Unbroken Promises

Warning: Though this may seem dark, there is light at the end of the tunnel

He died two weeks before the wedding. Po came on with a sudden severe illness no one could heal him from. All of his friends asked the Master to heal him, but their prayers weren't answered the way they thought they would be. Just before he died, Po told Tigress of the promise that the Master told him. "Trust the Master, no matter what happens to me, trust him. Don't forget the promise." Po, seeing that his health wasn't going to change, asked the others to cremate his body, which they did, very reluctantly. Not only was it not tradition to cremate bodies, it was also their friend, whose body they saw as holy and sacred. Maybe there was a shred of them that thought the Master would raise Po back to life and restore the body. Anyways, the solemn and tearful procession came up to the Jade Palace for the ceremony. Po's ashes were in a big jade urn on a table. A painting of him sat next to the urn. Everyone had come to the ceremony. Crane and Jia sat next to Monkey and Mantis. Jia was usually emotional, so it was no surprise to Crane that she was crying. Mr. Ping was devastated. He and Li Shan were sitting next to each other with their heads looking at the ground. As the people took their seats, Tigress stood in the corner looking at everyone. Then she saw someone. Tai-Lung came up to her. The sympathy in his eyes was enough to make Tigress hug him. Tai-Lung hugged back, trying his best to comfort her. But he knew no one could comfort her best like Po. Tigress, poor Tigress. She was promised to marry the love of her life. Now, he was gone. How could the Master be so cruel to her? Didn't she do what he wanted? Why? That was the major question on her mind. As the ceremony was about to start, the servants were still making the preparations. The two columns of seats made one big aisle along the middle. As Tigress watched over the servants, a servant had asked some people to take the first eleven rows of chairs. Tigress churned. Something wasn't right with them sitting there. "No," She told the servant, "Have them sit somewhere else. Those are reserved."

Shifu and the others were confused. By their recollection, those seats were anyone's pick. Why was she reserving them? And for who? They all quietly assumed that the death of Po was getting to her and decided to let her do what she wanted. As the service was about to start, a strange sight came down the aisle. A hyena, about to Tigress's shoulder height, walked down the aisle with a bronze staff in his hand. He was accompanied by ten lions, all taller than him. This is a very peculiar thing because hyenas and lions are usually natural enemies. Stranger still was the fact that they seemed to be following the hyena. The hyena, with his ten lion companions, respectfully bowed to Tigress. "Dear ma'am," He said in a tender voice, "I am Ulaghai. I am truly sorry for your loss. May we sit here?" Tigress slowly nodded. Everyone was confused and had a lot of questions. How did Tigress know these people? Better yet, who were they? While all these questions happened, the service commenced. Gail gave a beautiful speech. So beautiful in fact that they didn't care how long it was. As he was talking, one of Ulaghai's lions asked him,

"Teacher, what caused this man to die? Was it his sins that led him to his death?" This was understandable in their culture because it was said that the young die because they've done some evil. That comment, however, was heard by nearly everyone at the ceremony, except Gail who was still speaking. Tai-Lung growled, Shifu glared at the lion, Viper hissed, and Tigress's angry death glare was enough to kill anything in its path. However, Ulaghai responded to the answer first.

"This man is no more a sinner than you are a saint," Ulaghai scowled, yet somehow made it sound harmless and loving. That was harsh, even to everyone who heard it. But there was a small sense of gratification in what he said. He kept speaking, "His death is so that others may understand who the Creator is." Did he mean the Master? Just as Gail finished, Ulaghai went up to speak. This was absurd! First, they come unannounced, then they hijack the service. But Ulaghai spoke comforting words. "Do not be sad, my friends. The dear person who you've lost will be alive again. The promise made to Po will be kept." Then he walked over to Tigress, who stood up. "Do you trust the Master?" Tigress hadn't cried through the whole thing. Now, she let loose her tears.

