Hello again folks, I'm back with another story! I found inspiration to write this one shot in a German movie I saw recently called 'Rosenstraße.'
Oh, quick A/N: Like I said in the reviews, this story is based around the assumption that there are feral animals in this universe that don't count as people. So you people can stop PMing me about it :P
Anyways, hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own KFP
The morning gong sounded, the elegant clash sweeping through the halls of the Jade Palace and finding its way to the ears of each of its inhabitants. The masters instantly appeared in the hallway before Grandmaster Shifu, greeting him with the usual "Good morning, master." Even Po, who, up until recently, had almost always missed the gong stood amongst them.
Shifu smiled inwardly and assumed that discipline had finally begun to take root in his most prized student. Little did he know, it was not routine or discipline or even respect for his master that got him out of bed each morning, but rather the comforting face of another.
The Dragon Warrior and a certain tiger master had grown quite close over the past few months. Whereas Tigress had formerly not so much as recognized the existence of the panda standing across from her, they now exchanged warm smiles and locked gazes as they stepped out into the hallway each morning. Their routine "Good morning, master" had become as much a greeting to each other as it was to Shifu.
The others hadn't really taken notice to this development, mostly concerned with their tasks that lay before them, dismissing it as friendship.
But when the two had stood there, lost in each other's eyes for well over a minute after the rest of the Five had left, Shifu grew suspicious.
"Po! Tigress!" He barked their names four or five times before they finally took notice.
"Master Shifu!" they yelled in unison, both blushing and looking down at the ground. Tigress bowed and asked for forgiveness while Po simply scratched the back of his head, embarrassed and still deep in thought.
Shifu shook his head and sighed as the two masters followed him down the hall and into the kitchen, holding hands literally behind his back.
Both knew the consequences they would face if news of their little relationship got out to the rest, but that didn't stop them from discreetly showing each other affection every chance they got.
They dropped their hands back to their sides before entering the kitchen. The rest of the Five were already sitting around the table. Monkey and Mantis smirked and suppressed giggles until Viper slapped them with her tail. Crane just rolled his eyes and let out an exasperated sigh.
The tiger and panda both felt a tinge of anxiety flow through them. Did everyone know?
No one said a word, though, as Tigress found her seat and Po began breakfast.
"Attention, students," Shifu began. Everyone turned their gaze to the red panda who stood at the head of the table - even Po, as he continued to prepare the food without looking.
"I have received notice that the Emperor is holding a banquet to commemorate the unfortunate and untimely passing of his wife. Among other important guests, he has invited the masters of the Jade Palace to attend."
A large crash was heard as Po dropped a bowl of noodles all over the counter.
"Really?! We get to meet the emperor? Ohh-ho-ho-ho, this is gonna be so cool!" the panda could barely contain his excitement, not even noticing the mess he had made. Tigress couldn't help but smile a little at his enthusiasm and obliviousness.
Shifu rubbed the bridge of his nose and let out a barely audible groan.
"This is not a time of celebration, panda. The emperor is in mourning and as such will not want to be disturbed."
"But still! We get to see the emperor's palace and meet the most important people in all of China!" the panda turned to clean up the pile of noodles and broken bowl, humming with excitement.
"Be that as it may, I expect you all to be on your best behavior. Especially you, Po," Shifu stated sternly, yet not harshly.
"Of course, Master Shifu," Po said as he bowed. He looked up again and asked, "When is this banquet, anyway?"
"Next week. We will be setting out for the Imperial City in two days' time," he replied.
Po had finally finished breakfast and began passing it around the table, before sitting down next to Tigress to join the group. A thought crossed his mind and he blurted it out through a mouthful of noodles.
"Oh! Maybe...I can, y'know...prepare some food...for the banquet!" he rambled, stopping to chew throughout the sentence. He nodded with hopeful eyes as he looked around the table.
Everyone stared at him like his head had just exploded.
Tigress leaned over and gently laid her paw on his shoulder.
"Po...I don't think the type of food you...usually prepare...is what the emperor would be looking for..." she explained.
