Mistakes Resolved
"Here we go!" I shouted, quickly typing up the story. "The next part."
"You know, these aren't really one-shots if they have-"
"No one cares, Demi." The Dimension Ripper grumbled under his breath.
********F**********
Po's frown stretched further the more he ate. He furiously munched at his dad's counter, scaring away the customers nearby. He glared at his food, inhaling the dumpling, bean buns, and rice cakes with barely a breath in between. When the last customer quickly snatched his food and left, Mr. Ping crossly walked up to his son. "Po, this has to stop. You're scaring the customers away. What's wrong?"
"Nothing, dad. I'm just upset," Po muttered through a mouthful of food.
"I know, but you can't make people suffer. Especially if they're customers. What about my business?"
"UGH! I don't care!" The goose lurched back. Po sighed, swallowing his food, "Look, Dad, I'm sorry. I'm just... not in the mood? I had a... rough day with Master Shifu."
"Ah, and what did that old squirrel say to you," Mr. Ping murmured. Po glanced at his father's glare and sighed.
"Nothing, forget it."
"Hmmph. Darn squirrel causing my son to run my customers away," Mr. Ping grumbled his way to the kitchen with a dangerous wooden spoon. "I'll show him what for." Po shook his head. Telling his dad would only make the goose angrier, and Po didn't want to spread that anger. The panda ate in a quiet empty restaurant, thinking about the words he said to Shifu.
"Yeah, sure I was harsh, but would it kill him to own up to his mistakes instead of making me fix them?" Po muttered. He chewed another bean bun down. They fought Tai-Lung's former girlfriend, Lei-Song, and her goons just a moment ago, and Po raged about Shifu treating the girl so harshly. Shifu admitted that it was one of his mistakes, but...
Then why am I always fixing them!
It was harsh; Po admitted that, but it wasn't any less true. It left a hard sour taste in his mouth. He could tell; the food wasn't that good. Po continued eating, failing to see the stranger coming in from the entrance. Mr. Ping went up to the customer. "Hello, welcome to Mr. Ping's shop: home to Mr. Ping's secret ingredient noodle soup. Would you like some food to go?"
"Actually, I would like to dine in, if you please," Said the stranger. Po squinted his eyes but still ate. The voice sounded familiar. "Is it okay if I sit by the kitchen?"
"Oh, uh... of course. I have to tell you that... that there is my son. The panda. He's... having a bad day."
"Hehehe, I've been there a couple of times. I promise to not disturb him," The stranger said. Mr. Ping blinked several times before showing the stranger his seat. Po vaguely heard the stool move beside him. His own face shifted from anger to sadness like a pendulum, thinking about Tigress then Shifu, and then Tigress again. "I'd like some noodles, please." The stranger gave a bag of money to the goose, "And this is for the customer loss. Seems like a lot of people left. Is it usually this empty?"
"Well... not usually," Mr. Ping sighed. A rock of guilt rolled into Po's stomach. "I'll have your order ready in a moment." The goose ran back into the kitchen. Po glanced from his food to the stranger beside him. He was cloaked and his hood shielded his face, but part of his muzzle stuck out. He was either a cat or dog by the look of his muzzle, but looking at his hands, Po noticed he was a snow leopard.
"Hmm," Po grunted, dismissing the whole thing. He was too angry and in too much pain to really care about what mystical stranger was sitting next to him. Knowing his own luck, this was probably someone sent on a long journey to tell him what to do on this issue with Shifu and-
"Are they good?"
"What?" Po snapped his head around and looked at the unveiled snow leopard. "Oh, the dumplings are good. Really good."
"Can I have one? Just to taste?" The stranger asked.
"Yeah sure," Po said more jovially. The snow leopard took the dumpling and ate.
"Mmmm, they are good. Thank you."
"You're welcome, Tai-Lung." And Po went back to eating.
The snow leopard started counting. "Three, two, one."
"TAI-LUNG?! WAHHAHAAA!" Po fell out of his stool and onto the ground. Quickly, he jumped up to his feet and assumed his warrior pose. "I don't know how you got back from the Spirit Realm, but I'm putting you back!"
