The day to come
Chapter 2
A few days have passed since that night and everything seemed to be back to normal. Well almost everything.
"Ready" Tigress said as she got into her fighting stance.
"You're going down Kitty" Po teased with a grin which only annoyed Tigress.
Po and Tigress were in the training hall sparring late in the evening. They were at it for hours and since Po refused to give up after every single time he got throw unto his back things looked like they were going to spar for a while longer. Tigress as always rushed towards Po and tried to land several palm strikes. But the Dragon Warrior has gotten used to her style and deflected them with ease which only raised his ego.
"Not so bad am I now Kitty?" he teased again but before he could grin his face punched Tigresses fist. Or was it the other way around? Po groaned as he landed on his back… again. Tigress walked towards him and leaned over his belly so she could look him in the eyes.
"Had enough yet oh mighty Dragon Warrior?" she said in a teasing voice.
Po grinned at her and before she knew it he had swiped her legs so she fell ontop of him. They both blushed but did not move. Well not until Shifu came.
"What is the meaning of this!" Shifu said sternly.
They both got up as quickly as possible and looked at the floor.
"Sorry Master" they said in unison while blushing and looking to the ground.
"You both know the rules. No relationships. They distract you from your training." He said in a cold emotionless voice.
Shifu sighed when he got no reply. He turned around and started walking out slowly "We will talk about this tomorow. Go and get some rest.".
Po and Tigress looked at eachother and went to the barracks. But before they went into their own rooms Po hugged Tigress tightly and wished her goodnight. Tigress stood there in the hallway thinking about what just happened and why she let him hug her. When she thought about the hug she felt warm and happy. And with those feelings Tigress went to her room for the night.
The tiger finally after 20 long years felt happy. A feeling she had long since forgotten. Tigress looke over to her desk upon which lay the rose Po had given her a few days ago. With a smile on her face the tiger fell asleep.
The next morning
As always the gong rang and the Five were standing outside in the hallway waiting to greet their master. When Shifu came he heard five voices – a monkey, a snake, a crane, a mantis and a panda. But no tiger. He walked over to the empty spot infront of Tigresses door.
"Master Tigress is everything alright?" Shifu asked with a concerned voice. There was no reply. Only a faint purr-like sound could be heard from her room. Shifu slowly slid the door open and saw the tiger curled up in her bed squezing her pillow and ….. purring! When the rest of the five gathered around Shifu they saw not the hardcore, emotionless tiger they used to know, but a happy, smiling tiger who apparently liked to hug her pillow. They all wanted to d'aaw silently but Shifu cleared his throat before they could.
When Tigress heard Shifu she bolted up from her bed and stood infront of the bowing slightly and said "Good morning Master.". Shifu chuckled lightly for Tigress was still clutching to her pillow for dear life.
"Don't kill the pillow okay?" Mantis laughed at his joke but soon regretted it when the pillow came flying straight towards him thrown by a blushing tiger. The rest of the five including Po chuckled at this and went off to train.
"Po, Tigress. Come with me" Shifu said plainly. They went out of the barracks to the Hall of Warriors.
"A message arrived yesterday when you two were training." Shifu explained, the two masters blushed when they remembered what happened in the training hall yesterday evening.
Master Shifu frowned as he said the next sentence "It was adressed to the Dragon Warrior and Master Tigress.". Master Shifu then handed them a scroll with a strange seal on it. Tigress took the scroll and used one of her sharp claws to break the seal so she could read it. When she opened the scroll Po was standing behind her looking over her shoulder. Tigress then began reading the scroll out loud.
"Dear Dragon Warrior and Master Tigress. My name is Shanxi and i was a close friend to Lord Shen. By my families honor I swore to take revenge on the one who killed him. So here is my offer: you come to Hua Ru city and die with honor, or I come into the Valley of Peace and kill you all like dogs! You have 3 days to respond otherwise I will march on the Valley with mine and Shens armies combined."
When Tigress finished reading the message her paws were trembling a little knowing that she would have to die in 3 days. But Po wasn't just trembling he was FREAKING….IN! Master Shifu on the other hand stood there silently contemplating on what they should do. They only had 2 days left to give Shanxi an answer or let the entire valley be killed.