"Oh, don't you guys worry about that. I've done fancy before." He swallowed his food before listing a few examples, counting each with his fingers. "I've prepared Peking duck, Dongpo pork, even tried my hand at double steaming a couple times..." Po went on to list more than his fingers could count.
When he was done, he sat back with a smug grin on his face before going back to eating. Everyone sat still, eyes wide, unsure what to say. Shifu spoke up first.
"Perhaps we were wrong about you, Po, but I'm afraid the emperor already has his own personal chef to prepare the food for the banquet."
"Psh, c'mon, the imperial chef doesn't have anything on Po Ping, the Dragon Warrior...Chef! I'm gonna make something for the emperor, and when he tastes it he will be knocked off his feet!"
The group sighed collectively and shook their heads, knowing there was no way they were going to deter Po once he had his mind set on something.
Once breakfast was over, Po pulled Master Shifu aside as the rest went to start training.
"Hey, uh...Master Shifu? I was wondering..."
"Yesss...?" Shifu was suspicious. Every time the panda used those words, it ended up being something he didn't want to hear.
"Umm...before I go to training today, I was wondering if I could quick run down to the village to, uh...get something..."
Shifu sighed, but reluctantly agreed on the condition that Po would make up his time spent in the village tomorrow morning.
"Yes! Don't worry Shifu, it won't take long..." his voice faded into the distance as he bolted out of the kitchen and out of the palace.
Shifu just stood there, wondering what the panda was getting himself into this time.
The Five dragged themselves out of the training hall after a particularly grueling day of training. Even Tigress let her paws fall to her sides as if they weighed a hundred pounds each.
The group was reflecting on the day and the fact that Po hadn't shown up at all when an especially enticing aroma caught their noses.
"Is that...dinner?" Monkey asked, sniffing the air and practically drooling already.
"Oh gods, I hope so..." Viper replied.
"It smells like...no...is that..." Mantis started.
"...duck?" Tigress finished.
When the group reached the kitchen their hopes were confirmed. A massive roast duck sat in the middle of the dining table, surrounded by decorative herbs and the like. The table itself had been dressed elegantly and only half the candles in the room were lit, setting the atmosphere for fine dining.
The Five simply stood there, dumbfounded; that is, until Po seemingly popped out of nowhere, wearing a dirty apron and covered in kitchen grime. They jumped backwards, startled after being shaken out of their collective trance.
"Hey guys! What do you think? Peking duck!" Taking note of their fixation with the scene, he crossed his arms and smiled triumphantly.
The five masters couldn't respond, at least not in a comprehensible fashion.
"Where did you..."
"How did..."
"I bought the ingredients from some village just outside of the Valley of Peace. You need ingredients? Just ask my dad, he's got plenty of...uhh...'connections.'" he explained with a smirk.
"What is that smell? Po, what are you-" Shifu entered the room and instantly noticed the grand display before him. His eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as he took it all in. "Wha…how…is tha-"
"Yep." Po's smile grew even larger after gauging his master's reaction.
Without further hesitation, the group scrambled to their seats and began to cut out their slices of the delicacy before them. A collective 'mmmmmmm' rolled through the room as the masters dug in.
"Po, this is incredible!" Viper exclaimed, the rest nodding and murmuring in agreement through full mouths. Po sat back in his chair and grinned before suddenly sitting forward again with wide eyes.
"Wait, guys, wait!" I forgot the special sauce I made!" He stood up and rushed over to the stove, carefully retrieving a black pot. One by one, he made his way around the table, drizzling the dark brownish-red sauce onto their plates. The smell made everyone's mouths water even more, if that was possible.
Mantis was the first to take a bite of the meat with the sauce. He just about passed out with delight as the sauce complimented the tenderness and texture of the meat perfectly.
"Holy shit, dude, where did you get the recipe for this?" he asked, still in awe.
"Actually, I made it myself, with the leftover ingredients," he replied proudly, his arms crossed as he nodded.
Tigress stood up abruptly and looked Po in the eyes. "Po, if you don't make this for the banquet, I will kill you."
