VIPER POV

Forgetting my previous thoughts, I rushed towards the crowd before they threatened to tear the building down. Something must have been seriously wrong for so many of them to surround the barracks. All the yelling they were making did not make the situation any easier. I could only worry for what may have happened. Some sort of incident? Doubtful. Zeng would have been sure to have informed us about it. I slithered up to a duck at the very back of the crowd and politley tapped on her shoulder. With some luck, she'd be able to inform me on the situation. I cleared my throat.

"Excuse me madam, is everything o"-

Before I could finish, the duck turned to me aggressively with fire in her eyes.

"Oh no you don't toots! You're not getting your scaly tail on my man"!

She turned back at once, leaving me shocked at the sudden rudeness of her words. The villagers have never talked like that as far as I've lived here. I pouted before geting her attention once more, determined to find out what this was all about. I tapped her on the shoulder once again.

"Miss, I'm going to need you to be a bit more cooperative otherwise I'll be forced to escort you back down to the village. Understood"? I warned, giving the woman my own annoyed glare. Thankfully, she held her anger and explained. Even if it did sound like she was forcing out her words.

"If you really must know, I plan on confessing my true feelings for Mike! Then, I'll be taking him to the fanciest restaurant in the valley! At least I would if it wasn't for all these harpies blocking my path"!

She's planning what?!

My jaw hung open for a second before coming back to my senses. Surely the villagers were aware of Mine and Mikes relationship! Thankfully I held my tongue from snapping at her and composed myself. Anger was not going to get me anywhere. I was better than that. The only way I was going to get through to these people was with kindness and understanding.

"Well if that really is the case, then I'm afraid to have to tell you that"-

"HE'S GONE"! Someone from the front of the group yelled, causing gasps and words of concern.

Gone? Then where the heck is he?

...

MIKE POV

Welp, I have no doubt about it. This is certainly one of the shittiest days of my life... Or at least somewhere up there in the top ten.

I now found myself sitting down on a wooden chair in front of a table opposite Tigress who was staring at me with half dazed eyes as she ate a bowl of noodles, which she paid for both herself and I. Of course you may be asking why I didn't choose that moment to run away while she was distracted ordering? Simple. It's freaking Tigress! If I dared move so much as an inch, she'd know. If I had dared try to run from her, she'd most likely end up with a broken heart... and bloody murder me for it! No, I was much safer where I was. Although it was only a matter of time before the rest of the psychos tracked me down. I can only imagine how well Viper is going to take this once she finds out...

"Something wrong Mikey"?

Oh dear lord, she did not just call me "Mikey" did she?

"Uh... Nope. Everything's fine". I lied, putting on the most positive face I could before eating some of the noodles placed before me in an attempt to keep her from talking to me, maybe give myself enough time to think of a way out of this.

Okay, so running away like a frightened little girl is no longer an option, and the possibility of bandits attacking is very unlikely... Which means I'll need to find a way to trick her into letting me go. Only question is how? Maybe I can pretend I need to use the bathroom? Worth a shot at least.

"Say, uh... You know, that water's gone right through me. Better head off to the bathroom". I spoke up. My comment earned me a confused look from the hardcore warrior.

"... What"?

"We aren't drinking water".

I looked down at the table. Two bowls of noodle soup, spoons, a candle sitting in the middle of the table, and for whatever reason, I could have sworn that the song from that spaghetti scene in "Lady and the Tramp" was playing in my head, so even my own mind is messing with me, fantastic... But as far as my eyes could see, no glasses of water. Damn it! I've just gotten myself into just as tight a spot now all because of my ignorance!

"I... meant from when I was back up at the barracks. Before you came and... well"...

"Surprised you"? Tigress asked with a small wink.

Yeah, I was thinking more along the lines of kidnapping. But hey, surprised comes next I guess.

"Yeah, exactly". I spoke calmly. "But if you'll excuse me, I'm just gonna"-

"Mike"?