"Oh ho! It would be that easy, but no. I'm not here to kill or mangle you. Or take the title for myself," Tai-Lung smiled as his food was brought to him. "Oooh, this smells so good." And he ate, completely ignoring the panda. Po's head stuck, and he sat back down, watching the snow leopard slowly finish his food before drinking the liquid in one gulp. "Mmmmm. That was good."
"Uh... soooo... you're not evil... anymore?"
"Whether I'm evil or not isn't the issue here," Tai-Lung sighed. "Could I get a bowl of dumplings too?"
"It'll cost you extra," Mr. Ping said. The snow leopard rolled his eyes, pulling out another bag of money.
"Stingy duck."
"I heard that kitten," Mr. Ping shot back. Tai-Lung grumbled lowly.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, so first... how are you here? What are you doing here? And why aren't you trying to... you know, fighting me for the title or something," Po asked.
Tai-Lung wiped his mouth of the soup's content and looked at the panda. "Because the Dragon Warrior title is your burden. It's something I couldn't handle on my own."
"Uuuuuhhhh and... when did you figure that out?"
"When Oogway sent me here."
"He WHAT?" Po shouted. "Okay, now I know you're lying. There's no way that Oogway would send you of all people back here to... to... actually, what are you doing here?"
Tai-Lung grew a devious smile, but it wasn't a normal evil grin, whatever that looks like. It looked more like a mischievous glint, like an old man figuring out a boy was in love. "You're not gonna like it."
"Tell me."
"You sure?"
"Yes, yes, tell me," Po asked.
"He brought me here... to convince you to make up with Shifu."
"What?!" the panda exclaimed. "There's no way I'm forgiving Shifu for this. Why should I?! It's his fault for dumping all of these problems on me."
"You know what you said was harsh though."
"I-" Po stopped mid-sentence. "How do you know that?"
"Panda, the entire Spirit World heard your little spat with Shifu. Can't say that I blame you." Tai-Lung could see the wheels turning in the panda's skull. While that was happening, the snow leopard drank some water and nearly choked. "AH! Right, I can breathe now."
"I don't get it," Po muttered. "Why would Oogway choose you?"
"I'm not sure, but I have two theories. One, it's time that one of Shifu's 'mistakes' came to tell you that you're doing good work. Or two, to shock you enough to listen to me."
"And if I don't?"
"Then I'm sure that the striped kitten will find you lovely to be around," Tai-Lung smirked. The panda frowned. Right, Tigress. The face she made when he left was seared into his brain. Apologizing to her for his actions would be tough, especially since he had blabbered the truth in a fit of rage. Po sighed, collapsing into the stool. He couldn't revoke the truth, so what could he do? "In either case," Tai-Lung continued. "It seems like you're gonna have to be the... bigger bear."
Po glared, "Why should I? I was right, wasn't I?"
"Yes, you were. But you can't use the truth to hurt. Calling you fat isn't helpful. But if I say I'm concerned for your health, that's different. There's a way to say the truth that is good or bad."
Po huffed, plopping his head onto his hand. "And if I don't want to be the bigger bear?"
"Then you'll be an angry disillusioned old man who thinks they're in the right when they just need to move on, or an entitlted bastard who wanted something just because it was promised to him... like Shifu and me," Tai-Lung smiled. Po's jaw dropped.
"Oh my gosh! I need to make this up with Shifu and Tigress!"
"I would take offense to your reaction," Tai-Lung sighed as he stood up. "But I agree. Now, stay here for a moment." He looked up to the sun as it hung a little to the west. "When it's around the beginning of sunset, come and talk with Shifu."
"What about Tigress?"
"I'll talk with her," Tai-Lung said, pulling his cloak up.
"WHAT?! She'll tear you apart."
"Haha, don't worry," Tai-Lung grinned. "This will just be a little... sibling meeting." The cloaked snow leopard disappeared from the shop's entrance. Po sat there wide-eyed and alone. He didn't register his father's wing brushing against his hand until later.
"Huh? Dad?" He awoke. Mr. Ping stared at his son.
"Whoever that guy was, he's right."
Po sighed, "Yeah, I know."