The rest of the group reciprocated (though not as harshly) as each master – even Shifu – voiced their confidence in the Dragon Warrior…Chef.
"Guys, thanks for the support, but, uh…like Shifu said, the emperor's already got a chef…" he scratched the back of his head, looking disappointed.
"But he doesn't have this sauce! At least bring that, I'm sure it'll go with any kind of meat they have," Crane proposed. After some contemplation, Po responded.
"Alright, alright. I'll bring it along and see how it goes."
The group could hardly wait for the banquet.
The journey to the Imperial City was a fairly uneventful one. The roads were empty, and the sky was clear. Each of the masters took turns hauling a cart that contained their dress clothes, extra food, and Po's sauce; that is, except for Shifu, Mantis, and Viper. When it came to Tigress' turn, however, Po insisted upon taking her shift for her.
"Po, just let me pull it. I'm not incapable, you know…" she protested. He gently nudged in-between her and the cart.
"No no, I know, but…I'd feel bad making you haul this heavy thing for so long when like half the weight is from my sauce…"
She let out an exasperated sigh.
"Look, Crane and Monkey had their turn, now it's mine," she edged around him to get to the cart, but was stopped by his paw on her shoulder. They gazed into each other's eyes for a moment before the rest of the group grew impatient, already weary of traveling.
"Cut the crap and just pull the friggin' thing already," Viper spat.
"Yeah, c'mon you two lovebirds, let's get mov-" Monkey was cut off by a firm slap from Viper's tail and a glare.
Po and Tigress blushed deeply as they looked away from each other nervously, not daring to look anywhere near Shifu.
Shifu just groaned. "Someone just pull the thing already, we're behind schedule as it is!" He slammed the bottom of Oogway's staff against the ground to add emphasis.
The panda and the tiger finally agreed to pull the cart jointly, each taking a half of the load.
On the fifth day of travelling, the masters finally arrived at the Imperial City. It was bustling with travelers, merchants, and general city-folk, but all made sure to make way for the masters of the Jade Palace as they walked through the streets towards the Imperial Palace.
The group reached the palace just as the sun was setting; they were right on time. Shifu presented the invitation to the rhinos guarding the palace gate, nodding and letting them through, but stopping them again as the cart was about to enter.
"What's in that?" a guard questioned suspiciously.
"Oh, that's just some special sauce I made for the banquet," Po explained.
The guard walked up to the cart, undid the bindings holding the lid on, and opened it. He sniffed it before taking a small sample on his finger and licking it. He grunted and sealed the pot back up, letting them through.
As the masters entered the palace, they were greeted by a finely dressed grey goose.
"Good evening, masters of the Jade Palace, I am pleased you could make it," he said in a smooth, reserved voice. "I am Gang Hui, Chancellor to His Imperial Majesty." The goose bowed, as did the masters.
"So, uhh…where should we put this?" Po asked casually, placing his hand on the cart. As the goose looked at him inquisitively, he explained, "It's a special sauce for the banquet tonight."
"Ah, I see." The goose called some palace servants over. "Take this to the kitchen."
As the servants removed the pot from the cart and did as they were told, the goose motioned the masters forward.
"You are welcome to rest and clean up before the banquet tonight. The wash rooms are down the first corridor on the left side of the main hall."
The masters only just noticed their feet were covered in mud and they smelled pungently of sweat. Needless to say, they took the goose up on his offer, grabbing their dress clothes and bowing before departing for the wash rooms.
All of the males as well as Viper finished washing up and changing into their dress clothes, now waiting rather impatiently out in the hall for the tiger. Po was about to ask What's taking so long? when his question was answered. Tigress stepped out into the hall in an elegant fashion.
She wore a beautiful red dress that flowed perfectly with her form, revealing just enough to get the imagination going. The dark eye-liner she wore really brought out the fieriness of her gorgeous orange eyes.
Po fidgeted in his dress clothes, taking in the sight before him.
