Author's Note: Hey there! Yeah, I know... a bit on the shorter end compared to my usual stuff, but when I started hearing rain and thunder outside my house, my brain immediately got a spark and here we are. I really want to do more stuff like this, smaller moments like "A Moment in the Moonlight" (Shameless plug... heh heh) because I enjoy describing setting and the inner thoughts of characters. Let me know what you think! [Just want to say real quick that I also drew some inspiration from Your kfp weeb and Justanotherwriter140 for this, check out their stuff cuz they are fantastic!]

Disclaimer: (Sigh) I DO NOT OWN KFP

Enjoy.

An Ode to Freedom

The storm. A frightening sight to many and a confirmation of a boring day to others. To one tiger, however, it is neither of those things. Instead, it is something far more beautiful.

An overt greyness takes hold of the skies, bringing forth a thunderous symphony that joyfully echoes across the valley of peace. No instrument is more prominent than the gentle drops of the rain, Yu Shi's* wonderous melodic rain bathing the land in its gentle splendour whilst Fengbo's* abrasive thunder softly rumbles the earth in its might. Amongst nature's orchestra stands the Jade palace, its gorgeous, ancient shine maintaining a heavenly luminescence within the veil of clouds. Not a single inhabitant of this magnificent structure can be seen enduring this harsh weather. None but one.

An orange figure is blurred in between the rain's curtains, their measured movements akin to the light flickers of a candle's flame. Yet once one peers past these raindrops, they can see this flame slowly dancing alongside an archaic tree shielding them from the elements. This fiery figure is none other than the jade palace's most ferocious student, the furious five's unofficial leader: Master Tigress.

Her red qipao and black silk trousers are absolutely soaked from the ongoing storm, making her movements even slower as she practices her Tai Chi. This doesn't stop the resolute tiger however, her body never stopping whilst the rain continues to fall upon her. Her eyes remain closed yet, for once, it is not from a heightened sense of focus. Instead, a peaceful air surrounds the tiger master's features in spite of her concentration.

To most, this would seem like an insane thing to do. Why on earth perform any kind of training in such wild weather? Tigress always knew the answer to this question, though whether anyone else would understand it always seemed to be an impossibility. Whenever a storm would rage within the valley, she would never react to it in fear or in misery. In fact, her amber eyes had always brightened at the prospect of nature's unkempt glory. The soft pitter patter of the rain had always brought a calming radiance into the palace while the bellowing skies had impressed her younger self, its power rivalling that of the morning gong.

Over the years she had found herself going out into the rain whilst everyone else would cower inside. Unlike other felines, the tiger had never cringed in revulsion at the heaven's watery onslaught. Instead, she welcomes it, enjoying the pleasant tingles the rain brings whenever it kisses her fur. To her ears, the storm doesn't sound like the monstrous roar to be feared, but rather a passionate serenade in a language that mortals aren't meant to understand.

As she continues to revel in the sky's waterfall, a relaxed smile finds its way onto her face. In moments like this, her mind doesn't obsess about her form, nor does she think about what she will do next in her training. A tranquil emptiness embraces her mind and guides her body with a delicate whisper, blessing her heart with a sweet serenity that seldom shows itself. Such a wonderful feeling of basking in the rain, of taking in nature's splendour. It's soothing touch, it's blissful sounds. So, liberating, so free.

If only she can be like the rain. Untethered. Alive. At each chance she gets to greet it, it's like a breath of fresh air, bringing feeling to a numb soul. Even with Po's arrival, something has always kept Tigress from letting herself truly loose. Something deep within. Yet somehow the rain is able to lure out what she has always tried to keep locked away, to undo the shackles binding her mind to her craft and unchaining her soul from her duty. To her, the rain isn't a sign to be feared or a warning from the Gods.

It is a celebration.

Whenever nature's festival draws itself out of hiding, regardless of the sun's rays or the moon's luminous glow, she indulges with the storm and celebrates in her own, reserved way. Thoughts of her family, her friends, her home; even seemingly meaningless occurrences like the bloom of a lotus in the Wu Dang mountains all flare within her mind and light a fiery blaze coursing within her heart. Rarely does she express the beauty of her life unless it's a day like this. Her heart beats with this fiery blaze, silently declaring her love for the life she has been given, her gratitude for being blessed with such a great family and a sweet, adorable… Maybe that can be saved for another day.

Amber eyes finally open to the muted skies, crackling with a warmth usually stashed away from her teammates. She finishes her Tai Chi and takes a deep breath, relishing in the Gods' unkempt symphony once more. Thunder roars across the skies as the rain only increases in its intensity as if challenging the tiger master. It is then that she does something she normally wouldn't dare to do. Tigress responds back to the storm with a mighty roar, joining in with the heaven's misunderstood serenade. She doesn't care how loud she is, nor does she care if anyone will hear. All she cares about is grasping her chance to unleash herself just this once. Once she is finished with her response to the thunder's challenge, a great wide smile covers her face as happiness fills her soul. The skies roar once more as they enthral the valley in an unkempt melody. A celebration of life.

An ode to freedom.

1* Yu-Shi = Chinese God of Rain

2* Fengbo = Chinese God of wind

Honestly, by the end of this I had a massive smile on my face. I dunno, I guess its just we don't see Tigress like REALLY happy in the movies (although whenever she does smile big, she is absolutely adorable) and just imagining this scenario in my head really does feel like something she would do. If it were impossible to catch a cold from standing in the rain I would probably do this, rain is more pleasant than people give it credit for... Anyways, useless rambling aside I hope you've enjoyed this and until next time :)