate to have you.
However, it's been over decades since the last time we saw each other and people changes... that includes you and I. Although at the moment I date no one, but I am concerned, that I fell in love with your past image, the shy and modest Crane that I loved. Although I am more than willing to try, I couldn't leave Lee Da, and I imagine if you couldn't leave Jade Palace, your family are there... and the Valley needs you. Sometimes, people meant to fall in love were never meant to be together, maybe we made a mistake by keeping things to ourselves so long, but mistakes teach us a lesson, not to leave regret.
However, I am glad you said what you need, and I've said what I need. I hope you won't regret knowing people in your life, the good one gave you happiness, bad one gave you experience, worst one gave you a lesson, best one gave you memories.
I hope, I'll be the last kind.
Let's meet up again sometimes, even when we were never meant to be a couple, I am glad I could call you a friend.
-Mei Ling-.
Crane scoured his eyes from the top to bottom, scanning through it again and again. Undoubtedly, it was a rejection letter, but strange enough albeit insufferable pain the first time, it gradually subsided to eerily calming sense of achievement, that he had done the right thing - conquered his fear, and left no stone unturned. Feeling liberated, the avian master let a loud sigh and went out of his room.
That night, Viper continuously fussing about her appearance. She'd changed her headdress ten times, and was on her fifth cloak. Tigress sat next to her, bewildered and irked at the same time. Lacking empathy on why it bothered so much to the serpent to look tip top in front of her date, Tigress gave her two pence worth of opinion.
"You've looked quite a dapper Viper, besides, you want to impress him with your personality, not your...outward appeal (she nearly said vanity appeal)." She tried to keep her tone sounding compassionate rather than satirical. But her genuine annoyed look was painted across her face. There was one thing Tigress didn't understand : the first impression, last a lifetime. But might be that's not always true, Viper mulled over what Tigress said about the importance of beauty...it's no wonder she could see beyond Po's fluffiness, might be Tigress was more perceptive than she knew.
Viper flicked her eyes exasperatedly. "And what were you wearing on your date with Po?" The feline shrugged apathetically. "...training outfit?" She stated as if questioning the serpent's disapproving stare. In return, she was only greeted by the serpent shocked gaze. Viper mentally slapped her own head. Of course! She was talking to one of the creature that did not know word romanticism in her vocabulary, and possibly thought love was a waste of time. Citing Shifu's word to the feline back on the day when Furious Five was just formed, Viper understood why Tigress had been reluctant to enter any meaningful relationship. "You are going to be a Kung Fu Master, relationships take a back burner to such greatness." or "You have more important matters to attend to than… male companionship." But with a bit of luck, seemed like Tigress had a better side of the deal, her hard-to-get personality, and her enthralling natural beauty acted like a magnet, but her fiery temper was the balancing factor in the universe, lest no men in Valley of Peace would be left for other girls.
After another 30 minutes of meddling her closet, and Tigress helped to groom her scale to shine, Viper was ready for her date. To Tigress, her friend looked painfully glamorous - a little over the top. She wore a slightly larger, more noticeable headdress, put a just nice amount of makeup, a beaded pearl choker hung delicately on her neck (neck?! really? oh well... whatever), completed with her embroidered woolen cape. An overwhelming scent of crushed peach blossom and exotic orchid nearly choked Tigress' cat senses.
Tigress saw Crane carried Viper on his talon, as he slid gracefully down the valley.
The date began quite swimmingly, both of them went to Mr. Ping for dinner, and then strolled around the town. Viper found out, Crane was a very modest and humble person, sometimes even downplayed his achievement. But other than that, he was a true gentleman, polite and respectful. Viper was very much aware of Mei Ling, after the truth and dare in the tub, Crane disclosed a lot more detail of his blooming friendship with the mountain cat. That's because he was completely ignorant of growing affection the serpent had for him. But Viper had learned to accept that and just took the day as it went.
Unfortunately, their date was uncouthly intervened when a group of croc bandit decided to rampage the busy market square. Both Viper and Crane had to act quick. The avian master glided gracefully on his wing and aimed a sharp blow on one of the crocodile's head. He quickly saw where Viper was, engaging with two crocs, delivering stunning kicks with a single lash of her tail. Crane swept his gaze watching a few crocs attempted to flee from the scene, carrying money boxes which clearly belonged to someone else. He caught up with them, within short distance launching his Wing of Justice, causing the crocs to stumble and fall, Viper nimbly assisted him on the case and rendered most of them unconscious. Crane made his way back to the market square to deal with the rest of the gang when he heard Viper's choking yelp.
