The Councilman
As Po was passing the Training Hall, he spotted Crane standing behind one of the pillars. The bird tried to blend in with the pillar's shadow, but a white bird doesn't vanish well. "Crane? What are you-"
"Quick hide!" The bird shouted. He pulled the big bear behind the pillar, leaving his fluffy tail sticking out. "She'll see me."
"Wha... who are you... OOhhh!" Po peaked around the corner and saw Viper darting her tail and striking the spinning dummies with ease. The panda rolled his eyes. "Crane, why are you being a stalker?"
"I'd like to see you confess to a girl," Crane screeched out in a whisper.
"Ah... okay I get your point." Po saw Viper turning her head. "Oh! Hey, Viper!"
"Good morning Po," She waved back with her tail. "Were you... talking to that pillar?"
"Uh...Um?" One look from Crane's pleading face told him what he needed to do. "Uh... yeah. Just... you know... talking to myself... hehe. Plus, it's a... nice pillar. Nice uh... wood."
Viper giggled, "I hope you two have a good conversation." She slithered out of the hall, and Po heard a feathery bird collapse next to him. Crane had held his breath for two minutes after nearly being found out.
"Are you okay?" Po asked.
"No, you nearly gave my cover away."
"Riiiggghht, says the guy trying to stalk his teammate."
"I wasn't stalking!" Crane said. "I was just... making sure she was okay." Po rolled his eyes and helped his avian friend from the ground. "I just don't know what to do, Po."
"Just talk to her," Po encouraged, "Maybe you'll find out something about her you didn't know. I mean, you guys have been a part of the Furious Five for how long?"
"About seven years."
"And when did you start getting feelings for her?" Crane tipped his hat to the side as he scratched his head with his feathers.
"I guess when I was under Kai's control. I don't remember everything, but... I remember thinking about what I regretted."
"And that was?"
"...Not telling her my feelings," Crane sighed. Po smiled.
"Come on, Crane. You're the Master Bird of Confidence! I'm sure you'll be able to tell her."
"Tell who what?"
"WAHAAHH!" Po jumped right into Crane's arms like a frog dropped into a hot frying pan. The two finally noticed Tigress beside them. "Oh, it's just you, Tigress. Gosh, I really need to put a bell around your neck or something."
The tiger squinted her eyes. "I think I'd rather you learn how to listen better."
"Heheh, good point," Po said timidly.
"What are you two talking about?"
"Uh... nothing!" Crane said, dropping Po.
"Owww."
"Po and I were just... talking about confidence," Crane said. Tigress rose her eyebrow and crossed her arms as Po stumbled back to his feet. "Sooo uhhh yeah."
"And what else?"
"Uh... we were... actually, Tigress, you might help us," Po grinned.
"Po, don't you dare," Crane gritted through his beak, but Po wasn't listening.
"What do you think about relationships? I mean between Kung fu masters."
"I don't think it goes well."
"What?" Po and Crane said.
"I think it's a recipe for disaster. It's better for Kung Fu Masters to focus on their craft rather than on any... earthly attachments. That and it's not practical. Both of the masters would be fighting in life-threatening situations and the loss of a loved one can... change masters." Tigress looked at the ground as memories crowded her head. "And there may be no coming back from that... save for a panda falling out of the sky."
"Oh... OOOHHHH! Hehehe yeah good one," Crane chuckled.
"I don't get it," Po said. Tigress shook her head with a small smile. "So... you think masters can't... be in a relationship?"
"It's better for everyone. You can't think of your own wants when you're a master. Only others."
"Oh..." Po's lips cracked for a brief moment. Then he shook his head and gave a smile. "Uh... than-thank you, Tigress... that was...helpful."
"Po, are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm," He cleared his throat. "I'm fine. Just a little... cold." Crane and Tigress glanced at each other. A single thought crossed their minds: Po was lying. "Uh, was there something you wanted to tell us, Tigress?"
Right, duty. She had forgotten about that. "The new councilman will be here shortly. He wants to meet with us and then he's going to task us with an important mission."
Crane rolled his eyes. "Ah, more political work." Tigress nodded. "Well, let's not keep him waiting. Are you coming, Po? Po?"
The panda shook off of his long yard stare into the ground. "Huh? Oh! Yeah, just... I'll be there in a minute. Tell Shifu I'll be there." And Po ran off.
"Po." Tigress called, but the panda was gone. She moved to follow, but Crane stopped the tiger. "Crane?"
"Let him go. I think he needs some time to himself."
"What did I say?" She asked, worried. Crane shrugged.
"I don't think you said anything wrong. You said the truth. But... maybe that is what's wrong?"
"You're speaking in riddles, Crane," Tigress said. "Just tell me what's wrong with Po?"
"I don't know... I don't know."
The panda rushed over to the Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom. The pink flowers were barely cracking from their shells, but the panda didn't care. He looked down on the little village nestled in the valley. He grabbed a peach from the tree and looked at it. His hand trembled. His mind trembled, split between two voices.
Eat it.
Don't eat it.
Eat it: Just be upset. It's okay. She's right. There was never going to be anything more for you with anyone. It's okay to be upset. Besides, there are other things in life other than love.
Don't eat it: So she has a point, that doesn't mean things can't change. Your life is how you make it. Besides, don't you think the person you look for would know that their life is constantly in danger?
