Aden was frozen in place. The world began to shrink down until it was only Liu and Aden standing in a void. The sounds of commotion vanished, and the echo of Liu giggling grabbed hold of Aden's full attention.

"Nothing I can offer that you want?" Liu mocked flirtily. "It sure seems like there might be something."

Aden didn't respond. He couldn't respond. After living here for months, he stopped believing returning home was even an option.

"It's enticing, isn't it?" she continued, moving towards him and resting a paw on his turned back. "All these wonderful friends here, but you'd do just about anything to see your mother's face just one more time."

"W-what?" His eyes began flickering after hearing the word mother. "What are you talking about?"

"A way out of this madness! You think you're comfortable, but do you actually believe you'll find true comfort in this place? You exist in a world of beasts. It's only a matter of time."

Aden became frantic, turned towards her, and gripped her shoulders. "I don't understand. Why are you saying all this? What do you know?!"

Liu laughed and brushed a hand down Aden's chest. "Darling, don't get ahead of yourself. I only want a night with you. I told you I'd make it worth your while."

The human was stuck once again. His mind raced through scenarios, but he never found one that could provide him the answer he needed now. She was a stranger to him, and he had no reason to believe she actually had a way back to his own world. But, could he refuse the opportunity?

A mild groan escaped his lips. "Fine, one meal. That's it."

"That's all I need. Meet me at Tao Li's Cuisine in an hour."

"What? Tonight?"

"Of course, tonight. Did you have something more important than discussing the return to your home world?"

Aden nearly growled under his breath. "I'll see you soon."

"Don't keep a lady waiting," She winked back.

Aden remained motionless, as if he had something more to say. Liu simply giggled and slid into the crowd, vanishing from sight in seconds.

"What just happened?..." Aden asked no one, shaking his head clear.

"Buddy!" Po slammed into Aden. "You've saved the village twice now. Twice!"

"Alright... I guess..." He shook his head, knowing that arguing was futile.

"Well come on then!" Po ushered Aden back towards Mr. Pings, the rest of the furious five except Tigress followed closely behind. "A tall mug of beer awaits you."

Aden sighed happily "That actually would be perfect right now. I need something to calm my nerves."

"After what you did? I bet you do." Crane chimed in.

Aden's eyes nearly rolled to the back of his head. "Not exactly…"

"Does it have something to do with that gorgeous lioness feeling you up for the 2nd time?" Mantis teased from behind him.

Aden's body betrayed him, tensing at Mantis' pinpoint accuracy.

"Ooooo!" Po taunted like a child during lunch time. "Aden's got a girlfriend!"

"Grow up, Po," Aden laughed, a smidgen of defensiveness sneaking its way into his tone.

"So, what were you talking about then?" Mantis grinned mischievously.

Aden tensed up again in response. Monkey and Mantis gave each other knowing looks, but their guesses couldn't have been farther off. Aden couldn't care less about Liu asking him out, but telling them she was offering him a way home was a whole other story. How would they take it? He doesn't even know if her offer is real. He has to know for himself first.

Aden sighed exasperatedly, paused momentarily, then spoke. "...A dinner date…"

Po, Mantis, Crane, and Monkey all burst out laughing and patted him on the back, tossing in an "atta boy!" Meanwhile, their snake friend slithered off of Crane's neck and onto Aden's shoulder.

"Aden," Viper calmly yet earnestly addressed. "Are you really going on a date with this woman?"

Aden shrugged, bouncing Viper slightly off his shoulders. "It's just dinner."

"Uh huh," Mantis sarcastically replied. "I bet she has desert planned already."

The guys started giggling again, while Viper grew a slightly sour look on her face, which Aden took note of.

"You alright, Viper?" Aden asked.

"Yeah," she sighed in return. "I guess I'm just confused. I thought there was someone else."

"So, when does this romantic excursion take place?" Crane jumped in before Aden could respond.

"An hour from now," Aden answered.

"An hour?!" The guys exclaimed at once.

"What?..." Aden replied confused.

"That barely gives us enough time to get you ready!" Po yelled.

"Guys, it's fine, really."

"No, no, no," Mantis countered. "We got to dress you up in some new threads for a fine lady like this."

Aden rolled his eyes and tried walking away but was quickly yanked towards the nearest tailor by a panda and monkey.

Meanwhile, a large bag filled with sand was receiving the beating of a lifetime back at the Jade Palace. A female tiger unleashed an unrelenting fury of strikes while pretending it was that beautiful civilian she witnessed rubbing her paws all over Aden. It was the first time in months Tigress had stood drenched in sweat in front of the sack of sand. In fact, it was the first time she'd approached it since her apology to Aden.

She grunted as her fist made contact with a bag, the bottom of it dripping sand like a leaky faucet.

Every hit was a much needed catharsis. It was a type of rage she'd never felt before, and she desperately needed a way to release it. Jealousy hurts. Not the kind of jealousy she felt when Po was chosen as Dragon Warrior, but a much deeper form. The type of jealousy that makes you feel helpless and alone. The type of jealousy you need to take out on inanimate objects instead of the people they represent.

