Brothers

"Seriously, it's not that important," Said a red-faced panda, trying to dodge the advances of his tiger friend. Tigress blocked his path.

"If it's not important then tell me," Tigress asked with a smirk. Po sighed.

"Why are you so eager to know?"

"Because I like it when you blush," Tigress explained. Po blushed brighter. Tigress chuckled at the sight. "Come on, tell me. What was the bathroom incident with Monkey?"

"If I tell you, do you promise not to get angry?" Po asked.

"I'll try," Tigress said with a dignified face.

"Okay, it's-"

"Guys, Maz's brother is coming," Monkey burst in. Po sighed.

"I'll tell you later," Po told her. Meanwhile, Maz was in the kitchen when Lillia came in and leaned on the doorpost.

"Your brother is here," Lillia smirked. Maz seemed confused.

"He is? Why? They didn't tell me he was coming," Maz said.

"He knew," Lillia stated.

"Of course, he did," Maz muttered as he got up. Lillia seemed to pick up on Maz's frustration.

"You're not happy to see your brother?"

"I am. Don't get me wrong, I love my brother. It's just... sometimes, he knows things sooner than I do," Maz explained.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, they told him my father and mother died before they told me. Zander has always had a tendency of knowing things before me. Like for instance, he probably knew about you before I did. I guess that's because he's the emperor, but still. It's kind of irritating to always be the last to know anything," Maz said.

"Get used to it," Lillia told him bluntly. Maz rolled his eyes but sighed.

"I guess you're right. I shouldn't spite my brother."

"Yeah, that's the first sign of a tyrant," Lillia smirked. Maz's eyes glared at Lillia's smirk. The two appeared before Zander. Zander was as tall as his brother but did look a little older than he did and acted a lot older as well. He had on fine red royal robes as is the royal emperor custom. Master Shifu introduced them.

"Prince Maz, here is your brother, Emperor Zander," the red panda said. As by tradition, Zander, and Maz first bowed to each other before hugging each other.

"It's good to see you brother," Zander smiled.

"It's good to see you too," Maz said with a flat smile. Zander seemed to understand it.

"They didn't tell you?"

"Nope," He muttered. Zander patted him on the back.

"Don't worry, soon you'll have something that I'll be the last to know," Zander comforted. Maz looked behind him to see Lillia standing there with an emotionless face. Maz took a deep breath and presented Lillia.

"Brother, this is Lillia, the Gong-Go Warrior, Lillia," Maz said in the same warning tone as Po did with her, "This is my brother, Zander." Lillia rolled her eyes at the formalities. But what Zander did next shocked everyone. He stepped up to Lillia, got on his knees and bowed face down to Lillia and apologized.

"I am so gravely sorry for what my people have done to you and every village that you represent and don't represent. I hope you understand my-"

"Oh stop it," Lillia interrupted him, helping him up. "Ever since your brother came I'm... a little more... lenient to lions."

"Does that mean she won't harm us," Zander asked his brother in a whisper.

"I can not guarantee that," Maz said. Po and the rest were there as all of this was happening, and Po noticed something odd with one of the servants. All of them were duck servants, but one was a dark jackal that seemed to be very close to Zander, proximity wise. In fact, she seemed to be Zander's shadow. Po spoke about this.

"Excuse me, Emperor Zander. Who is that person so close to you?" Po asked. Zander turned around to see the jackal cowering behind him. She obviously didn't like being called out in the open and seemed as timid as a... timid person. Zander placed his arm around her and seemed to whisper comforting words that made her step out a bit.

"Oh, that's Zora. She's my brother's personal servant," Maz explained. It was obvious that something seemed out of place. It seemed oddly strange to have a servant and a royal so close to each other. "Come on, Zander, I'll show you around. You can come too, Zora," Maz said kindly. Zora lit up and seemed to happily go with the two lions. Lillia went along with them. Po was still a little confused about the jackal.

"What's wrong, Po?" Tigress asked.

"Nothing, nothing," Po replied, "I'll tell you later." Zander and Maz spent the time together, along with Lillia and Zora. Though Zora didn't talk much, Po could see she was the happy type. When Zander and Maz decided to go off somewhere, Zora was left alone in the kitchen with Lillia. Lillia didn't seem like she wanted to make a conversation, but Po and Tigress came in. "Hello, Lillia. And hello Zora."

"Hello Dragon Warrior," She brightly smiled. Po was a little surprised to see her talking so freely to him.

"You can just call me Po," He said."Actually, I was wondering if I could ask you a question, Zora."

"What's that?"

"How long have you been with Zander?"

"Oh, I've been with him ever since he and I were 12. We know a lot about each other," Zora smiled dreamingly. Everyone else found this a little strange.

"So, you would say that you like Zander very much, correct?" Po asked. Zora seemed to blush with a smile. That was clue enough for Po.

"Yes, I do."

"Oh, I honestly have to say I'm surprised to see you talking to me so not shy."

"I am a little-"

"A little?" Lillia butted in. She smirked at the jackal which caused Zora to look away nervously.

"Okay, a lot shy. But I've been around cuddly pandas and you're the Dragon Warrior, so I have no reason to fear you." Lillia and Tigress laughed at Po's sulking face. "What, did I say something wrong?"

"No, you just said something, truthful," Lillia smiled. Po just sat down as Lillia showed Zora to where she would be staying for the evening.

"I'm not cuddly," Po stubbornly said.

"Why are you so against it? We like you as cuddly," Tigress said truthfully, but in a teasing fashion.

"Because no one could take me seriously if I were called cuddly," Po replied.

"Po," Tigress said, resting her hand on his shoulder, "We take you seriously. Being cuddly isn't something you have to be ashamed of." Po smiled.

"Thanks, Tigress." Tigress got her food and sat down next to Po.

"Why did you ask Zora about her relationship with her master?" Tigress asked. Po tittered a bit.

"Because I'm getting a sneaky suspicion that all the female lions in Bei-Lang are not good looking," Po commented.

"Po!" Tigress exclaimed slapping him in the head. "Why would you say something that rude?"

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed it. Zander and Zora come in and there's obviously a deeper relationship between them. And you know there's something weird going on between Lillia and Maz. These two are interested in different kinds of female species. I mean, if I were wrong, they both would have been married to female lions a long time ago." Tigress rolled her eyes.

"That doesn't mean that female lions are ugly," Tigress said.

"You're right. The empress and Gala were very pretty," Po replied. "Sorry for that comment."

"It's fine, but I don't want to hear you say that again," Tigress firmly said. Po nodded. "Now about the bathroom incident."

"UGH!"

Continued...