His world fell silent, one of the croc had gained his consciousness and held Viper by her neck and tail, and put her body into a knot. He firmly gripped the helpless serpent, whom now dangerously vulnerable as she was tangled into a knot, immobilized completely. He deliberately tightened his grip around Viper's neck, and by the look of her dreadful expression of silent cry that overwhelmed by the commotion around him, Crane knew, if he didn't do anything, one of his comrades would be gone for good.
He suddenly forgot that he was alone, among the dozen of crocs, none of his comrade he could call for help. It's a miracle that he could hear her rasping appeal from the cacophony of panicking crowd, and a few more crocs bandits whom trying to hoard any precious stuff they could find. Crane hurled to his friend side with impossible speed, knocking the crocs that held her in the process. When he flew back, he saw Tigress, Po, Monkey, and Mantis were on the case. He sighed in instant assuagement.
They finally rounded up all the crocs.
"Crane, you are amazing!..." Her turquoise dazzling eyes praised him."...thanks for saving me..."
"No... no...no...that was nothing." A light blush formed at his cheeks at gentle teasing.
"Of course it was something..." Tigress inexpressively retorted."You swept most of them before we came, and... managed to save your date too." Then Tigress condoned herself back to walk with the rest of the team, giving much-needed privacy for Crane and Viper.
"Maybe... usually Tigress and other would be around, and... you feel you are just a small part of the team. Even though, you are actually a crucial part of us. There certainly a lot of battle we won't claim victories if you weren't part of it." Viper said sincerely as Crane flying low (right in front of the rest), taking both of them back to the palace. "You just need to keep reminding yourself of that."
Crane felt a strange feeling crept into his chest. Was it courage? empowerment? A realization hit him, she was the comrade that always siding him, be a listening ear, encouraged him, believed in him... despite his inaptitude, and lack of masculine charm. Viper was someone that had accepted his past, supported his present, and encouraged his future. Maybe today was a beginning of something?
As they arrived in the student quarter, Viper and Crane were about to part to their room, when a voice broke out. "By the way... she had to stay your room tonight." Tigress reminded, a predatory smile graced her lips. (She apparently had been following them quietly!)
Crane felt his cheek was glowing red, while Viper grunted at her account. Well, they might have a lot to talk about.
Meanwhile, the spotted leopard and his black panther comrade had made it through outside the Imperial City gate.
"I am getting in..." Chest still heaving from all the running, Tai Lung watched the main palace gate from behind the bush.
"I won't be far behind..." Jade facial expression changed from frowning to more relax, calming nod. He smiled at his comrade reassuringly. "Tai...Try not to get yourself killed... you are still a virgin." The biting, good-natured sarcasm flew from his lips. Both muffled a chuckle. But Tai Lung substituted his laughter with comprehensible speech, his eyes radiated seriousness.
"Jade, listen... If... If I don't make it, please give this to Wu Jia." The snow leopard pulled an intricate small flute from his trousers' pocket into the panther's paw. Jade smiled evaporated within a second, scrutinizing the delicate object with the leopard's name engraved on it. A stern, somber look took its place, as his glassy red orbs returned the leopard sentiment. "...you won't die, Tai, I won't let that happen to you." He squeezed the leopard shoulder firmly.
Tai Lung marched to the gate, quickly mentioned who he was. It was clear his presence was very much expected, as hastily dozens of guard appeared to escort him. Jade grabbed his shift stone, concentrating his mind and took exact appearance as one of those guards. He quickly pushed himself towards the commotion of guards and camouflaged well among them, as he trailed behind Tai Lung with reasonable distance.
Inside an opulent room with braziers of incense, gold threaded tapestry, ivory and silk screen, Lady khan stood expectantly.
"Ah... Master Tai Lung, what a pleasure to have you here. I've been waiting for you." The white tigress moved gracefully.
"Where is she?" His voice was unexpectedly composed, but Khan noticed a slight wave of ferocity behind his hateful stare, subdued by his deceivingly civil tune.