The three stood there in silence until Shifu spoke up his voice full of sorrow knowing that he will lose his daughter. "I-I guess we have… no choice. We swore to protect the Valley with our lives…".
When Po heard what Shifu had said he emediately spoke up "But Master! I know we can't let innocent people die but think about it. What would be stopping Shanxi to take over China with no Dragon Warrior and Master Tigress to protect it?"
Tigress returned the scroll to Shife and turned to Po "Po… We have to go… I can't risk so many lives…"
Po was now shaking a bit and spoke again his voice cracking "Tigress… n-no I can't watch you die because of me!"
Tigress shouted at Po "PO! What would be a greater loss me or the entire Valley of Peace?"
Po whispered loud enough for Tigress to hear "Without you I have no Valley…" He then turned around and ran out of the Hall of Warriors, out of the Jade Palace, to the only place he had left… His old room.
When Po arrived at Mr. Pings noodles he ran up to his room with a face full of tears without even saying hello to his father.
Back in the Hall of Warriors when Tigress heard what Po had said tears were matting her face aswell. Quiet sobs could be heard echoing through the palace. When she got to her room she closed the door behing her and slid down to her knees. Her worst fear had come true – finally she let someone in her life and now she was going to lose him forever. She looked over to where the rose was lying only to see it had slowly began to whither away. Her heart broke at the sight of the dying rose and more tears were coming down her face.
Tigress slowly made her way to the window and opened it. There were no stars in the sky tonight, there was no moon to be seen, only dark clouds ready to cry on the world. But when she looked down on the Valley she could see one lonely light amongst the darkness. Somehow she knew who refused to turn it off.
A faint but sad voice could be heard by only those who had hearing strong enough like Tigress. A voice filled with sorrows and sadness, fear for what will happen and regret for what will never be done. The voice belonged to a big, sad panda who was know to the world as the Dragon Warrior. But to one he was something more that just that, more than a hero, more than a simple friend, to Tigress he was the only reason she would wake up smiling, to live each day to it's fullest, to dream each night and to not give up.
Tigress perked up her ears with the sound of Po's voice she listened carefully, not wanting to miss a single word of what he was singing.
In Po's room
Po, two letters yet they meant so much. Po the last panda, the Mighty Dragon Warrior, the one who lives with the Furious Five… the one who will die in 2 days…
He looked through his small window up to the Jade Palace, his emotions screaming to come out. So he tried his best but the only thing that came to mind was this song he once saw on one of Tigresses scrolls.
This time, This place
Misused, Mistakes
Too long, Too late
Who was I to make you wait?
Just one chance
Just one breath
Just in case there's just one left
'Cause you know, you know, you know I love you
I have loved you all along
And I miss you
Been far away for far too long
I keep dreaming you'll be with me and you'll never go
Stop breathing if I don't see you anymore
The soft voice echoed through the night. Slowly making it's way to a certain tiger listening carefully.
On my knees, I'll ask
Last chance for one last dance
'Cause with you, I'd withstand all of hell to hold your hand
I'd give it all
I'd give for us
Give anything but I won't give up
'Cause you know, you know, you know I love you
I have loved you all along
And I miss you
Been far away for far too long
I keep dreaming you'll be with me and you'll never go
Stop breathing if I don't see you anymore
So far away, so far away
Been far away for far too long
So far away, so far away
Been far away for far too long
But you know, you know, you know I wanted
I wanted you to stay
'Cause I needed,
I need to hear you say that I love you (That I love you)
I have loved you all along
And I forgive you (And I forgive you)
for being away for far too long
So keep breathing 'cause I'm not leaving you anymore
Believe it
Hold on to me and never let me go
Keep breathing 'cause I'm not leaving you anymore
Believe it
Hold on to me and never let me go
Keep breathing
Hold on to me and never let me go
Keep breathing
Hold on to me and never let me go
After Po finished singing silence once again took it's place. But back in Tigress' room the sound of droplets could be heard, her shattered heart lay in her chest upon whic two paws were tightly pressed together. A flow of water sparkling in the now clear and starry sky was seen running through a mix of black and orange. A tiger laying on her bed, crying in her sleep, dreaming about hope for the day to come…