"Wow, uh…" Po cleared his throat. "T-Tigress, you look really…umm…"
She giggled a little at his stuttering, then walked up to him and smiled, peering into his jade green eyes. She could practically feel the heat emanating from his cheeks from where she was standing as he blushed.
"You look pretty 'umm' too," she teased. Po chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his neck as she leaned in closer.
"Ahem," Shifu, in his ceremonial grandmaster robes, stood across from them with a scowl on his face.
The two broke apart, embarrassed, as the grandmaster turned to lead them to the banquet.
Shifu retained the scowl until they were just outside the dining hall.
It was going to be a long night.
The lion stood in his dressing room as servants scurried around him, fixing his robes and brushing off any imperfections that remained. His mane was brushed and combed finely, so as to match the flow of his robes.
The emperor of China didn't notice any of this, though. He peered out of a nearby window and onto his city below.
He had promised himself that he wouldn't so much as let a tear out during the banquet, but now he was not so sure he could make good on that promise.
Images of his late wife flooded his mind over and over again. How he missed her; her eyes, her touch, her laugh, the feel of her fur against his…
He felt a wave of calmness flow through him at the memory of Empress Jin Hua. She was quite the find as she was not only beautiful but his kind was also rare in this part of the world. He had married hoping not only for an heir to the throne, but also for someone to spend the rest of his life with ruling China.
He shuddered as darker images began to plague his mind. Seeing her bedridden, too sick to move a muscle; the hours upon hours upon days he would stay by her side, assuring her it was going to be alright, that she was going to pull through…
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the heavy wooden doors opening behind him. He turned to face Gang Hui, who was bowing deeply before him.
"Your Majesty, all of the guests have arrived and are being seated as we speak," the goose reported. "The food is prepared and will be served as soon as You are ready."
"Thank you, good chancellor. I shall be down shortly," he replied in a deep, calming voice.
"Yes, Your Majesty." The goose backed up to the door, still bowing, before standing up and turning to leave.
Once the servants had finished touching up his robes, they stood back and bowed as the emperor strode out into the hallway and down to the banquet.
Po and Tigress sat next to each other, flanked by the rest of the Five and Shifu, all on one side of the massive dining table that was the centerpiece of the dining hall. All around them were other Kung Fu masters, statesmen, provincial governors, and other high-ranking officials and military officers.
The overall light in the room was dim as was the tone of the conversation taking place. The guests spoke in little more than whispers out of respect for the emperor's late wife. Po equated the atmosphere to that of a funeral, and everyone was quick to agree.
Just then, two long columns of palace guards marched into the room, turning to face each other as the emperor made his way into the room. Gang Hui walked beside him. Everyone in the room who was sitting stood up and bowed (except for Po, until Tigress bumped his shoulder with her elbow.)
"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Shun Wei of China." The goose led the emperor to his seat and bowed before taking his own seat at the emperor's right hand side.
The food was brought out in waves, consisting of practically everything imaginable; meats of all kinds, vegetables of all colors, and exotic fruits from far off lands adorned the table like a colorful garden. While the guests let out 'oooos' and 'ahhhhs,' this did little to impress the emperor; he remained slouched over in his throne at the head of the table, too depressed to really notice or care.
When the time to eat finally came, everyone took generous portions of the food that lay before them, especially Po. He was already half-way through his second plate of food before anyone had finished their first. Tigress noticed this and chuckled while shaking her head. Oh, well…Po will be Po…
As Po was getting started on a third plate, however, he suddenly remembered his special sauce. He stood up slowly so as to not attract too much attention and bowed out, moving around the table and back to the grand kitchen where it had been stored.
Meanwhile, Tigress looked over to the emperor for what felt like the twentieth time. He had been eyeing her up all evening and it was starting to make her very uncomfortable. So uncomfortable that she was too preoccupied with her thoughts to notice the panda slip away.
After looking for a couple minutes, Po finally spotted his pot and checked its contents to make sure it was the right one. He took the liberty of warming it over the stove before hurriedly carrying it back out into the dining hall.
He could barely contain his excitement as he hustled back to the table. He made a beeline for the emperor, intent on having him be the first to taste his sauce. The Five and Shifu were the first to notice him.