Eat it.
Don't eat it.
"UGGGGHHH!" Po dropped the peach and plopped to the ground. His head spun with different thoughts and feelings. Passions, insults, and manic voices charged his brain. "UGGGH! WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO! I can't just say that it sucks and move on! Why does everyone else have a good life, but I'm the exception?!"
Then another thought came in. A small quiet thought stopping all of the others.
Does it matter?
Po looked back down at the forlorn peach, picked it up, and listened.
Does it matter: Even if she's right, it's not like life is a well-thought-out play of events. Even Oogway didn't know the Dragon Warrior would be a panda. He just had faith in the universe. Life is too complex to be followed by little simple rules. Sure, the rules will help you out a lot, more than lawlessness will, but you will still have problems where it is confusing. She might be right, but it is also your life, not anyone elses.
"Yeah," Po finally spoke and smiled. "It is." He took a large bite out of the fruit and made a face. "EWWW! Yuck! It's spoiled!" Po tossed it away but still looked at it. Something about the sweet color of the peach and its contrasting blackened inside made him uneasy. "Hehe, just nerves. He chuckled to himself all the way back down the hill. He made his way past the red columns of the Hall of Heroes' patio and opened the door. Mantis jumped onto his shoulder.
"Hey! Where have you been? We were worried sick about you."
"Sorry, I was... away." Po cheesily smiled.
"Po, please get in line with the others," Shifu gently commanded, "The Councilman should be here any moment." Po got inline right next to Tigress, facing the open doors. The panda looked at the shiny jade floor as time went by.
"Where did you have to go?" Tigress quietly asked.
"Hmm? Oh... I was just... doing something. It doesn't matter," Po finished. Tigress silently studied Po's stiff plump body until the loud thump of footsteps marched up the stairs. "Here he comes."
Two large tall rhino guards in old avocado green armor stepped into the Hall of Heroes and stood apart to let the Councilman through. Councilman Platon stood at 6' 2", a little taller than Po and Tigress, and his light brown mane strangely complimented his deep red robe. He had a large gold chain around his neck while his shapely pecs and torso were exposed to the elements. A white band wrapped around the lower part of his light tan abdominal, and his golden pants matched the decorative inner lining of the robe. The lion stood tall and humbly proud with a few gray hairs rebelliously streaking his mane. The two rhinos quickly closed the gap behind him to ensure his protection, even though Platon carried a large sword by his waist.
The sword was encased in a fine brown case, etched with a roaring lion down its long curved length. It looked old yet still usable. A family heirloom, perhaps? But the varnish didn't look completely Chinese. Po couldn't make anything out of it.
Shifu bowed first, "It is an honor to finally meet you, Councilman Platon." The others bowed as well. The lion smiled kindly and bowed.
"You'll have to forgive me," He spoke in a deep warm voice that seemed to hug everyone. "I'm not really used to this climate."
"Yes, the elevation can give one lightheadedness," Shifu agreed.
"I get it all the time. Hehehe." The Furious Five groaned at Po's joke, but Platon smiled.
"Where are my manners? It is an honor to see all of you. Just out of curiosity, which one of you is the Dragon Warrior?"
"Him." Everyone said in a monotone voice. Po awkwardly waved his hand with his goofy shy smile. He never liked being put on the spot. The rhino guards glanced at each other. The right one shrugged while the left one facepalmed himself.
"I... see... you're the one who defeated Tai-Lung, Shen, and Kai?" Platon asked.
"And several others, Councilman," Shifu said. "He might not look like much, but he is a warrior... unlike anything the world has ever seen." The more Shifu said that the more Po felt he meant it as a joke.
"I can tell." Platon's eyes shifted to Tigress, and he slightly gasped. The guards glanced at each other.
"It's her," The left guard said to the right.
"Shhh!"
"Annnnddd you must be... Master Tigress!" Platon grinned, finally recovering from his shock. "I'm sorry for my... surprise. There were some reports that said you were a man. I apologize for my reaction."
"It's okay. She gets that all the time," Po chuckled. He shrunk back a bit as he heard Tigress's low growl. Platon approached her, smiling wide and large.
"It is an honor to see a female warrior in a land so few of them."
"You're not from here?" Tigress asked.
"No, not born here." He stuck out his hand. "But it is customary in my culture to grasp the female warriors' forearm as a sign of equality." Tigress softened and smiled. Female warriors were still new to the world of Kung Fu and martial arts. It was nice to find a person that wasn't against it.
"I'm glad to hear that," she said. Po rolled his eyes, though he didn't know why. Just the fact that Platon could get on Tigress's good side in an instant irked some unknown boundary inside him. He shook his head and reverted back to his neutral stare off into nothingness. "I hope to be working with you, Councilman Platon," She continued.
"Please, just call me Platon. All of you." He smiled with the glint of an old loving grandfather.
Tigress grabbed his forearm and firmly squeezed it.
"Ow," Platon winced.
That 'Ow' caused the guards behind him to drop their jaws. They stared at each other, wide eyes ready to roll right out of their sockets. As they held their spears, the guards struggled not to fall back in amazement.
Po didn't know what the fuss was about, but he knew something was off. He just didn't know what.
Continued...