Meanwhile, Tigress punched and kicked each wooden dummy until she finally jumped up and kicked the head off, chucking it into a pillar nearby. Her glowering face stuck to her skull as she went onto the next wooden dummy. The Furious Five had already tried to ease her anger, but it was no use. She kept fighting the wooden dummies, knocking their heads clean off of their bodies as she practiced alone in the Training Hall.
Well, she was alone.
"I wouldn't take off the head like that," Said a voice from the entrance. "It's bad practice." Tigress's head swerved around, and her eyes widened as the voice's owner withdrew his hood.
"You!" She growled, readying her stance. The cloaked snow leopard simply sat down by the edge of the sandpit and placed his hands on his knees. He hunched over, heavily panting. "What are you-"
"Hold," Tai-Lung panted, slowly calming his lungs. "My apologies. I made the mistake of eating before walking up the steps," Tai-Lung gasped.
"What are you doing here?"
"I."
"Have you come to steal the Dragon Scroll again?"
"No, I-"
"Whatever it is, I won't let you-"
"Shifu stores liquor under the Sword of Heroes!" Tigress blinked several times before dropping her guard for a moment.
"Wh-What?"
Tai-Lung huffed wearily, "Now that you've graciously shut up, I can tell you." Tigress quickly drew up her guard. "Listen, I'm not here for the Dragon Warrior scroll or Shifu. I'm not here for the panda. I'm here to talk to you." He slowly regained his breath and straightened back up. "Now, Oogway sent me to-"
"Oogway? Impossible. He would never send someone like you as a messenger."
Tai-Lung's face fell. "But he would choose a clumsy panda that fell out of the sky?"
"Oogway would never send a criminal here."
"But he's not beneath doing so. Even you know that Oogway is highly... unpredictable." Tai-Lung smirked, "Just like the panda."
Tigress hardened her glare. "What did you do with Po?"
"I just talked with him. Don't worry, he's fine. A little hurt pride, but he'll live." He stood up, jumping into the sandpit with Tigress, but he kept his distance. "I was sent here to convince him and Shifu to heal their... rough patch."
"Why should I believe that?"
"Because you and I are both of Shifu's 'mistakes'."
"You," She said with enough venom to be confused with a snake. "Don't get to call me a mistake."
"I don't need to," Tai-Lung said. He wasn't smirking or grinning. His eyes looked tired yet a little free. He folded his hands behind his back and gave a great sigh. "Tigress, the panda was right and you know it. Master Shifu has made... a lot of mistakes and the panda resolves most of them."
"How do you-"
"Master Oogway showed me what happened with Lei-Song. I apologize for her actions. I should've..." Tai-Lung sighed again, shaking his head. "I should have kept her close and never listened to Shifu. But I can't change the past."
"If you're here to convince Shifu and Po to talk again, why are you here with me?" Tigress asked.
"One, you and I are directly affected by Po's words. I'm not blind. I know that I... damaged Shifu," Tai-Lung replied, "And that...I can tell it had repercussions on you. For that, I'm sorry."
"What other reason are you here?" Tigress asked, crossing her arms. She didn't seem moved at all by the snow leopard's words. Tai-Lung thought through the ceiling for a moment but finally sighed.
"I... I don't know. I could tell that you were immediately hurt by what the panda said."
Tigress held her glare. "I don't care what Po did. He was wrong to-"
"Would you stop acting like the proper student for a moment?!" Tai-Lung shouted, storming up to her. "You and I both know how hard Shifu was on us. How he blinded us and made us desire the thing we could never get. But if it meant his love, then we were willing to break our backs for it. But you're not like me. I may have had Shifu's pride, but you didn't want the Dragon Scroll for power like me. At the heart of it all, you wanted scroll simply because it would please Shifu, something that I had in abundance!"
"And what is your point!" Tigress sharply asked. Tai-Lung took a few steps back. He could see the tiger's claws unsheathed.
"My point is that Shifu's rearing was... imperfect, and he didn't realize it until too late. Shifu has to face the reality that he did make a few mistakes and that Po does fix them. He stopped me from destroying the village, and he stopped Lei-Song from committing something hightly regrettable."
"And me?" Tigress shot back. "How did the panda fix me?"