"Gods, panda, what are you doing now?" Shifu mumbled, reflecting what the Five were all thinking.
"My Emperor, my Emperor!" he called, practically sprinting over to the throne he sat in. As Shun Wei turned, Po's eyes shot open as he realized he had forgotten to bow. So, in all of his wisdom, he decided it would be a good idea to bow while running. While running with a large, heavy pot of sauce.
As he bent down to bow, he lost his balance, falling forward and finally tripping, sending the lid off and all of the pot's contents into the air before finally landing on the emperor himself, right in his face.
The room gasped before falling into absolute silence. The emperor slowly wiped the sauce out of his eyes; time seemed to stand still as the panda slowly looked up at the emperor through his own squinted eyes that said that did NOT just happen.
But it did. The chancellor stood up abruptly, brushing some sauce that had landed on him off of his clothing before turning to the panda through furious eyes.
"The insolence! You FOOL! You MORON!" Po winced at his words; each felt like a nail being driven into him further and further. "You dare disrespect and dishonor His Imperial Majesty in such a way?! I see no punishment that can atone for this other than death!"
This time only the masters of the Jade Palace gasped, as the chancellor's final sentence echoed throughout the halls. Tigress felt her heart sink as her eyes became glossy. Oh, Po, you idiot! What were you thinking?!
Before the chancellor could continue his rant, the emperor held up his right hand to silence him, before speaking up.
"Now, now, let's not be hasty…" The emperor licked the sauce off of his lips, his eyes widening ever so slightly. He stood up; as he did so, the rest of the table did likewise, before he motioned them back down.
"This sauce is the best thing I have ever tasted…in my life."
Po couldn't help but grin inwardly at such a great honor. He was so caught up in the moment that he almost didn't hear the emperor's next words.
"Tell me, Dragon Warrior, what name are you known by?"
"P-Po, s-sir! Po Ping!" Po didn't budge; he stayed as low as he could get, head bowed practically to the ground.
"Very well, Po Ping, in light of your marvelous talent for cooking, I shall give you a chance. If you agree to remain within my servitude as my head chef, I will spare your life and your honor will be restored."
Either die or become the most prestigious chef in China. Even for Po, that choice didn't require much thought.
"Oh, t-thank You, Your Honorable Imperial Majesty, sir! I will gladly accept!"
The emperor ended the banquet then and there. It didn't really much matter, since everyone was stuffed and ready to get going already. The masters of the Jade Palace, still in shock, approached Po as the emperor turned and left with his servants to clean up back in his quarters.
"Po! Get over here! Now!" Shifu was very clearly upset; Po complied with haste so as to not anger him further.
"Yes, Master Sh-"
"Do you realize what you have just done?!" Shifu cut Po off, jabbing him in the stomach with Oogway's staff. Po didn't get a chance to respond before he continued. "You have just given your life to the emperor! From now until the day you die, you will wait upon him and his every whim!"
Po's eyes grew wide in realization of what he had agreed to.
"So…no more…Kung Fu?" he asked dejectedly, already knowing the answer.
"No. From here on out, this will be your home. You'll be lucky to get out of the palace on vacation time, much less the city!"
"Wait…so I can't-"
"No, panda, you cannot. You cannot visit the Jade Palace, or anyone else for that matter!"
His eyes darted up to Tigress, who was standing behind Shifu with the rest of the Five. She was tearing up through closed eyes, head and ears hung low. It broke his heart, but he had to say it.
"So…I guess this is…goodbye, then…"
Trying his best to hold back his own sobs while blocking out the sobs of his friends, he went down the line, saying goodbye and hugging them for the last time.
When he came to Tigress, she just stood there, looking at him through teary eyes; at first, they said please don't go… but after a second they inverted, anger apparent, into a look that screamed How could you do this to me?
He looked down at his feet, unable to look her in the eyes any longer. He felt a sharp sting across his face as she slapped him…but then hugged him. He hugged back as tight as he could, pulling her as close to him as possible as she started to audibly sob into his shoulder. After a good minute or so, she broke the hug, looked into his eyes one last time, and planted a kiss on his cheek before turning to leave with the others.