"Show me a little respect will you?" Came her solemn, overbearing answer, that only prompted more alarm if he considered the weight of the situation - did she really have a card behind her back? another ingenious charade to pull under her sleeve?
Following a moment of recess, Khan descended from the steps and encircled the snow leopard, and swept her amorous gaze at every detail of the warrior appearance.
"What a shame, Master Tai Lung... you are such a great warrior, the pinnacle of excellence, an exemplary kung fu master of your generation. Could you imagine just how much power you'll get only if you adhered to my offer decades ago? and not left to rot, succumbing to your fate in Chorh-Gom?" She admonished with a mocking tone, turning her head sharply and setting an imperious, provocative glare at the leopard, who glared with a potent amount of hostility and anger in return.
"...or had you fallen for her? Hmmm?" She paid a twisted smile, reading her presumption about the snow leopard weaknesses had hit the right spot as Tai Lung growled venomously at her on the mention of the subject.
"Answer me! Where is she!" He hissed hatefully, alerting the guards around her to their stance. The tigress raised her paw authoritatively, holding the ambush from her soldiers. The air thickened immeasurably with spiteful anger. The more Khan kept her inarticulately secretive answer of the striped feline existence, damning Tai Lung nerve that already close to exploded to instant fury.
"Ah... love could be, just the weapon to bring down the strongest man... even as strong as you... " She flicked her finger gesturing the soldier to bring the acupressure cuff and paralyzing tortoise shell that would completely immobile the leopard. "...now surrender!" The snow leopard did very little to comply with her request.
"Allow me to elaborate to you...if you do love her,... you just will follow what I've asked from you. Now... she is waiting for you in jail." The white tigress sneered, releasing a villainy, murderous laughter. Tai Lung wasn't convinced, he pounced and assaulted a few guards with his lethal spin kick and double palm strike, until Khan took hold of the wooden lacquered box and a set of sleeping robe. Instantaneously, the snow leopard paused his assault upon registering those items within his sight. Khan tugged a victory smile as she pushed those items into the snow leopard grasp for his perusal.
"I'll spare her if you surrender..." She promised with conspicuously cruel tone. He smelled the scent... agarwood, the robe even still have some of her fur there.
Tai Lung stunned, confiding his mind of the fate of the woman that he'd grown to care, and swore to guard with his life. In his momentarily lapse, Master Ho - Khan inbreed kung fu master, saw his chance, and perform a series of nerve attack, immobilizing the snow leopard on his place.
Inescapable as it was, Jade knew he won't find an instant relief of the situation. He couldn't run to Tai Lung's side and blew his own cover. He had to find out where Khan would arrest the snow leopard... but first, he had to stop himself being impressively mortified. Jade swallowed thickly witnessing Master Ho jabbed the snow leopard neck with a dose of lethal poison, and two selected guard stood readily to dispose his body to the jail.
Meanwhile with Su and Jia.
"Tell me you aren't serious Jia..., you want to go to the Palace? What if Khan found you?!" Su spelled out her concern.
"We need to be at the most unthinkable and dangerous place, so Khan won't even guess we are there. That evil woman had dexterity like no other." Jia reassured her, pulling her own pack behind her back. Her silky hanfu nearly tripped her a few time, she cursed under her breath - she needed a more robust outfit for walking in treacherous snow and rugged landscape and clearly hanfu not one of them, while Su amusedly watching her struggle with a sly grin on her face.
"And what would you want to do in the palace?" Striking right to the core, Su pressing rebuttal did make Wu Jia wonder. What did she want to accomplish there? Well, this was not a premeditated visit, so Jia knew she had to...improvise. She had a nagging feeling she had to be there.
"I will try to find Xiaxue, my niece...and probably asked her about what Khan's plotting. I am sure she was up to something." Jia made an impromptu reasoning, hoping Su would buy it. The snow leopardess cut her glance tried to read the striped feline emotion. Why she wanted to endanger herself as such, they could have run away to other remote parts of the country. But Su decided not to articulate the unspoken part of her mind.