She backed up a few steps, lowered herself to the ground, and lunged at the bag, her foot aimed right for its heart. The sand drip turned into a stream, painting the wooden floor with its grainy texture.

Her rage was dissipating bit by bit, a punch then a kick. She wasn't sure how many hits it would take, but she couldn't stop until she reached it. Each grunt echoed through the night air, yet nobody was around to hear it.

Tigress coiled up once more, her body ready to rid of the feeling once and for all. She let a battlecry loose and launched herself at her opponent. Her body spun horizontally twice before striking the bag with such force that the small rip at the bottom tore halfway up the bag, spreading a tidal wave of sand across the floor.

She plopped herself down and huffed, the now empty punching bag fluttering in the gentle breeze coming from the training hall entrance.

"What do I do?" She asked out loud, desperately hoping the wind would answer her.

"Go to him," the wind answered back.

Tigress shot to her feet and readied her stance at the unknown voice.

"Who's here?!" She demanded, searching for the disembodied voice's origin. "Show yourself!"

Suddenly, a flash of light glowed where the punching bag once hung, and Master Oogway appeared floating a few inches off the ground.

Tigress' eyes grew wide, and her body crumpled to the floor in a bowing position. "Forgive me, Master. I didn't know it was you."

"Now, now, Master Tigress," the turtle chuckled. "No need to get all worked up."

She sheepishly lifted herself up off the ground. "Why have you come here?"

"To help you along your journey."

"My journey? Master, I don't know what you mean."

"So, you aren't in need of guidance, then?"

Tigress remained quiet, which Oogway snickered at.

"You've grown very fond of our new human friend, haven't you?" Oogway continued.

"I have," Tigress sighed. "Everything was so much simpler before he showed up."

"And now it's a problem?"

She hesitated momentarily before responding. "No. it's just… different. The pain I feel now is unlike anything I've felt before."

Oogway nodded. "I understand. So, you've told him then."

Once again, Tigress hesitated before responding. "No."

"Oh? Then what is this pain you feel?"

This time, Tigress didn't respond at all.

The turtle ghost began to chuckle. "The great and powerful Tigress: trains until her knuckles bleed, yet too afraid to ask a boy out."

"What if he doesn't feel similarly?"

"Then, I guess you'll never know." Master Oogway floated silently in the air for a few seconds before continuing. "But, I'm fairly certain the great and powerful Tigress isn't going to let that happen."

With a wink, the turtle apparition zapped out of existence in a flash of golden light, pink petals dancing where he once was. Tigress watched as they twirled through the air and floated out the training hall doors, beckoning her.

She slowly walked past the threshold and out into the night air, inhaling deeply in the process.

"Thank you, Master Oogway," she bowed to the stars.

Then, she was off down the grand staircase back towards Mr. Ping's as quickly as her legs could manage. A newfound courage had nestled inside her heart, and she was ready to pass the precipice that kept her and Aden's relationship at a distance. Rejection had clouded her courage before, and even though the fear still lingered, she was ready to face this challenge. Rejection or not, here she comes.

The sight of a chubby panda gorging himself on dumplings brought Tigress to her Kung Fu friends lounging around a table, chatting idly. Aden was nowhere to be seen.

"Tigress!" Mantis announced as she approached. "Where have you been?"

"I was busy," she replied bluntly. "Where's Aden?"

The boys in the group snickered.

"Just missed him," Monkey answered.

"What do you mean?" She asked, slightly annoyed. "I need to talk to him."

"I don't think he wants to be bothered right now," said Mantis. "At least, I wouldn't want to be harassed on a date."

Tigress' body went stiff as a board.

"He's on… a date?" Tigress choked out.

"It was out of nowhere," Viper jumped in, taking note of Tigress' poor reaction. "I had no idea he'd taken any interest in that lioness."

"You can thank me for that," Crane proudly stated.

Tigress and Viper glared quizzically at Crane.

"He's been struggling with the idea of finding love in our world for a little while," he continued. "I thought I'd help him in the process."

The pair's quizzical glare deepend into a scowl causing Crane to grow flustered.

"So, I uh… suggested he go on… a date?" Crane's voice trailed off as he finished the sentence.

A growl grew in Tigress' throat, her eyes piercing through Crane's frightened demeanor. She spun around in a huff and stormed off into the village.

"Idiot..." Viper scolded, turning around and quickly following Tigress.

"What did I do?..." Crane asked the remaining males, but all of them just shrugged their shoulders.

"Not sure," Mantis replied. "But, what I am sure of is that Crane's getting nothin' tonight!"

They all cackled at Crane's expense, a heap of laughter released into the cold.

The Winter Festival was at its peak now, the village bustling with activity. Families and friends from all over China were reuniting to celebrate. Aden stood patiently in front of Tao Li's extravagantly dressed restaurant, casually watching them pass on by. He took note of all the couples enjoying a night out on the town, and he took extra note of the interspecies couples he saw.