He could only stand there, frozen, his hand on the cheek she had both slapped and kissed, watching as she walked away.
After changing out of their dress clothes, the masters left the palace. The group was dead silent as they crossed the palace grounds for the outer gate. They had moved through it and back into the city before stopping, realizing Tigress was still standing outside the palace; her head was down low and she showed no signs of moving from that spot.
Shifu sighed. "Wait here."
The rest of the Five did as they were told as the old master walked back to his adopted daughter.
As he approached, she looked up at him, rage in her eyes. Oh boy, he thought. It's going to be one of those talks…
Tigress was the first to speak. "How could you just let that happen? Just…walk away…without even trying to stop it?" Another tear found its way down her cheek.
"Tigress, I realize you are distressed, as am I, but-"
"NO! Don't you try, don't you even try to equate your pain to mine! You have no idea what I'm going through right now…"
Shifu reeled back, stunned at her response, before lowering his head and ears.
"You are right, I don't." He looked back up into her eyes again. "But that doesn't change the fact that the emperor's word is final, and there is nothing we can do about it. Now come, we must get moving."
He turned to leave again, until he realized she still wasn't following him. He turned back, expecting to see her face buried in her hands, crying.
Instead, he saw her glaring back at him through determined, now tear-free eyes, standing tall and confident.
"No."
Shifu was again shocked at her willingness to disobey him. "What?"
"I said no. I'm not going to leave him. There has to be a way to sort this out, and I'm going to find it."
Before he could object, she turned around and ran back into the palace. He simply stood there, unsure what to do.
He heard the rest of the Five walk up behind him.
"Don't worry, Master Shifu. We'll go get her-" Crane said, before being blocked by Shifu's staff.
"No. If she wants to find out the hard way, it's her choice."
Tigress bounded down the hallway on all fours, until she reached the dining room. Walking up to the hallway that the emperor had come out of before the banquet, she walked up to the two guards blocking the way.
"Uhh…can we help you?" one of the rhino guards asked.
"I'm going to speak with the emperor," she stated calmly and confidently. Before they could move to stop her, she shot them both a soul-piercing glare that expressly informed them to back the hell down.
After reaching the top of an elegant spiral staircase, she looked for the biggest, grandest door she could find. Once she located it, she walked past the patrolling guards confidently, to make it look like she belonged there and had a purpose; it worked, none of the guards bothered to stop her.
The massive wooden door was adorned with intricate gold plating and a lion's head in the middle. She informed the guards that she had been sent to speak with the emperor, and that it was urgent.
The guards shrugged and knocked on the door. They slowly swung open as the guards on the other side of the door pushed them open.
"Business?" one of the inner guards asked.
"She needs to speak with the emperor. Apparently its urgent." an outer guard answered. The inner guard looked at her, then back to the other guard and nodded, letting her inside.
The doors swung shut behind her with a resounding slam that echoed throughout the massive chamber as they closed. Ahead, she saw the golden throne of the emperor at the opposite end of the chamber.
As she walked further into the chamber, she spotted the emperor near a window. She also couldn't help but notice the guards posted every few meters that each glared at her with suspicion.
She made her way up to the emperor, who, by now, was well aware of her presence. He continued to stare out the window as she approached.
She bowed deeply and began.
"Forgive me, Your Majesty, for bothering you, but I must ask you to reconsider your deal with the Dragon Warrior."
He stood still for a moment, contemplating a response.
"You have my ears, Master Tigress. What do you propose be done instead?"
She froze, suddenly realizing she hadn't even thought of an alternative.
The emperor sensed this, and chuckled grimly.
"Then I suppose it must stand." He turned to walk back to his throne, Tigress hot on his heels.
"No, please, Your Majesty, I beg you to reconsider! You have to let him go, I'll do anything-"
He stopped before his throne, turning back to her, looking into her eyes curiously.
"…Is that so?" He narrowed his eyes and slowly strode up to her. He held up his hand. "Guards, leave us."