"Trust the Master? He let someone I loved die! The only person who loved me for who I was! And you want me to trust him. I was only doing what he told me to do and now Po's dead! Why should I trust him?" She questioned in anger and tears. She sat down in her chair and cried. Before she realized it, Ulaghai wrapped his arms around her and cried with her. Had he said any words of comfort, it wouldn't have worked. But simply crying with her made her feel so much better. "Do what the Master has told you to do," She said. Ulaghai nodded.

"Take all the stuff off the table and draw a circle in the dirt around it," Ulaghai instructed his followers. Everyone was beyond confused, but Tigress just sat there in silence. As Ulaghai's followers finished, the hyena kneeled on the ground and looked to the sky. "Creator, I know that you don't like seeing people suffer. I know why you've made me come here. Now show yourself to all these people, so that they may know the Master that Po served." Suddenly, the sky started to turn dark. It was as if the sun itself was getting dimmer. Then, a towering column of fire stretching from heaven came down and surrounded Ulaghai and Po's urn. Many turned away from the brightness of the fire. Tigress stood up and peered into the column of fire. The top of the jade urn floated off and the ashes flew out. Then a bright light shone from the fire. The light materialized into a black and white creature. As suddenly as the column of fire came, it zoomed back up, like a fearsome dragon. Tigress stared at the light that materialized into a living creature.

"Po?" She stood in amazement. Po looked over and heard Tigress call him. Ulaghai helped him walk over to her. Po was wondering why Tigress's eyes were red as if she had been crying. In fact, she was still crying.

"Tigress, why are you crying?" Po asked, gently stroking her face. His warm hand sent a shiver down her spine. "Didn't I tell you to trust in the Master?" Tigress immediately hugged Po as everyone else did the same. Li Shan and Mr. Ping were overjoyed to see their son alive.

"I thought I lost you forever!" Mr. Ping sobbed happily.

"Guys, didn't you know the Master who made vegetables come alive can raise the dead?" Po asked. He looked at Tigress, who was still hugging him. Then, she punched him. "OW! What was that for?"

"That was for dying on me before the wedding," Tigress complained.

"What?! I can't control that! Is it always going to be this way with you!?" Po exclaimed. Tigress smiled as he kissed him, surprising him greatly. She pulled away as he got over his shock. "Still, doesn't make up for the punch," Po muttered rubbing his sore arm. Tigress smiled as she hugged him again.

"I missed you, so much," She said in a voice barely audible. "But there is one thing I've learned. Always trust the Master." Po smiled. Then he turned to the hyena and his ten lions. "Po, this is Ulaghai, he's the one who the Master sent." Po bowed.

"Another servant. Good, I need some help in the labor," Po said. His stomach growled. "And some food," Po laughed, making everyone chuckle.

"I'm afraid we'll have to do that later," Ulaghai said, "Right now, I have to do what the Master told me to do." Ulaghai took Po and Tigress's hands and brought them together. "Dearly beloved," Ulaghai said in a loud voice. "We are gathered here today to witness the meeting and joining of Po and Tigress in holy matrimony." Tigress was actually laughing a bit. He was doing a wedding service here and now? Po was shocked and nervous, but Tigress couldn't help but laugh a bit. "Do you, Tigress, take Po as your husband?"

"I do," Tigress smiled.

"And do you, Po, take Tigress as your lovely wife," Ulaghai asked.

"I... I do," Po stuttered a bit. He was a little overwhelmed that everything was going so fast.

"Then I pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride," Ulaghai said. Tigress leaped into Po's arms and kissed him. Po was in continual shock of everything that was happening but kissed back anyways. He wrapped his arms around her waist as Tigress did the same with her arms around his neck. Just then, a big growl interrupted their kiss. Tigress pulled back and rolled her eyes with a smirk as Po grinned embarrassedly. "I agree with your stomach," Ulaghai chuckled. "Let's eat."

So, a funeral turned into a wedding celebration. Ulaghai and his lions also participated in the celebration. Tigress kept laughing about Ulaghai's name. "Doesn't that mean trickster?" She chuckled. Ulaghai chuckled too.

