AN: (Cross-posted on AO3)
Hello everyone! It's been a minute, hasn't it? I hope you've all been well over the past month (or whenever I last posted). This story is a continuation/sequel to my first story ever posted, which I wrote six months ago. That story was called Sunrise (and it's still up if any newer readers are interested, even though I think it's pretty bad nowadays). Just know that you don't need to read the first story for this one to make sense, they're both pretty random with no storyline or plot to take note of.
With that said, I hope you all enjoy!
POST-KFP3
When Tigress reached the summit of the steep stairway that led to the Sacred Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom, she was met with a cool breeze, one that was received as quite refreshing. Despite the coolness that the higher altitude that the peach tree's location brought, the end of the summer season was nearing and the weather was beginning to become unbearably hot down below, as it usually did around the end of August; the trees and their leaves would sag slightly, the ground, regardless of its material, would be burning hot, and the air would be stifling, almost to the point where it was unbreathable. As quickly as the ferocious heat would appear, however, it would be gone within days and the region would be graced with the sweet presence of autumn.
While there was a delightful and very much appreciated temperature change to be found at the peach tree, it's not what the tiger had gone there for; she'd gone, as she did whenever she could, for the excellent view of the sunset that the elevated aspect had to offer. Seating herself on the soft ground in a lotus position near the edge of the cliffside, Tigress inhaled and exhaled in a calming manner, letting her amber eyes take in everything and anything the amazing scene before her showcased.
The sunsets in the Valley of Peace were indescribable. If the image of one could be captured and shown to outsiders, they'd say that it was faux. They'd turn up their noses and call the beholder a liar, a liar selling nothing but rice-paper paintings of realism whilst claiming them to somehow be actual images of a sunset that was far too beautiful to exist. Their eyes would scan the image; the deep orange skies that faded into scarlet, the impossibly huge clouds that were of the same vibrant colors and fluctuating shape as a fire's flames, the smaller puffs of slightly paler clouds that seemed to flock around the edges of the horizon, the absurdly gorgeous golden and red-tipped sun, and the round-topped mountains that framed the scene like a picture. They'd see it and say that it was something of a fairytale, never to be seen by the eyes of anyone. Even if this were the case, Tigress would know the truth. She'd been watching the hidden-gem sunsets from the peach tree for longer than she cared to guess.
There was a certain feel to the peach tree, Tigress'd noticed over her many years of residing at the Jade Palace. Maybe it was the place in which it grew, having a gorgeous and serene view of the humble village of the Valley of Peace. Perhaps it was the dormant spiritual energy and wisdom of masters past, the trodden soil and fruit tree living in remembrance of the people who had once walked upon the ground's delicate surface and admired the ethereal beauty of the tree's sacred petals. Maybe it was the closeness to the legendary Jade Palace, the home of the Dragon Warrior, that gave the spot its sense of difference; its sense of calm and comfort, of safeness and security, to almost anywhere else in Tigress's world.
The person who injected an 'almost' into that thought wasn't around, Tigress realized upon allowing the subject of him to temporarily take over her thoughts. She vaguely recalled him telling her and the rest of the five that he was going to go down to the noodle shop to visit his fathers, but that'd been at least four or five hours prior to the sunset. Letting her vision drift to the valley below, Tigress found herself wanting to smile at the sight of the houses; her heart swelled with fondness and pride as she gazed at the lives that she, along with her friends, had the privilege of protecting. As cutthroat as being a master of martial arts could be, she wouldn't trade it for the world; it was her passion and her dream, her lifeblood, her reason for being.
Her train of thought halted when she heard a noise from behind her; the tiger could only think of one person who would even try to sneak up on her. "Po," Tigress addressed, much softer than she usually would, smirking with fond amusement.
"Ah, darn," A familiar voice uttered in a tone that was a mix between begrudging and playful, a tone that was almost guaranteed from the panda whenever he was caught in an attempt to surprise Tigress; which, truth be told, was every single time he'd tried to do so.
"I don't know why you still try," The tiger remarked lightheartedly, shrugging her shoulders lightly as she spoke. She took her eyes off of the village's landscape and turned her head to look at her best friend, who sat down to her left, leaving a few inches between them at most. "You know I'll hear you, regardless of any distraction."
Po only grinned in response, shaking his head as he looked at the sunset that had pulled Tigress up to the peach tree for so many years.
There was a blissful silence between them in that moment; it wasn't awkward or uncomfortable, nor did either of them feel that they needed any conversation to make the moment worthwhile.
"I could sit here for a while," Tigress commented after a few minutes of quietness, glancing to
Po, who was watching the sunset with the same amount of admiration as she.
Looking at her, he replied with a smile, "Let's."
AN: Yes, I know it's short, but that's kind of how I intended it to turn out. Like its predecessor, I wanted it to be more about the practicing of visual description than the actual plot of the story, which, if I'm being honest with myself, there really isn't one. It's just some subtle TiPo and Tigress appreciating sunsets.
I'd really like to hear your thoughts on the one-shot, so if you'd like, leave a review/comment. They're always very much appreciated and I'm so grateful for every one I receive.
Until next time! I hope you're all well. :)