Chapter 7 : Spreading Rumour

Po was on his way to the student barracks when he saw Tigress walking towards him, or that's what he thought.

"Hello." Po greeted cheerfully. "Did you have a good time meditating?"

"I didn't meditate." Tigress responded shortly.

"Oh. I thought you did. Shifu told me that you used to compose yourself at the peach tree hill every time you feel restless. So, what did you do there just now?"

"I—" Tigress almost told him about the dream she had just gotten." I didn't do anything."

"Huh? Really? Doesn't sound like you."

"Who cares."

Po shrugged. "Hey. Wanna join me? Shifu just told me to remove, you know, our guest, from the palace."

Tigress interpreted 'our guest' as Prince Yuan Sheng. "You meant that tiger?"

"Yeah."

"It's not necessary. He left five minutes ago."

"That's great." Po said happily. "But, he's gone? Just like that? I thought he had an unfinished business -ehem- he wanted to take you with him."

"I know about it already."

Po looked at her curiously. He had a feeling that Tigress was hiding something. "Okay. So, everything is fine? Between us I mean."

Tigress looked towards the peach tree hill. The prince wasn't there anymore. "I hope so."

.

~0~0~TLoTDaTT~0~0~

That Night,

Dinner was usually a frivolous affair with Po making jokes about himself and his awesomeness, drawing sarcastic comments from Tigress followed by general laughter by the rest. It was different today. There was no joking, no sarcasm, no laughter. Only an awkward silence that hung in the air.

The change in atmosphere bothered Tigress. She knew that all of them, Po included, was watching her warily as she sat down and started eating. When she looked up, they hastily turned their attention away, pretending to be interested in something else. As soon as she turned back to her food, she knew without even looking that they were staring at her again like she was a stranger.

They were worried for her, but unsure of how to react when she's around. What they didn't realize however, was that their current actions was actually hurting her more. With all these going on, it's natural that she wouldn't have the mood nor appetite to finish her dinner.

She got up from her seat. "I'm going back to my room."

Without saying another word, she left the kitchen. But she didn't return to her room. She opened the barrack's door and continued walking until she reached Palace Arena. Feeling lonely all of a sudden, she sat down as she thought about her friends and their reactions during dinner.

"What are you doing in here?"

Tigress looked back over her shoulder. Master Shifu was standing behind her.

"Master Shifu," she stood up and bowed.

"Don't you feel lonely in here? Why don't you join others?" her master asked gently.

Tigress turned her face away. "It seems like they've changed."

"Changed? In what way?"

"I'm not sure. But I felt like they—they see me as a different person."

"Maybe it's just you."

"It's not just me. You weren't there Master. You didn't see the way they looked at me."

Master Shifu walked slowly until he was right beside her. "Of course they're acting that way. It's a normal reaction after hearing such startling news about you. Just give them some time. They will soon realize that you aren't what they thought you'll turn out to be.

Tigress just stayed silent, letting his words wash over her.

"Trust me. I'm sure that soon, everything will be back into normal. You don't have to be worried about being alone. You have me as your father. I will always be there for you."

Tigress didn't respond, but Shifu knew that she felt better after hearing what he said.

"Go back to your room," Master Shifu saie before he left. "It's cold in here."

After Master Shifu was gone, Tigress began thinking about her master's advice. His word enchoed in her head.

'You don't have to be worried. Everything will be back into normal. I will always be there for you.'

.

~0~0~TLoTDaTT~0~0~

.

Tomorrow Morning,

Po was walking down to his dad's noodle shop. As usual, he would offer to help his dad. Mr. Ping's Noodle Shop was always crowded and because of that, he seemed to be forever in need of an assistant. Luckily Mr. Ping had a son like Po, who despite being busy with his duties as the Dragon Warrior, still took time every now and then to help his dad.

When he arrived at the entrance of the shop however, he was surprised to see many customers surrounding his dad, talking to him with anxious and worried expressions.

"What should we do?" Po heard a goose ask.

"Oh, it's over now. China is doomed," a pig said as he clapped his forehead.

"Don't say that," Mr Ping said calmly. "My son will know what to do."

"Call Master Po here," a female goose looked worried.

"He'll be reaching any minute now. Oh—" Mr. Ping realized Po's arrival. "Po!"

Po walked in to the shop apprehensively as he stared at the worried faces from the customers.

"Dad? What's wrong?"

His dad approached him. "Po. Are the rumours true?"

"What rumours?"

"That Master Tigress is the reincarnation of Khan and she'll destroy China?"

Po was startled. "Who told you?"

"Just a moment ago," a pig answered. "a tiger came by. He told us that the legend story of Long and Khan was true, and that Master Tigress was destined to destroy China."

Yuan Sheng

That was the only thing that popped up in Po's mind when the pig mentioned 'tiger'. So, the prince had started spreading the rumour about him and Tigress, the one rumour that they were trying to keep under wraps. Po didn't know why he was doing this or where he had gone to, but he was sure that wherever the prince was, he was still hiding somewhere in the Valley of Peace.

"Po?" his dad called him.

"Yes?"

"Is it true? Or—is it just rumour?"

"Um… actually, Dad, you don't need to be worried about it."

"Is it true or not?"

Po sighed. "It's true."

Everyone gasped. Within seconds, they started to panic.

"Hey. Calm down everyone. Calm down." Po said in attempt to take the edge off everyone.

"Calm down? Calm down he said?!" a rabbit exckaimed. "How can we stay calm when there's a monster amongst us? She might destroy the lands around us, harm us even."

"That won't happen. Tigress wouldn't do that. We all know who she is. She's often out there, protecting the valley and its people from pirates and bandits. There was even once where she risked her life for me."

"She may currently be a hero of this valley Master Po," the rabbit retorted. "But history is full of examples of how a good person became evil just to satisfy their goals and desires. Tai Lung and Feng Huang are the best example of all. "

"Yes. But this is Tigress we're talking about. She won't change. Come on, forget about all this. It doesn't even bother us anymore." Po said as he walked through the crowd towards the kitchen. "Now. Who's hungry?"

Everyone stayed silent. Although the Dragon Warrior had reassured them that nothing bad would ever happen, deep down, they were still worried. The Dragon Warrior wasn't a seer who could look into the future. He could be wrong.