This was supposed to be a one shot story. But someone followed it and I felt bad because there was nothing TO follow. So I decided, why not write the aftermath? And Po. Of course Po is there. Sorry if they are OOC, it's been a while since I've seen the movie. Hope I got everyone right!

Po stared at the scroll in his paws. He was sitting in his room in the Barracks. The scroll was a detailed drawing of Tigress. Po's jade eyes scanned the paper, absorbing the features. But it didn't feel right. Tigress's face was expressionless, cold. And that wasn't how Po wanted to remember her. He wanted to remember the passionate warrior, who'd fight to her last breath... and she had...

Tears welled up in Po's eyes. He wiped them away, careful not to mar the painting. He couldn't believe she was gone. Tigress would never cheer him on during a dumpling challenge. Never again would she snap at him for breaking yet another chair. Never would he see her, sitting outside at sunrise, watching the new day arrive. She was so beautiful in that moment. And now, she was gone. Gone before her time had come. Before he could speak to her.

Soft sobs came from Viper's room. It was easy hear; the thin paper walls hid no sound. The soft noise reminded Po of what had happened when he brought Tigress back. Shifu had stood outside the palace, waiting for their triumphant return. Instead, he had seen the last thing he could ever imagine or have nightmares about; Tigress, lying limp in Po's arms, her eyes closed and not a breath coming from her.

Po was wailing, unable to control himself. He would, later, but he was mourning the tiger in his arms. The wails brought the rest of Five out, to see their leader, the invincible Tigress, still and gone. Viper had instantly burst into hysterics, collapsing into a pile. Mantis had stared in shock, mouth hanging open. Crane had rushed forward, tracing a shocked wing tip across the fallen master's face. Monkey reached out to Shifu, who had frozen. The red panda turned and walked back in the palace, not a word spoken, though Po could swear he saw a tear glittering in the master's eye.

Po, walking past the hysteric Viper, entered the palace as well. He walked past the Great Hall, passed the kitchen and soon reached to Barracks. He opened the door to Tigress's room. He laid her down on the bed, arranging her so that she was comfortable before burying his face in her fur. Her cold fur.

He had sobbed, "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! This-is-my-fault-I-did-this-I'm-sorry-don't-be-dea d-please-I-didn't-mean-to- why did you have to go?"

He had asked the last question in desperation. He truly wondered. Of all the Furious Five, he had always thought Tigress would outlive them all. She was the strongest, fiercest, fastest, most powerful of them. Tigress would live her life, maybe be Grandmaster someday. And have a family, possibly. Little strong tiger cubs that would grow up as fierce as their mother. And follow her pawsteps and become Kung Fu warriors. And then Tigress would have her happy ending. With a long life. She deserved it. But no. Struck down in her prime. Before she truly began.

And Po couldn't forget the blood that wouldn't stop, that flowed unceasingly. Nor the sigh she gave before she left. His paws would never cleanse themselves from the blood, no matter yet how many times he washed them.

Po dropped the scroll, letting roll across his floor. He stared at the floor and flopped down on his crushed bed. It creaked and moaned, which did not help at all to comfort the distraught panda. He let his tears rain out into his sorry excuse for a pillow. It seemed he had a bottomless pit of tears.

Po cried himself to sleep. And he dreamt. Not nightmares, as he expected. But a strange dream.

Po was sitting by a shoreline, on a grassy part of it, under a tree. He didn't know how he got there but he couldn't care. He looked around. It seemed he was alone. He sighed and decided to look at this strange place he had come to.

A beautiful scene infolded before his eyes. A endless ocean, filled with white-crested waves. It was sunset, the sun dipping under the blue of the ocean. Seashells adorned the soft sand that rimmed the ocean, the waves bringing them in then taking them back just as quick. Po admired the ocean before the sunset reminded him of Tigress' eyes, closing forever.

Po swallowed thickly. It seemed he couldn't enjoy the sunset without remembering her. He bowed his head.

"Oh, don't be like that. I brought you here to talk, not to see you mope about."

Po shot up in shock. That voice! "Tigress?"

"Yes, it's me, Dragon Warroir." said the voice teasingly. Po turned, hardly daring to hope. His heart pounded in his chest and his throat closed.