"By giving you another chance at life." Tigress's stern face broke. "I wanted to be with Lei-Song, but because I was promised something I already had, I... lost her. Wanting the Dragon Scroll blinded me and... made me empty. That's what caused the darkness," Tai-Lung sighed. "And Shifu was so proud that... he couldn't see it in time." He looked back at Tigress. Her face softened even though her arms were still crossed. "And this Po... has been helping Shifu accept the reality around him. That's why he wasn't at peace. That's why... I haven't had peace... until now."
"Why?" Tai-Lung shook his head awake and looked at her again. "Why now?"
"After Oogway showed me the panda's life, I know he is worthy of having the title. But that still leaves you. If Shifu wasn't in the picture, what would you want to be?" He paused and grinned a bit. "And with who."
She narrowed her eyes, not too much, but Tigress couldn't figure out what the snow leopard was insinuating. "Are you going to talk with Shifu next?"
"No. Oogway told me to talk to Po and gave me the option to talk with you," Tai-Lung said. He turned and headed for the door but stopped. "Tigress." He said, calling her name for the second time. "Don't waste your life trying to satisfy someone that wants to change you. And don't be afraid to take the opportunities that would give you happiness."
"You're not making any sense."
"Hm," Tai-Lung smiled. "I think it will make sense later."
"Where will you go?"
"I'm going to release Lei-Song and then leave for northern China. She always wanted to go there," He said reflectively.
"We'll have to capture you both, you know that," Tigress remarked.
"No," Tai-Lung turned around, glaring at her. "Leave us alone. Lei-Song's been through enough. It's time that... all of Shifu's mistakes... moved on." Tigress stayed silent. "Take care, Master Tigress." He walked out of the Training Hall and disappeared without another word. Tigress stood frozen. Though no punches were exchanged, the exhaustion in her body finally snapped, and she dropped to the ground on her hands and knees, gasping hard.
"Tigress? Tigress!" Said a familiar voice. Tigress felt a soft hand guide her back onto her feet. "Are you alright? What happened?"
"I... I'm fine. I just... I'm fine, Po," Tigress sighed, regaining her breath. Po frowned, still fretfully gazing at her. "Why are you here?"
"Oh... uh... well... I came to apologize to Shifu... and... you. I shouldn't have said those things about Shifu and-"
"No," Tigress interrupted. "You were right. You carry a majority of Master Shifu's complications. And you shouldn't. But..." She smiled a bit. "I'm glad that you do fix them."
"Really?" Tigress nodded. "Well, you're not a mistake, you know. I never really consider you as one of the people Shifu messed up."
"I figured," Tigress smirked. "I'm sorry that I was upset with you."
"Tigress, you had every right to be upset with me. I shouldn't have said that so angrily."
"We all made mistakes. It's in the past. Let's move on from it," Tigress said. Po nodded.
"Oh, and you won't guess who I met at my dad's shop."
"Tai-Lung?"
"I... HOW DID YOU KNOW!" Po exclaimed. Tigress smiled a bit wider.
"Woman's intuition."
"He came to you too, didn't he?"
"Yep."
"Figures," Po muttered. "Did he say where he was going next?"
"Lei-Song. To live with her up north," Tigress said seriously. Po frowned and looked away.
"Should... do you think we should-"
"Leave them alone?" Po whipped his head to her. "Yes, I think we should leave them alone. They've been through enough. I think we all need to start living the life we want."
Po looked at her for a while and then smiled. "Yeah, I like the sound of that."
And so they did. As the years passed, Tigress and Po mended other things that were Shifu's mistakes, but they also created something. A relationship. And this time, Shifu congratulated it. And now the two warriors live together, fighting by each other's side, making the most of their time together.
There is a thread of mystery with their relationship that Po and Tigress refuse to tell anyone. Once a month, a scroll will come from an unknown person for Po and Tigress. The Furious Five and Shifu don't know who this person is, and even Po won't tell them about it. Each letter is then burned by Tigress who ensures the secret. The letters don't seem to be upsetting. Tigress and Po laugh and joke about whatever is in there, so it must be good news. The others will never know. All they do know is they come from the north.
The End