A sly smile began in the corner of lips as he placed his finger under her chin, lifting her face up to his, as the fifteen or so heavily armored guards marched out through the heavy wooden door.
"Anything?"
Her eyes suddenly widened as she realized what he was suggesting.
"Oh, no, Your Majesty! Please be reasonable! Anything but that!"
His smile disappeared as he began to turn back to his throne.
She had no choice.
"Wait…" she whimpered, hanging her head in shame and forcing her eyes shut.
The emperor turned back towards her as she shakily raised her hands to her vest and began to undo it.
Po wandered into the kitchen where the former head chef sat, weeping at the news that he had been replaced. The pig looked up with eyes full of jealousy as Po walked in and assumed his role as new head chef. It took him a couple minutes to compose himself before he finally spoke up.
"I don't know how you did it…my cooking was never good enough to be able to save me from death…"
Po looked over to the pig and sighed.
"I'm actually considering taking the other option right now."
The pig's eyes widened in shock. He would rather die than cook for the emperor himself?
"I…I'm not sure I heard you right, my hearing must be failing me…" He cupped his ear over towards Po. "Did you just say you would rather die than hold such a prestigious position?!"
"Yeah. Yeah, I did. Kung Fu is my life, what I was meant to do, not cooking. Sure, I'm good at it and all, but going the rest of my life without ever seeing my friends? Never being able to train, never getting my ass kicked by Tigress again?" He blushed slightly as he mentioned her name. "No. This isn't how I want to live the rest of my life. I'd rather die than be stuck here, even if I am cooking for the emperor…"
He then walked over to the pig and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Plus, that way you would get your dream job back." He smiled at the pig, who returned it genuinely.
"If…if that's what you really want…" the pig still couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"It is. Take care of the kitchen, my friend…and yourself." With that, Po strode out of the kitchen and up to the emperor's quarters.
Climbing the stairs and traversing the halls, the patrols paid no heed to the imperial chef as he wandered around, looking for the emperor. After a while of searching, he finally resorted to flat out asking a guard where to go. The guard eyed him suspiciously, but gave him directions to the throne room.
Standing in front of the massive doors, he prepared himself to once again meet face-to-face with the emperor. He moved forward to the guards and stated his business.
"Um…now isn't really the best time…" one said.
"Yeah…he's, uh, kinda…busy, if you know what I mean…" the other said, chuckling.
"I don't care. Let me in, or else…" he responded, in no mood for this crap.
"Or else what?"
"You guys seem to forget that I'm still the Dragon Warrior…" Po cracked his knuckles and shot them both a glare, daring them to stop him.
"Pfft…fine, it's your funeral…" one finally conceded.
"That's the plan." Po grabbed the two giant handles and swung the giant doors outward, both guards nervously stepping out of earshot, neither willing to risk the emperor's wrath.
Po turned to shut the doors behind him quietly, but when he turned around he was stunned by the scene before him.
Tigress stood with her back to Po, completely naked. The emperor was running his hands all over her body, groping at everything he could find as he nuzzled into her neck, kissing her. It took Po's mind a few moments to fully register what the hell was going on, when he noticed how stiff she was. No, she wasn't enjoying it, not one bit. This definitely wasn't voluntary.
Po felt a fury rise up inside him like none he had ever felt before in his life. He shook with rage as he stomped up to them.
"What the HELL is going on here?!"
The emperor, startled, released Tigress and stumbled backwards.
"Po!" Tigress spun around, covering herself up as much as she could with her arms. "What are you doing here?!"
"Me? What the hell are you doing here?!" Before she could respond, the emperor spoke up.
"Dragon Warrior, you have no excuse for barging in here like this! Leave, immediately!"
Po stood his ground, balling his fists and looking the emperor directly in the eye.
"No."
The emperor's eyes widened. "What?! You dare defy-"
"Yes, I do. I will not stand idly by while you rape the woman I love! You should be ashamed of yourself!"
