Getting Better
"I told you. I can't tell you right now," Po said to his canine friend. Wolf had been 'asking' what the panda meant at their little meeting with Sho and Tai Yang. "Listen, just trust me. Please." The dog rose his eyebrow. "Hey! You trusted me with this major secret! Give me some slack, alright? It's not like I have the entire weight of a secret clan's existence on my shoulders or something."
The wolf fell into a deeper silence as they trudged up the steps. There was a sting of Po's voice. It fell on the panda like a large five-pound bag on his head. He usually wasn't like this: frustrated, irritated, and sad. Even with most of the secrets out of the bag, Po still held a lot on his own chest. As they finally got to the top, Po panted.
That was new. Ever since he had exercised more rigorously, the stairs became easier. Except for this time. He felt Wolf's hand on his shoulder. "I'm fine," Po answered, straightening back up. "Just... stressed?" Though unsure, the panda couldn't have said truer words. As the two walked back to their home, Po saw Wolf off to sleep. He slept next to Zeng's small servant house on the floor, even though the wolf had insisted on staying down in the dungeon.
You're staying up here and that's final!
Po remembered Tigress practically growling Wolf out of his home in the dungeon to Zeng's place, though the duck didn't mind. But the fact that Tigress, the person who was previously the most against Wolf even moving around in the dungeon, was going all out to make sure he was cared for, still surprised all of them.
Wolf's yawn pried Po from his thoughts as they got to Zeng's small house. "I'll get you in the morning. I'll see what I can figure out tomorrow," Po sighed in-between his words, "Anyway goodnight."
The wolf's stare made him stop. "Nothing nothing," Po said. "It's just... after tonight, I don't know if I'm going to be strong enough to take Sho and Platon on. I mean, Tai Yang." Po rolled his eyes. "Why did he choose that name? We all know who he is." Wolf shook his head and pointed to Po. "Right, right. He doesn't know I know. Right." Po sighed loudly. "This is too much. How am I supposed to be strong enough to take them on? I can barely handle Sho!"
Wolf smiled and patted Po's bare chest, resting his hand over his heart. Po looked at Wolf's red eyes. They seemed hopeful, not without doubt, like a sunset about to descend into the night. Po looked back and saw the sun about to break the darkness, and he yawned. "Alright, I guess I'll just have to keep working hard, huh?" Wolf nodded. "Thanks, Wolfie."
"Heheh," The wolf chuckled and waved Po goodnight. The panda yawned and walked over small dusty, rocky trails to the barracks, feeling the ache in his feet. The wooden sleeping quarters had no lights or candles shining through its silk open windows. So no one was up. Po took a sigh. It would be hard to explain to Tigress why he was up all night and tired, but that was a problem for later, he thought. Po yawned again and stretched his back passing the kitchen when he heard the scariest sound he could hear.
"Po."
"YIPE!"
And it sounded very very familiar.
The panda backtracked his body, standing straight, and faced the menacing, glaring tiger sitting at the other end of the kitchen. Hands folded in front of her while her amber eyes pierced through his chubby body like a hot knife through a lung, Tigress slowly stood up from her seat and walked over to Po.
"Nope," Po said and began walking away.
"Po, get back here," Tigress said, not loud, but firm enough to stop the panda in his tracks. "Where were you?"
"I was-"
"Po," Tigress stopped, "Please, no more secrets."
He looked at her eyes. Though threatening, they were also pleading. Her frown was enough to pull at his heartstrings, roping out a sigh from his throat.
"I was... Sho wanted to meet with me and the wolf. He and Platon-"
"Platon was there?" Tigress asked.
"Yes... and no. He was wearing a mask and a cloak and went by Tai Yang," Po shrugged. "Anyways, they wanted me to give Wolf over to them so they can give him back to the Emperor."
Tigress rose her eyebrow. "Why would a bandit and a... whatever Platon was pretending to be, want to turn in a criminal?"
"For Sho, I guess it would be to get some reward money?" Po shrugged, "It's fast cash."
"But he's one of the most wanted people around. Why would he-" Tigress shook her head. "We're getting off-topic. What happened?" Po told her all that happened. Tigress's eyes widened as she crossed her arms. Her gaze on the ground tightened Po's chest. He knew that gaze. She only ever made it when she was unsure. "Do you...do you think we're strong enough to fight them?"