"What make you think Khan will share her plan with Xiaxue?" Su scoffed mockingly, as she stated her honest opinion incredulously. Sometimes Su wondered, Jia could be witty yet naive at the same time. But, inexplicably, she did survive outwitting that evil sorcerer for three decades, so... might be, ...just might be, she just had the streak of reading whatever Khan was plotting.
"I'll just trust my instinct, Su... let's go." The stripped feline tugged her forearm, Su admonished her cousin quietly with her characteristic eye-rolling derision.
After restocking all rudimentary maintenance at a nearby village, such as weapon, food, and medicine, both felines continued their sojourn. The rest of their journey to the Imperial City was completed in two days. The scenery around them began to change, towering pinnacles in exchange to the snowy mountains, dusty, busy road, pack with a throng of various animal in many different formats in exchange of fresh mountain air and peaceful tranquility. Both of them opted for a moment of respite to take cursory note of their surrounding, it's been awhile since both immersed in...civilisation. Su was greeted with such mind blowing hubbub, while Jia looked preoccupied with her own mind.
Wu Jia knew the palace almost like the palm of her paw, as Emperor's wife, she easily gained access to many private parts of the extensive building. One piece of useful information was the knowledge of secret escape passage which built as a precaution for the royal family to escape in case of power siege. It was built from the underground jail towards the east garden, ending at the woods.
Both creature carefully approached where the trap door was. Planted leveled with the ground, the trap door was normally covered with soil and vegetation to obscure its existence. But when they merely at the proximity, Wu Jia saw someone else with a black cloak stood next to it, unearthing the dirt that concealed the trapdoor. She couldn't see the creature's face, but he was taller than both Su and herself, most of his figure concealed behind a thick black cloak, larger than her, whatever he was - he might be quite a hard opponent to take down.
Sensing someone's eyes were perusing his movement, the creature turned around, while Wu Jia and Su quickly took cover behind the bushes.
"I think we had to attack whosoever that is," Jia whispering through the silence with quality matching to the slice of executioner blade cutting the thin air, her counterpart nodded her approval. At the count of three, both of female felines pounced their target, surprising enough, their prey skilfully sidestepped and accurately threw a few shurikens at them, which Su quickly deflected empty handed while Jia took cover behind the tree, but mentally applauded their oppressor of such competence. Until he turned around and by divine intervention...cold winter wind accidentally uncover his hood and gave away his identity.
Both female felines gasped in disbelief.
** Flashback to the past, Tigress culinary skill was first honed by Po's mom in the beginning of the story (chap 2) during her 'vision' time travel to the first panda village, outskirt of Gongmen City
***Chinese people normally gave money as a present... deemed more practical than the actual stuff.
****The hog that appeared on KFP1 whom often watered her plants. I made a one shot relating to this story (from the hog point of view) when she happened to witness Tigress kissing Po in his bedroom. One-shot title : Neighbour (have a laugh...!)
In the KFP universe, it was stated that Tai Lung was imprisoned for 20 years (which I counted as canon on my story), while Lord Shen already waited for his revenge for 30 years (this one I had to disregard and cut it shorter). As much as I understood, in KFP universe, Lord Shen attack on the panda village happened BEFORE Tai Lung first rampage, but if we assume 3 years between event in KFP1 and KFP2, Po would be older than 7 years old by the time Tai Lung rampage the valley, and he would have remembered the snow leopard. (And this will mean the flashback he had in KFP2 was way before the snow leopard destroys the valley).
So here is my assumption :
I just had a closer look on KFP timeline. For the sake of the story, I assume that Lord Shen's attack the panda village happened BEFORE to Tai Lung first rampage in Valley of peace - however not that long before.
Li Shan still lived outside Gongmen, village of Tenhuan, when he met Black Arrow/Hei Jian, who was imprisoned due to his involvement helping Wu Jia escape Khan's rage - by this time Li's wife was expecting Po, and Wu Jia was expecting Tigress.
Po was then born in Tenhuan, and Lord Shen took down the panda village when he was 1 years old. While Wu Jia then moved to Valley of Peace with her unborn child, where she was confronted by Tai Lung for the first time. She raised tigress for a few months before she gave her away to the orphanage - and a few years later, Shifu adopted her. So, Tai Lung and Tigress had never share the same roof albeit being adopted by the same person.
So for the sake of this story, I am going to defy all KFP timeline, hence making Po a little older from Tigress by few months.