Tigress blushed to the point where she thought her cheeks were on fire. Her heart pounded while she tried to make sense of the situation. Did he just stand up to the emperor…for…me?
The emperor's eyes were as wide as dinner plates by now. It was at that moment he realized what he had done. How could I do something so low…right after my wife passed, no less…and what right do I have to deny others the ones that they love?
Tigress also realized the weight of the situation. She began to weep as the one she loved was certainly going to be put to death.
Po also realized this, but, since he had come up here to die anyway, he didn't care. He was not going to stand by and watch someone else molest the girl he loved.
What the emperor said next, however, no one could have predicted.
"You…you are right, Dragon Warrior."
Tigress and Po both shouted "What?!" in unison.
"I should be ashamed. Who am I to deny you love? I of all people should know how it feels to lose the person you care for most…" He turned around and sighed. "You may have dishonored me, Dragon Warrior, but I, in turn, have dishonored not only you, but Master Tigress as well as the rest of the Jade Palace. I am truly sorry."
The emperor turned and walked to his throne, falling back in it heavily and sighing.
"You are free to go whenever you wish."
Po scooped Tigress up off the ground and twirled her around before bringing her into a tight embrace. He didn't even notice she was still naked, and neither did she; all they cared about was the fact that they had each other. Both were so lost in each other's eyes that they almost didn't hear the 'ahem' coming from the throne room doors.
There stood Master Shifu. He looked like he was about ready to explode.
Tigress fell backwards and tumbled into her pile of clothes, covering up as much as possible, while Po simply yelled and fell on his back.
Shifu was so furious that he didn't realize the emperor was now at his side until he felt a large paw on his shoulder. He jumped and almost shouted "WHAT?!" before realizing who it was and quickly bowing.
"Go easy on them, Master Shifu."
Shifu could only nod before the emperor turned to walk away. Truth be told, he was more angry at the emperor - who had just defiled his daughter - than his two students, but he would of course never have the courage to stand up to him like Po had just done.
Tigress barely had enough time to finish putting her clothes back on before he marched up to them, grabbed them by the ears, and pulled them out of the room as if he was escorting naughty children to their rooms as he led them out of the palace.
Not a word was mentioned to the rest of the Five about the events that transpired that night. Besides explaining to Po why she had done what she did, the majority of the trip was silent. It wasn't until they were almost back home that Tigress brought it back up with Po. She waited until they were a suitable distance behind Shifu and the rest to begin.
"So…Po…" she started.
"Yeah, Tigress?"
"I just wanted to…to thank you, for what you did for me back there, even if I was doing it for you…" she sent him a side glance and a smile.
"You bein' serious? You don't need to thank me…no one touches my Tigress except for me-"
His eyes widened and he began to fidget as he realized what he just said.
"-er, I mean, i-if you-you're-y'know, okay with it-and all…"
She giggled and shook her head. "Oh, Po…" She then leaned into him and whispered into his ear, "I love you."
Po's cheeks shot redder than hell itself; they felt hotter than it, too. It only got worse as Tigress intertwined her fingers with his.
A sigh came from behind the two, causing them to jump and break hands. Shifu walked in-between them.
"Panda, I know what happened back at the palace. I saw everything." Shifu looked up at a very nervous panda. "I have to say, I am disappointed that you would show such disobedience for your emperor, even after what he...did..." The panda looked down in shame, awaiting the inevitable 'respect, honor, elders, etc.' lecture.
"But, I am also impressed by your bravery and devotion to my daughter." Shifu glanced over to Tigress as they made eye contact. The panda lifted his head back up, a hopeful smile across his face.
"I am willing to allow my daughter to choose what she thinks is best for her; she is surely mature enough to make her own decisions…"
Both turned to bow to the red panda. "Thank you, Mas-"
"-On one condition," Shifu interrupted. The look of hope in their eyes slowly started to fade. He turned to the panda.
"Po, are you willing to go to the ends of the earth to make sure that my daughter is happy?"
Po grinned. That was much easier to answer than he expected it would be.
"Of course, Master Shifu," he said, bowing. "I'll do whatever it takes."
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