Before I could slither off of my seat, Tigress had ahold of my tail. What was surprising was that she hadn't grabbed it forcefully like I had expected her to do. Instead, she was holding it gently with one paw while maintaining a hurt expression. Wow. She can be very gentle when she wants to be.

"This isn't just an excuse just for you to leave is it"?

"... Noooooo... why would you think that"? I asked with shifty eyes.

Tigress relaxed a little, enough to release my tail.

"I'm... glad to hear. I know you wouldn't purposely break my heart". She teased with an airy voice to her words.

"Oh believe me, I wouldn't". I replied in the same manner with a fake smile. "If I broke your heart, I would never forgive myself"...

"Awww"...

"Because you'll probably break my spine". I muttered under my breath.

"What was that dear"?

"Oh nothing"...

A moment of silence passed. One plan had been thrown out the window. Suppose I can just try talking to her until I think of something else.

"Anyway... I must ask Tigress. Why me? I mean, out of all the people you could have chosen, you went for me".

Tigress pondered on the question for a moment. About twenty two seconds to be exact.

"I... don't know. Something about you just seems to stand out. But... I'm embarrased to say I don't know what. Is it your look, your personality, or how well your fighting skills have progressed"...

Or maybe, just maybe, it has something to do with a stupid potion sold to me by a soon to be dead market pig! All I wanted was to not feel guilty! I just felt as though everyone hated me after yesterdays events, hiding it with fake apologies, and now look where it's gotten me!

"Well, I'm touched (I think). Which is a little surprising to be honest". I kept playing along.

"What do you mean"?

"No offense Ti, but I never really saw you as... well, the romantic type. I always considered you to be nothing but a hardcore warrior".

Tigress's face dropped a little, but quickly returned.

"I can see why you think that. But sometimes... just sometimes... there can be more to life than kung fu"?

My mouth nearly fell open. Was this still the real Tigress?!

"I, uh... never knew you saw it that way". I gave a friendly smile, forgetting the situation I was in for a moment. She continued.

"Some people believe that the hardcore are nothing more than what people expect of them. To be strong, fearless and heroic. But what they don't realise is that the hardcore do understand"... She paused to look in her bowl of noodles, seeing her own reflection from the soup within. "All I know is that the roots of it lie somewhere within my past. Maybe because of the way other children saw me when I resided within the Bao Gu orphanage, or because of my many years training under Master Shifu, trying my hardest to make him proud... Or perhaps it is to do with the fact that I never really knew my real fam"-

"MIKE"?

A sudden yell caught both our attentions. I looked to see Viper, right there at the entrance!

"VIPER"! I smiled, slithering off of my seat and waster no time in hugging Viper! God, I was beginning to worry that something may have happened to her!

"Are you okay? You're not hurt are you"? I asked, giving her a moment to catch her breath. If I had gone and hugged her any tighter, her eyes would have flown out of their sockets.

"I'm fine. But we have a serious problem".

"Believe me I know". I grumbled in an annoyed tone. "But don't worry, I think I know what to do! We just need to find a certain market, and then we'll... we'll... Uh, is it me, or do you hear some sort of growling noise..."?

Indeed, there was a low growling sound, coming from behind me. What was... Oh Dear God...

Doing the last thing I wanted to do, I slowly turned round, looked up and stared into the eyes of Hell itself... It was Tigress... She was mad- no, mad came nowhere close. She was furious! Livid! Barely holding back her rage! Why- Oh right, I did kind of leave her while she was pouring her heart out and pushed all of her affections away... I'm an effing idiot...

"Anything you have to say for crushing my feelings"?... She, growled out in the most hostile manner possible, leaning down towards me where I almost fainted from seeing her shrunk fiery pupils.

..."... Mommy"... Was all that whimpered out in a very unmanly fashion...

...

Well, better start praying for poor Mike's sake.

Cheerio!