Tigress was standing there, smiling like she never had when she was alive. She was wearing a draped dress, shock of shocks. It was the color of sunsets, which looked so beautiful on her. Tigress noticed his glance and put her paws on her hips. "I can wear dresses, you know. And now, I'm free to."

Po choked out, "Tigress... I'm so sorry." Tigress furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"What are you sorry for? I died, my mistake, not yours." she said, looking at Po.

"My fault, I couldn't save you..."

Tigress huffed in annoyance. "Po, no one could save me. It was fate."

Po shook his head. "No. No, I should've! I should've saved you, you could've had a life, with cubs and be the Grandmaster of the Jade palace. And that never happened. You deserved that life and it never happened. I'm sorry."

Tigress' eyes softened, looking touched. "Po, that wasn't my destiny. Can you imagine me with a mate?" She chuckled at that. "I was doomed to a cold life as a unfeeling warrior. And, I'm free."

She added, "I'm not happy I died, but I've accepted it. Po, it may not have been my time, but I was freed from the sufferings in my life. As a cub in the orphanage, when I was growing up in the Jade Palace, I wasn't loved. If I was, no one ever expressed it. No one seemed to care. And I'm telling you because you should know."

Po stared at Tigress. She was right. He couldn't really imagine Tigress with a mate. She's probably beat the lights out of anyone who tried to get his way with her. Still. Po drooped. "But... You still deserved that life. You should've had it. And you didn't. Because of me. I didn't save you."

Tigress stalked over to Po. Placing her paws on his shoulders, she said sternly, "Get this through your thick skull, Dragon Warrior. I'm dead. Gone. Nothing you can do. So stop moping! I've got a little time. And I don't want it to be gloomy."

Po looked at her then suddenly hugged her. Tigress stiffened, then after a moment, patted his back awkwardly. The panda released her, and Tigress have him a genuine smile. Po knew she would never have smiled like that while she was alive. It was true. She was free.

Tigress began to walk down the beach, leaving paw prints behind her. She looked over her shoulder at him, offering him to join her walk. Po jogged to catch and walked beside her. Tigress sighed contentedly, looking out over the ocean.

"This was my happy place. The oceans are just so peaceful. I never visited one, but I always wanted to."

Po whispered, "I wish I could've taken you to an ocean."

Tigress nudged him while walking. "Stop the sad talk. I just want a peaceful walk with a friend before I move on. Or do what spirits do."

Po smiled sadly at her. "Okay. I'll try." After a moment, he said, "Viper misses you."

Tigress groaned. "You can't stop being sad, huh. Fine. I miss her too, but I'm watching over her. So I know she's safe."

They walked quietly for a while, just taking in the scenery.

Tigress spotted a crab and got overly excited over the tiny creature. She was holding the crab and smiling at the wriggling creature. She poked it and handed it to Po. He smiled and took the crab. It pinched him and he dropped it with a yelp. Tigress laughed at him, doubling over with laughter. Po sucked his finger, giving her a mock glare. She smiled sweetly at him. Then her expression sobered.

"I can feel now."

"What?"

"My paws. I can feel in them again." she repeated, gazing down at her paws. She was, Po noticed, free of her scars. And her iron wood paws as well. "It's odd. I was so used to it. Now I realize I was used to numbness. Not feeling. And now, it feels so good. To feel the sand, the cool waves. It's amazing. I had forgotten how it felt."

Po blinked at her. He hadn't realized fully what it meant to not feel anything. He took her paw in his own. "I'm glad you feel again. It's nice, isn't it."

Tigress nodded. She wasn't bothered by him holding her paw. He could tell; she wasn't hiding her emotions anymore. "Yes. I had missed it. I didn't realize it though. Now I do."

Po smiled at her. He hugged her again. Tigress hugged him back this time. They separated and Po held her paw again. Tigress looked back at the crab, who was trying to escape. She turned back to Po, her eyes lighting up.

They continued walking.

this took a life of its own. And I love it.

some person followed this and I really felt bad. Nothing to follow. so I wrote. If anyone else follows, there will be more. I don't know if that's a request or a warning. Take it as you will.

Tigress is so at peace in this. She's free. I loved writing a peaceful Tigress who doesn't hide her emotions.

I think I did good with the characters. Hopefully.

anyway! Katyuana out! :3