Even though Max and Tigress are friends now, Max worries about the effects of their rivalry and how this new friendship will gain.

Chapter 29: Taking Time

After the whole thing, Max finally feels a great sense of relief that this rivalry is over and he hopes that he'll never go back to those same issues again between him and Tigress and that they'll be friends again. Still...he often wonders how long will it last this time around and that Tigress has really meant every word she said about being friends instead of enemies and as he sits on the steps of the Jade Palace, he keeps thinking about what would happen if it actually stuck it out.

His ears perked when he heard someone coming behind him and when he turned around, it was Layla and as she walked over, she asked, "Mind if I join you?"

"Sure." Max replied.

Layla sits down next to him and she could see that Max is in array of mixed emotions about everything that he had been through during that rivalry between him and Tigress and he doesn't want that to affect him for the rest of his life and Layla said, "Heavy burden lifted, isn't it?"

"Pretty much. I hope that Tigress is true to her word." Max added.

"She's always true to her word. Just like you, she keeps promises...sometimes." Layla answered.

The 'sometimes' part seemed kinda leery for Max and he knows he can accept it, but is really hesitant about how long it might actually last and he said, "You think so?"

"Of course. Why have you started doubting?" asked Layla.

"I'm not. I'm just a little nervous that it might not last long." Max answered.

Layla could see Max's point because Tigress has a little issue regarding to letting things take time because one day, she'll be friendly and the next, she'll come in as a ticking time bomb for no reason, so she could understand his worry very quickly and she said, "All we have to do is just give Tigress some time to get used to it. Like Mako said, she has to take baby steps and take it one day at a time and we'll see what the results will end up."

"I hope you're right." Max said, with a crooked smile.

Layla couldn't resist hugging Max with that smile and she held him tightly and Max did the same and he didn't really want to let her go for a second and Layla could tell that he didn't want the hug to end and she held onto him tighter for a few minutes before they let go. Max smiled at her and he said, "I like having you as a mother."

Layla's heart was warmed up when Max said that about her and she said, "And I see you as my son."

"Hey, guys."

Both of them turned around to see Takami standing there and they couldn't help but notice Takami smiling through it all and he asked, "Does that make me the dad?"

"Pretty much." Max answered.

Takami comes to Max and musses his hair a little bit and he said, "Max, your dad's looking for ya."

"Okay." Max said.

All three tigers walked back to the Jade Palace and Max hopes that the whole thing will be long forgotten and that him and Tigress will be friends and with a little help and getting off to the right start, both of them will do just fine.

Will Tigress be true to her word? You'll have to find out!