Author´s note:

Well, here is the next chapter, so far I think this is my favorite, at least in my mind it turns out pretty cool. Anyway, hope you enjoy it!

ENJOY!

Chapter 6

Saturday

Tigress woke up earlier than usual. Mostly because she couldn´t sleep, and if she couldn´t do it, she wasn´t going to waste her time staring at the ceiling, she was going to do something productive. She stood up and went to take a shower. She changed into her usual training outfit, except this one was cleaner.

She then went to the kitchen to have a light breakfast, not sure if she should expect Po to cook some for her, or not. Either way, she was hungry, and she was going to eat. She had woken up in a really, really good mood. And being the warrior that she is, this did not happened often. But this time, she had that kiss.

For a minute there, she thought Po was going to kiss her on the lips, but he didn´t. Instead he gave her one in the cheek. One that she was extremely comfortable receiving. She smiled at the memory, she had never felt this way towards anyone before.

She stood there in the kitchen, slowly eating her tofu which was getting cold, lost in the train of thought. Tigress smiled and stood up, she went to make herself a little more presentable, not that she really cared about what other people thought about how she looked. After a couple of minutes she started to head over to the castle.

In around some 15 minutes, she was there. This time the usual guard who was always standing by the door, was not there. She smiled, at least this time she wouldn´t have to argue her way in. She was in front of the door, not sure if she should knock and wait for someone to open the door for her. Or if she should just invite herself in. She hesitated and then decided to just go inside.

She quietly opened the door and then closed it, she looked to see if anyone was there, for the first time, the whole hall was alone. She was wondering if today she wasn´t supposed to come, or if something had happened. She waited for a couple of minutes

Then she heard some footsteps approaching, then someone panting. And then Po came, he was running, once he got to where she was standing, he said, catching his breath,

"Sorry, I woke up late". Tigress chuckled.

"It´s ok, let´s get training shall we?" She said, starting to go to the spot they usually train, but Po didn´t follow her.

"Actually, my mom told me" Both Po and Tigress chuckled at the phrase "that she needed to have a word with you".

Oh great. Now she is going to start lecturing me about how I shouldn´t like Po and how she might find some else to cover this mission if I don´t start focusing on the objective. Tigress thought, she was getting tired of having to be told the same thing, but just from different people.

Po and Tigress started to walk there. This time, Tigress didn´t bothered asking about the kiss, she knew exactly what he meant… maybe. And she liked it, she wasn´t going to say something that might make him regret that.

Po started to tell her why he woke up late, apparently, the guard outside the door, had to go visit his mom last minute, and so another person had to cover for him (But he took a break when Tigress was there), and the guy who covered for him, was exactly the guy who was supposed to wake him up. So when he got hungry, that´s when he realized he was running late.

"So if it wasn´t because of your appetite, you would still be sleeping?" She asked, teasing him. He smiled shyly.

"Maybe" He answered. They reach the main hall, where the queen was already waiting and talking to one of the guards. When she saw both of then come in, she send the guard away and turned to them, still sitting on her throne.

Tigress and Po stood in front of her, Tigress bowed politely before speaking, and Po just went to her mother´s side, since the queen didn´t asked him to go.

"So what is it you want to communicate with me, your Majesty?" Tigress asked.

"As you know, you are going to protect my son at the ball,"

At least she didn´t fired me.

"Therefore, you will be attending the ball, and I have to tell you, the ball is a formal one, and even though you are a Master, the dress code still applies to you" Tigress had no idea what she was referring to, and she was growing impatient.

"Your majesty, could you please get to the point" The queen was taken back, but she continued,

"The point is, that you are going to have to wear a dress" The queen stated, Tigress expected something bigger or more serious, still, she wasn´t going to wear a dress, not because of the normal self-conscious motives, but how was she supposed to fight, if she is wearing a dress!?

"Sorry, but I´m afraid I can´t, I" She got cut off by the queen, (Remember, Po is throughout all of this)

"I know Master Tigress, you don´t wear dresses for..." She motioned the feline´s body, while doing a slight grimace "clear reasons…"

"And obviously, your mom probably didn´t teach you about make-up"

Tigress was getting pissed off, and Po was looking at his mom unbelievingly.

"Excuse me?!" Tigress said, half of her shouting, while the other half was just sounding upset.

"Yes, you have not showed to have any feminine traits… after all, aren´t you doing a man´s profession?!" The queen said, laughing mockingly.