"Yes, I was very mischievous when I was a child. It was something I wanted to change, but I decided to not let it bother me," the hyena explained. Po smiled as he ate his food. There was something about Ulaghai's disciples that bothered him. Po could see the lions huddling close together. Some of them put on brave faces and tried to kindly deny the food offered to them. Others had a look of disgust. Before Po could voice his thoughts, one of Ulaghai's followers asked,

"Teacher, if it's not for evil, why does the Master allow some people to die?" Before the hyena or Po could answer, Tigress spoke.

"For some, the future holds hardships too great for them to bear. The Master saves them from the hard oppression and suffering ahead. Others, the evil forces have tried everything to make them fall, but when the evil forces realize they can not succeed, the forces take their lives, realizing they have lost. Some die because of their own wickedness. The Master rarely punishes people. Evil has its own punishment. In Shin-Go, Bol-Lat, and other cities that have not heeded the word of the Master, their own evil has brought them to their demise. Who can fully understand the wisdom the Master has? We must only trust and obey." Both Po and Ulaghai were shocked by her words. Po smiled and kissed Tigress on the cheek, making her blush.

"You're definitely going to become a servant of the Master," Po said. "Now I have something to say to your disciples, Ulaghai."

"Say what needs to be said," Ulaghai said. Po stood up, making Tigress release her grip on him. She had been holding him from the time he rose from death.

"Followers of Ulaghai, when you were born, were you not strangers in this world? Yet the people accepted you and loved you. When Ulaghai became a servant of the Master, were you not strangers amongst each other?" The lions nodded. "Yet the Master accepted you as his own. Why then do you not do the same for others?" The lions looked at each other confused. "Do you think that the Master, who is master of the universe, has made you his one and only people and everyone else is insignificant? Did he not take Ulaghai, one who was even hated amongst his own people, and make him a servant? Do you not know that the Master has made everyone equal? Every man, woman, child, and creature are equal in his eye, and he loves them just the same. Every single one is his favorite," Po said. He smiled at their ashamed faces. "I understand if you're shy and nervous about being in a new culture, but never think that you are better than someone. Pride causes many to fall, even us servants," Po said. He finally sat back down. When he did that, the first lion, the youngest, started intermingling with the people and the rest did the same.

"Thank you for that, Po," Ulaghai said, "I've been trying to tell them that for the longest."

"How did you exactly tell them?" Po asked.

"I've been trying to show them through stories," Ulaghai said.

"That doesn't always work," Tigress answered. "Sometimes you must be truthfully blunt with them."

"Well, I know that now," Ulaghai replied. Suddenly, Po was 'hug' attacked by Viper, Jia, Lula, and, surprisingly, Tigress. Po wheezed out in protest.

"Guys, for the last time, I'm alive!" He struggled to say. They kept doing this from time to time ever since Po was resurrected. Though Po knew why they did it, it still caught him off guard. They slowly released him. Viper wiped a tear from her eye.

"Please Po, do not do something like that ever again," Viper trembled. "Please." Po sighed sadly.

"I really am sorry for making you guys feel so worried, but I really couldn't stop it," Po said.

"We know that," Jia replied, "We're just so glad the Master brought you back to us." Tigress, who was still hugging Po, slowly released him but still had his hand in hers. Po noticed this as the others went away.

"Are you always going to keep holding my hand?" Po asked, smirking.

"I'm just making sure that I don't lose you again," Tigress firmly said. Po frowned a bit then placed his hands on Tigress's shoulders.

"The Master said I would live to see my great-grandchildren. I believe in that promise. You should too," Po stated. Tigress looked at Po for a while, then nodded. Po turned to Ulaghai. "How long are you staying here?"

"For as long as the Master intends. He has prepared a place for me and my disciples to stay," Ulaghai answered. Po smiled.

"That's good," Po replied. The hyena went to mingle with the guests. Po and Tigress sat next to each other, still holding hands. Po smiled and looked over at Tigress. Tigress gave a half-smile, a little confused.

"What?" She asked. Po didn't answer. He just kissed her on the lips, greatly surprising her with his forwardness. When he pulled away, he whispered tenderly.

"I love you," He said. Tigress probably gave one of the biggest smiles Po ever saw her with.

"I love you, too," Tigress replied.

Continued...