"It's just dinner," He muttered to himself. "I explain to Tigress that Liu was just repaying me for saving her life, I tell her my feelings, then everything goes back to normal."

A few seconds passed before he slapped his palm against his forehead. "As if it was that simple… So, I'm just going to lie to her about the way home? Then, I'm going to try and confess my feelings for her? Ugh!"

Aden buried his face in his hands and groaned, ignoring the few villagers shooting him confused looks.

"Well, somebody looks like they're struggling with the morality of their choices when offered the opportunity of a lifetime."

Aden lowered the hands from his face to find a smug Liu staring back at him.

"Liu," he acknowledged plainly.

"Oh, Aden." She playfully scolded. "That's no way to greet the woman buying you dinner. What happened to the charming mammal that saved me?"

"Right, sorry," he rolled his eyes, then gestured to the restaurant entrance. "You look great. Shall we?"

Liu smiled and nodded lightly, then they both entered Tao Li's. The restaurant was almost as loud inside as it was outside. Every table in sight was occupied, and there was a line of 12 people by the entrance waiting to be seated.

"Uh, do you have a reservation?" Aden leaned close to Liu. "The place looks packed."

Liu simply giggled in response and walked up to the host.

"Zhang Wei, it's so lovely seeing you tonight," she hugged the gazelle working tonight. "I'm terribly sorry you have to work during the holidays. I hope you were able to spend some time with your family."

"Always a pleasure, Liu," he happily replied. "I spent plenty of time with the kids earlier, thank you. Follow me to your private suite."

"Wonderful."

The gazelle smiled and gestured for Liu and Aden to follow. They walked closely behind the host, weaving in between tables towards the back end of the room. Their ears were bombarded with dinner conversation from all angles, which Aden found somewhat soothing. It was as if he was blocking out all thoughts of the impending life altering conversation he was about to have. After walking up a short set of stairs, they were led through the double doors to an ornately decorated dining hall. The center table was already prepared with a feast well beyond what either of them could eat.

"Woah," Aden gawked. "This is crazy."

Liu giggled and grabbed his hand as they walked in. "You like?"

"It's beautiful. It seems like you have some great connections at this place."

"More than you would know. I hope you don't mind that I ordered ahead for you."

"Not at all."

Aden removed his hand from hers as they neared the table, two pigs waiting in corners of the room rushed over and pulled their chairs out. They sat down, and Aden got a good look at the bountiful spread. Fresh bread, dumplings, sauteed vegetables, and rice wafted into his nose sending him into a salivating frenzy.

He inhaled the banquet deeply and groaned in anticipation. "Wow, this looks incredible."

"I'm happy that you're happy," she smiled back.

"I'm still not sure that I did anything today, but I appreciate the gesture."

"Consider it an apology dinner as well."

Aden glanced up at her unchanging grin. He'd almost forgotten about her reaction to the first time they met.

'It's… fine," he returned, serving himself from the platters in front of him. "I'm ready to move past that and try becoming friends."

"I'm looking for more than just a friendship, Aden."

Aden stopped loading food onto his plate. "Well, I'm not looking for anything more than that." His tone was a bit more aggressive than he intended.

"I don't believe we fully understand each other."

Aden's aggravation grew. "Then, can you please explain what you want from me?"

"I want to help you. I just need a little help in return."

Aden narrowed his eyes. "I don't like this."

Liu giggled, a hint of mania hidden in its resonance. "You don't even know what I want yet."

"I don't care. This doesn't feel right. I'm not interested in whatever you have to offer anymore."

Liu held up her paws in a yielding fashion, her face relaxed from its previously elevated state. "Ok, I understand. This is a lot for you, and I didn't mean to address it so boldly. I promised you a thank you dinner, so I'll honor that, and then we can go our separate ways."

The corner's of Aden's lips perked up slightly. "Thank you."

Liu reached out and lifted up her wine glass towards Aden. "To friendship?"

Aden's smile was full and bright now, raising his glass as well. "To friendship."

They sipped in sync, then Aden got right to feasting. He grabbed his chopsticks and picked up a dumpling, raising it to his eagerly awaiting mouth. Unfortunately, it never made it to its destination, as it plopped into his lap.

Aden nervously laughed and blushed, which Liu giggled at. He latched onto another dumpling with his chopsticks determined to not embarrass himself again. Sadly, his intense focus was all for naught. The dumpling slipped out between his chopsticks after lifting it only a few inches off the plate.

A frustration built deep within him as he went for another, but this time the chopsticks slipped out of his hands and onto the floor. He attempted to go pick them up, but his arms had grown too heavy. Keeping his head up suddenly became increasingly difficult, and his body slumped forward onto the table. His entire body felt weak and an overwhelming feeling of tiredness began to take over. Aden's head rested on the table and it took every fiber in his body to angle himself just enough to see Liu's maniacal smile watch him fade from consciousness.

"Oh my, you look exhausted," she laughed to herself, standing up from her seat and walking over to him. "Nighty night, Aden."

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Clancy