Tigress was clenching her teeth, but she wasn´t going to take this is an immature girl, she was going to show the queen that she was more than just a girl with skills.

She took one step closer to the queen, whom Po was looking at angrily, but then his eyes focused on Tigress.

Tigress looked straight at the queen´s eye.

"Fine, the problem is not the dress. Just know that I´m a Kung Fu Master, not some girl trying to show off my curves, I came here to protect your son, not to look pretty in your ball. So if you could show some respect for me, because I´m risking my life out there for nothing but your son, I would appreciate it" She stated, then she turned around, and began to leave the room, leaving the queen speechless.

No one had ever told her something like that, truth to be told, no one had dared to argue with her. And Tigress did, and… she won the argument. She was still trying to comprehend what had happened. That was until Po got in front of her, with a really upset face, something she hadn´t seen ever.

"HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT TO HER!?" He yelled. The queen was about to apologize, but like any mom, she responded,

"Excuse me, sir! You don´t talk like that to your mother!"

"Well, you had no right to tell her that, she is one of the most respected Masters is whole China, and even if we are royalty, you had no right to treat her like that! She was right, she came here to protect me, and she is risking her life just for me, yet, you aren´t grateful for that, and you tell her about her looks! LOOKS! That stuff doesn´t even matter! And even if it did, she is the most beautiful girl. And she doesn´t have a mother, she was on an orphanage, until Shifu adopted her; So don´t you dare say those kind of things about her, to judge her about insignificant things, because you don´t know her!" He finished shouting, again, leaving the queen speechless. He then left her, and went in search for Tigress.

Tigress was walking down an empty hall. Po saw her and quickly ran up to her. Once he caught up with her, he started walking with her, neither one of them saying anything.

"Tigress, I'm really sorry" Po finally said softly, Tigress looked at him and a small smile crept on the corner of her lips.

"It's ok, you didn't do anything"

"No, but my mom did. And she was wrong, she had no right to tell you that and to judge you. She has no idea what you have gone through. And she was caring about your looks, when that doesn't even matter" He explained. Tigress kept walking, listening to his words.

"Po is ok, really. I get that a lot, not a lot of people dare to tell me like your mother, but I know I'm not pretty. I mean, just because I don't wear revealing clothes, or make-up, people think I'm not a girl. But I guess I gotten used to that and I'm not bothered by it anymore." She said, giving him a sad reassuring smile on his direction. Po put his paw over her shoulder, making her stop walking and look at him.

"Well, I think you are beautiful" He said, if he were any other guy, Tigress would have thought he was lying, but being Po, she knew he was always sincere. She smiled, turning her body towards him.

"Thanks" She looked up and met his eyes. The green eyes lured her in, and soon she found herself leaning in, like Po was doing.

They both found each other's lips. Tigress felt herself being wrapped by big and strong arms around her waist. She purred into the kiss and she let her arms find their way around his neck. The stood there for a couple of minutes,

Until they heard someone cough behind them,

"Excuse me, Master Tigress" Po and Tigress quickly broke the kiss, still breathing heavily, with blush on their cheeks. Tigress looked at the servant, getting back her strict personality and straightening her clothes.

"Yes?" She asked, her voice coming more high-pitched than she thought, making Po giggle behind her. She shoot him a glare, and then went back to looking at the servant.

"Your dress for the ball is ready, we just need you to try it on so we can make adjustments" Tigress nodded, and the servant started walking away.

Tigress turned to Po and smiled. Po leaned again and gave her a kiss on the lips, this time it didn't lasted as long, but it was still amazing.

"I guess I will see you tomorrow" He then went off, Tigress stood there, and then remembered about the dress, she started to follow the servant who was in front of her. She looked behind her, and found that Po was already looking at her, they both smiled and looked away.

In Tigress's opinion, nothing could be more perfect…. Except if she didn't have to wear a dress, then everything would be absolutely swell (Inside joke to one of my friends). She then remembered why she was truly here, Po was in danger… but she wasn't going to let anything happen to him.

Well, here it is! I wasn't sure how to end it, but yeah. Actually, I wasn't even planning on the kiss, but TiPo me took over. Anyway, hope you like it and review! Ok, also a change of plans, I'm not sure about when to actually publish the holiday special, I was thinking tomorrow, but one of my friends suggested Christmas Eve, so I might do that… but then I discovered I might be going on this trip…. So I'm not sure. Anyway, just look out for that and YES! WINTER BREAK!

-Peace out :)