Po sighed and smiled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "I think we can. IF you're willing to spare tomorrow?"
"You mean today?" Tigress smirked.
"I mean tomorrow tomorrow. You know what I mean." He rolled his eyes.
Tigress smiled humorously, "I accept."
"And Tigress," Po said with a sudden weight in his voice. "No holding back." Tigress's smile disappeared. She looked away for a moment, clenching her arms a bit tighter.
"I'll...I'll try."
Over the next two weeks, Po and Tigress spared from dusk till dawn, only stopping for food, bandits, sleep, and sometimes, just to talk. The two grew in strength and skill. Sometimes Tigress would beat Po; other times, Po would beat her. Each time, a moment or second faster would change the course of the spar, and each time, another defeat would be followed by another round. It had become a competition, a game of skill and speed, but mostly strength.
Though Po would never admit it, his favorite moments were when Tigress nearly lost control. It became a real test of strength then. Sometimes, he would end it quickly, shifting their positions to get the upper hand. Other times, he wasn't quick enough, and the growling tiger would push him down, pinning him with a grin as wide as a river, teasing between excitement, power, and...
Po didn't know what the other thing was, even though it seemed oddly familiar.
Wolf had changed clothes, on Tigress' request, and got new black pants with a white tangzhuang jacket. He would've preferred being bareback or even having a vest like Tigress's red one, but the tiger was firm on making sure that the wolf didn't suffer more cold nights. "You do know he's a wolf, right?" Po had said one time, "They're pretty used to-" His words were met with Tigress's icy stare. "Never mind!" And so the wolf helped Zeng out with his many errands, silently bringing order to the Jade Palace's confusing organization.
Crane and Viper tried their best to keep their relationship a secret, only meeting at night, messages slipped under the table, quick hugs... or wrapping around... things...
Anyways, they both decided to come to Master Shifu about their relationship. The two warriors stood stiff in front of their master in the Hall of Heroes. The red panda silently paced back and forth, staring at the ground and then at them and again at the ground. His hand stroked his beard as the mental mechanics turned in his head. Finally, he stopped and faced both of them. "And you're sure about this decision you've made."
"Yes Master Shifu," They said. Shifu held his peace.
"Master Shifu, I know that this isn't the way that... I know that masters aren't supposed to have emotional attachments or..."
"Where exactly did you hear this?" Shifu asked Crane.
"Tigress," They said. Shifu sighed, rubbing his right temple.
"Of course," He muttered low under his breath. He straightened up and spoke clearer, "Well, even though Tigress's warning does have merit, she is largely mistaken about the attachments of a Master. Freedom from earthy attachments is one thing, but animals are not of the earth, nor are they objects like money."
"But... what about love, fame, power, all of those things?" Crane asked.
"It's how you maintain your attachment to these things that determine your corruption. Many people are attached to the idea of fame but don't have the skills to properly hold it without being consumed by it. Balance in your life is really the key," Shifu said as he looked at the Dragon Scroll above, "And they become so obsessed with it that they never realize the reality of fame. Or whatever they're chasing after. The point is to focus on the present moment, not on lofty paradises that are fantasies." His two students nodded. "Now, I need to talk with Crane privately, Master Viper. Don't worry, he's not in trouble."
"Yes Master Shifu," Viper said. The tip of her tail gently brushed against Crane's feather tips as she slithered out of the hall.
"Crane," Shifu said as the bird gulped. "Are you sure you're ready for this? Many masters have done what you're doing and while the majority do have long happy lives, Tigress is right about the danger. I know you would defend Viper with your life, but would you also defend others? And how would you react if she was hurt or..." He didn't need to finish. "I'm asking because I don't want you to become cold to helping and protecting others. I already know what it is like to love someone too much." Crane nodded. "Do you understand the life you're about to take?"
Crane stood there. The tension in his chest tore apart like his brain. In a moment, he knew the answer but didn't know if it was the right one.
It didn't need to be, though. It just needed to be the honest one.
