Hiding-The Game

The next day, Zan and the gang were working in the kitchen when Po came scrambling in. "Guys! I need to hide! Tigress is after me," Po exclaimed.

"Oh Come on! Didn't we already go over this," Zan exclaimed.

"No no, it's not what you think. It's a game we're playing. Please hide me," Po pleaded. Zan was too tired to have sympathy. It had been a hard day and the customers had been particularly harsh.

"Sorry, I don't feel like getting into this. You're on your own," Zan said getting back to his work.

"Oh come on! Oh no! She's coming," Po quickly hid behind a plant, obviously too small to hide him. Tigress walked in, completely passing Po.

"Hey Zan, have you seen Po," Tigress asked. Zan was shocked that she didn't at least hear him. He could see Po in the back signaling him to not tell her.

"No I haven't," Zan replied.

"Achoo."

"Bless you Po," Tigress casually said, not seeming to register that it was Po behind the plant. Zan's mouth just dropped. "Well if you see him, let me know." With that, she turned around and went out. Where Po was sat right in her line of sight. She completely walked out the door. Zan just stared out the doorway.

"Did that just happen," He exclaimed. Ai, Ruby, Vick, and O all shrugged. Po came out of his hiding place.

"Whew, that was close," He sighed.

"Gotcha!"

"Ahhh!" Tigress laughed. "You knew I was there," Po asked.

"I hope so," Zan retorted, "Otherwise I fear she's losing her edge...completely!"

"I knew you were there when you came in," Tigress smirked. Po pouted in defeat.

"How," He asked.

"That's simple," Vick replied. "You have a certain smell." Po sniffed his armpits.

"Not that kind of smell. It's more of a scent," Ruby explained.

"Okay, so what does he smell like," Zan asked.

"Peaches," Tigress, Vick, and Ruby all said at once.

"Okay since it's so obvious," Zan stated, still confused they all knew what it was and the fact that speaking about it wasn't making them awkward because he sure was. "Now that you've found Po, would you please leave us to our work. It's been a rough day."

"What's the matter," Po asked.

"The customers have been extra uppity today," Ruby snarled in frustration.

"Oh I understand," Po sighed, "Sometimes there just some customers that seem to get a little more than feisty. Don't worry, they come and go."

"Yeah, but it seems like they're all coming at once," Zan grieved.

"Waiter! Where's my juice," yelled a pompous pig.

"I'M COMING! WAIT YOUR TURN," Zan shouted, quieting the pig. Zan ran off to the kitchen.

"The good thing is Zan can shut the people up with one word," Ruby smirked.

"Well, I hope you guys can manage," Tigress said.

"Us too," Ai sighed.

"Now, you have to try and find me, Mister," Tigress said playfully to Po. Po smirked.

"Sure. We'll start at the Palace," Po answered. Then the two were off. Ai cleaned up the tables as Zan served the guests.

"So now Po turned a mistake into a game," Ai questioned.

"What can I say? He's good at being him," Zan replied.

"This is going better than we could ever imagine, Zan," Vick replied.

"I know, but it's not done yet," Zan said quite determined to finish his job.

"What else is there to do," Ruby asked.

"Get them together," Zan blew a heavy breath. "I'm going to serve table three."

"WAITER!"

"Listen, either you wait or I cut your tail, grind it, and serve it to you as a juice. Do you understand me," Zan answered back. This shut the pig up for good.

"I think Tigress is rubbing off on him," Ai sighed.

"FINALLY! Away from those horrible customers," Zan said relieved as they went up the mountain. Just then, they saw Crane coming down the stairs. "Master Crane, what are you doing?"

"I'm need to get out of the palace for a minute. It's getting weird in there."

"Uh no, are Tigress and Po arguing again," Ai asked.

"No, they're playing hide-and-seek, which is really really weird," Crane said as his head shook like a broken robot. "Anyways, I'm just going to walk around for a moment. See you later." He went down the mountain.

"Come on, let's see what he's talking about," Zan ushered.

"Actually, you two go ahead. I think we'll stay down here," O said.

"Tired," Ai guessed. O, Ruby, and Vick all groaned.

"Okay, we'll go up. Plus we can fly up, so it'll be easier," Zan said taking to the skies. They flew into the Training Hall where they could see Po hiding in the far corner, near the fire pit. "I think this can go on without us. Let's get something to eat," Zan offered.

"Really, you've been around food for the entire day and you want it now," Ai questioned. Zan shrugged.

"Why not?" He offered his shoulder like a gentleman. Ai giggled and took his arm as they went back down the mountain. Meanwhile, Po was unsuccessfully hiding in his little corner when.

"Oh Po, where are you," Tigress taunted. Po giggled silently. Tigress smirked. "Well, if you're not here, then I'll just turn on the fire pit for no reason."

"No," Po stood up and shouted, trying not to get burned to a crisp.

"Gotcha," Tigress shouted as she tackled Po on his back to the ground. "Let's see. That's 23 to 3. Want another round?"

"No thanks. I think you've made it clear that you can find me when ever you like," Po replied. Tigress laughed. She saw his smile fade a little but still gentle and kind.

"What," She asked quietly. Po stroked the side of her face, making her blush.

"Has anyone told you you're beautiful," Po asked. Tigress froze. She got off of him and stood up with her back towards him. "I'm sorry if that made you feel-"

"No, no. It's just...no one has ever called me beautiful before," Tigress said quietly.

"That's shocking," Po claimed. Tigress kinda shrugged.

"It's hard to call beautiful what you think is a man," Tigress clarified. "It's was because of my...lack of femininity that I thought I...couldn't...I mean, that's why I focus mostly on my Kung Fu. That and other things."

"So what," Po said. Tigress turned around to face him.

"What do you mean?"

"So what if you're not like the other girls? It just makes you more special," Po explained. Tigress offered a small smile.

"Yes, but when people think you're a male-"

"That's their fault for judging too quickly," Po interrupted as he held Tigress' hands. "Tigress, you are beautiful. I know that, Qiang knows that, everyone who knows you knows that. Don't let other people tell you another story." Tigress smiled. She laid her hand on Po's shoulder.

"Thanks Po. But you're still 23 to 3," She smirked. Po blushed a bit. "Why do you blush at that?"

"No, no, it's nothing."

"Po," She said in a warning tone.

"It's just...when ever you snarl or smile or laugh you look...kinda cute," Po confessed. Tigress was surprised and flattered, but she going to use this to her advantage.

"Oh, so you like seeing me mad? Is that why you get on my nerves sometimes because you like seeing me mad," Tigress said in a seductive tone. She heard Po gulp and chuckled. "Well, now that I know what makes you tick, I'm going to use that to my advantage."

"Hhhhow," Po asked worried.

"You'll see," Tigress smirked.

to be continued.