"Master Shifu. Life... life is too short for me to live in fear. All life is too short for that matter. I'm going to enjoy as much of this life that I can have, before living the next one. I know I'll do everything I can to protect Viper and others, but I know there's only so much I can do." The silence punctured the room as Shifu gazed at his student. Crane held his shoulders proud and tall, though his heart sped up at the speed of light. Shifu slowly nodded his head and turned his back, saying,
"Take care of each other, then, Master Crane. I hope you enjoy your life to the fullest." Though he couldn't see it, Crane could have sworn he heard a little lift in his master's voice. The bird shook his head, flew out of the hall, and caught up with Viper. The two walked over to the Training Hall. Actually, Crane walked while Viper cutely and loosely wrapped around his neck and body, lifting her head up to his eyes.
"So he's okay with it?" Viper asked excitedly. Crane smiled and nodded. The serpent rubbed her head against his, hissing pleasantly. "That's a relief. All these pent-up frustrations only to be denied."
"Let's not worry about what could've been," Crane said romantically. "I'm more focused on what's happening now." Viper's smile grew wider as she pecked the bird's cheek. A wide goofy grin sat on Crane's face, making Viper giggle.
Suddenly, a loud roar rattled the wood and timbers of the Training Hall. The door was closed, but the two warriors could hear shouts and grunts coming from the other side. Sharp gusts threatened to knock the doors down, but the gusts were coming from inside.
"Tigress and Po?" Viper asked.
"Tigress and Po," Crane finished. "I think we should get going... and also tell Wolf and Zeng to reinforce the Training Hall."
"Which part?"
"EVERYTHING!" Crane loudly declared. Viper chuckled as the two walked back to their rooms.
Meanwhile, Tigress darted back and left, missing the panda's punch. "You're going to have to do better than that, Po!" she taunted.
"Oh I'll show you better," Po smirked, jumping after her. Another block and punch, and Tigress slid back. The scratches and tears in her red qipao vest were mostly on the bottom or on the sides of her abdomen. Not that she cared. The panda's crushing blow to her stomach erased any concerns about clothing.
"GRAH!" She grunted, barely blocking the punch. She slid back, nearly dropping to her knee. "That's it," She growled and went on the offense.
"Uh oh," Po ducked under the tiger's swinging kicks. Jumping back, he leaped off one of the pillars and landed behind Tigress, where the tiger kicked him in the back. "GAHH! Ohhh that's gonna come back in old age."
"Come and fight me!" Tigress growled. Reason had been thrown out the window the moment they started fighting, so of course, Po rallied back. They went into a deadlock, struggling to push the other down. There were times when Tigress would pull back and let Po fall, but the panda had gotten better at jumping out of the way of her descending stomps.
But both of them knew they wouldn't let the other fall. They liked it when they were in a deadlock like this, staring into each others' eyes, straining to pin the other down. This wasn't a part of any Kung Fu technique they knew, but for some reason they did it. For Po, it was a test of strength to see if he could finally match the mighty Master Tigress. For Tigress... Po never knew why she even bothered to hold out on these deadlocks, but she seemed to enjoy them if her wide wild grin was any indication.
It was both dangerous and exciting to Po when she was in this state. He couldn't place his finger on it, but it was just...
Suddenly, Po noticed his hold beginning to weaken. "Uh oh," Po muttered. The tiger's grin widened as she pushed harder and pinned the large panda down to the ground.
This was the scary part.
Tigress's glower bore into Po's soul while growl after growl rumbled out of her throat. And always in that grin. "T-T-Tigress?!"
Normally, Tigress would snap out of it at the mention of her name. But this time, she didn't. They had been sparring for a long time, long enough for her to throw away her control and start embracing her natural side, whatever that was. Often it came out in grunts and growls, but whenever she got to that state, they'd break for a moment. But they didn't break this time; 4 hours of fighting will do that. Her growls grew louder and louder as her face neared Po's. With her hands pinned on Po's arms, the panda couldn't do much but watch the tiger's wild eyes and growling glistening teeth flash at him.
Then he had an idea.
When she got close enough, Po's head lurched forward and...
He intended to headbutt her. That's what he said at least after the fact.
What happened was the panda's lips crashed against Tigress's, shocking both her and him out of their focused fighting. Her growling stopped and her eyes, now wider than a bowl of rice, lost all of their wildness. Tigress's eyes fluttered shut. Her hold on him slackened, but the panda didn't wrestle out of them. And when one arm was freed, his hand moved to her cheek.
The tiger jumped off of him, scrambling to her feet. Her hands balled into fists, but her arms hung firmly at her sides. She couldn't meet the panda's eyes; her own darted to the left and right, looking for a way to explain this. For a brief moment, she glanced at Po. His face looked... hurt, but then Po slowly realized what he had done and blushed while his eyes darted around the room. The panda stumbled up to his feet and cleared his throat. "Uh... sorry about that... I... I was trying to... uh... headbutt! But uh... yeah..."
"That's alright. It's okay uh... I think we uh... need to take a break."
"Right! Right," Po exclaimed with the most nervous laugh they had ever heard. "Uhhh why don't we just take five and-"
"That's a good plan," Tigress quickly said, nodding her head. The two nodded again, and Tigress stormed out of the Training Hall. She strode out; the wind brushed her exposed arms, though her mind stayed on the tingling in her lips. She gently touched them with the tips of her fingers. "No, no," she muttered, walking faster and shaking her head, "He was just... trying to get my attention. That's all."
Indeed he did. As her mind raced and the sun setted on that day, Tigress's mind still mulled and wrestled. It started appearing in her dreams: a fast quick panda sparring with her, pinning her down. The loud hard thump in her heart caused her to wake up the next day before the morning gong, and she wandered over to the Training Hall. She wasn't eager to fight Po this time. Her fingers still faintly touched her lips. Her feet automatically took her to the Training Hall, however, only to see Wolf and Zeng stacking some wood in the corner.
And no sign of Po.
"Alright, keep stacking these here and I'll get the nails," Zeng said. Wolf nodded and went to work as the duck disappeared. Tigress tilted her head, lightly walking over to the wolf's worksite. The long wooden planks were neatly stacked, but wooden boxes of sand were put next to it. They stood four boxes high, about to the wolf's head. He looked around the wall of sandboxes and waved at Tigress.
"Making repairs to the Training Hall?" She asked. Wolf cheerfully nodded. Tigress still looked at the boxes, brushing her hands against its smooth exterior. Probably because of the sand. "Thank you for your help around the Jade Palace. I'm sure Zeng appreciates it." The wolf smiled but tilted his head, wondering why the tiger was so focused on the boxes. Her hand brushed the boxes again and again like she was trying to see her reflection in them.
Yipe YIPE!
Tigress's eyes popped open when she realized the wall of boxes began tipping. She tried grabbing the top while Wolf pushed the top back on his side, but the boxes tumbled over Wolf and smashed into bits. A mound of sand and smashed crates stood in its wake. Tigress looked around, but she couldn't see the wolf. "Wolf? Wolf!"
Suddenly, Wolf popped out of the sand mound and spat out a mouth full of sand. Tigress couldn't cover her smile in time. Wolf shrunk his eyes. "Sorry, I didn't realize I was... pushing it."
"Hrmmmm," Wolf grumbled, spitting out more sand. Tigress smiled a bit wider.
"RAAAHHHH!" Tigress clutched her head in pain. Her eyes shut tight, yet a picture came in her head. A set of blocks. Wooden blocks. She pushed them down in front of a figure. A furry figure. She saw red eyes, smiling and yet defeated almost humorously. She squealed in a voice younger than her own. "RAAAHHH!"
Tigress tumbled to the floor, gripping the wooden planks. Someone stood next to her. She didn't realize she was panting until she coughed. She looked up and saw Wolf, worried. "I'm fine. I'm fine. Just... something." Wolf helped her back up, dusting off some of the sand. "I'm fine. I'm fine," She muttered. She hated the idea of being pampered. Tigress stole her arm away from him. "I said I'm fine doggie!"
Silence overtook the room. Wolf's eyes grew wide. Tigress didn't know why, but somehow, she knew.
Why did she call him doggie? That wasn't one of his nicknames. Not one of the ones she used anyway. Yet she felt like it fit so well.
And it felt personal.
Why?
Just then, they both heard panting. "Zeng?" Tigress called. Sure enough, the duck fumbled into the Training Hall, desperately gasping for air.
"Bandits! Bandits are... attacking... the south village of the Valley!"
Wolf growled venomously, and Tigress glared hard at the mention. They both knew what it meant.
"Sho."
Continued...
