Interest
"Have you ever thought about how Tigress would actually act if she was interested in someone?" The question was innocent enough, but I rose my eyebrow at the Dimension Ripper.
"Uh... what do you mean?"
"I mean, you know how Po would act but have you ever really given thought as to how Tigress would actually show interest in someone?" Demi rephrased. I blinked several times and then looked at the paper.
"YOOOOOO!"
"Exactly!"
"I've got right that down!" I said.
****F******
The panda chewed and swallowed his food at a tremendous pace, passing through bean buns, cakes, rice, dumplings, and noodles in the blink of an eye. The tiger across the table rolled her eyes. "Slow down, Po? You're not racing anyone," She said. Po only looked up for a moment, wiped his mouth, and drank the rest of his water.
"But I've gotta eat! I'm starving. Plus, with the bandits raids, I don't know when I'm going to have more food!"
Tigress crossed her arms and gruffly huffed. The panda was right though. Bandits had started stealing more farmlands, affecting the team's food supply. Granted that Po ate enough for three, he could surprisingly ration himself when it came to the lives of his other comrades. Tigress sighed. That's probably why he was eating like this. They had defeated a recent bandit gang and reclaimed some of the farmland. Po had done fine in the drought, except for sleep-munching on his pillow. In either case, Po's rapid eating made sense. Tigress frowned as the panda's face returned to its normal plumpness.
While the others struggled from the rationing, save Tigress, Po had actually suffered more than they had. Agitated, stressed, worried, and constantly on edge. There was one time where the hunger prevented him from sleeping and the sleeplessness prevented him from eating. It wasn't until Tigress helped him to fall asleep that he got relief.
No matter what people said about Po's weight, it wasn't healthy for him to stop eating food altogether; that's what the team came to realize.
The bear finally came to the end of his rapid eating and burped loudly. "Whoops! Excuse me." A small smile graced Tigress's face as she shook her head. She stood up from her seat and headed to the door. "Hey, where are you going?"
"I'm going to bed. I think seeing you eat like that tired me out," She smirked.
"Hehe, yeah, sorry."
"It's okay. You deserve it." She turned around, rubbing her left arm. "I have to say, I didn't think you could do it."
"Do what?"
"Make it through the rationing."
"Why?" Po asked. Tigress took a long breath as she crossed her arms.
"You do tend to... lack restraint when it comes to food."
Po shrugged, "I can do it when folks' lives are on the line. Besides, there's more to food than life. Wait, let me reverse that."
Tigress shook her head with a smile. "Have a nice night, Po." As she headed out the door, Po smiled to himself, looking at his rounded gut. He sighed. It had shrunk during the food shortage, but now it was back, all plump and jiggly. Po shrugged.
"Alright, time to-"
"Po! Po!" Shouted a familiar buggy friend. "I got a date! I got a date!" Mantis jumped onto the table and cleared it of the bowls and plates. "You've got to hear this!"
"Yeah, yeah, Monkey told me," Po chuckled. "I'm glad for you buddy."
"Haha! No one can resist the Mantis charm. Heh, I put her under my spell before she even knew what hit her," Mantis grinned. The panda rolled his eyes. "Welp, I'm gonna go to bed. Got to get some rest for my date," Mantis said, jumping off the table. "And to think I would've missed it if I didn't pick up on her signals."
"What signals?"
"You know, the long talks, batting eyes at me-"
"Isn't that... what... most girls?" Po asked.
"Of course not! Girls don't show interest the same way. Some are shy and some take charge. Hehe kinda like my date," Mantis sighed as hearts started lining his eyesight.
"Huh. What about people like Tigress?"
"Huh?"
"I mean, how does she show she's interested," Po asked. Mantis opened his mouth but slowly shut it, pondering the question.
"I... I don't know. Honestly, I figured Tigress would die without being in a relationship."
"Mantis!"
"What?! It's not like we haven't known her for half a decade before you came." While the panda rolled his eyes, he said nothing against the bug's statement. He was right; they knew Tigress much longer than he did. "But," Mantis continued, "If she was interested in someone... I don't know." Mantis shrugged. "One of those unsolvable mysteries, I guess."
"Yeah," Po muttered slowly.
"Welp, sleep tight, Po. I've got to get my beauty sleep. This shell of green is going places, haha!" The bug hopped out of the room, but Po stood motionless yet thoughtful.
"How would she show interest?" Po asked himself. Of course, the panda didn't have a clue.
Late into the morning, Po's head still couldn't wrap around the idea of Tigress showing interest in anyone, or how she would show that interest. "I guess I could ask her. No, that's going to be weird. Plus, she'd probably hit me for asking that," Po grumbled to himself. The closest person to Tigress that was a girl was Viper, but Po didn't think she would be any help. "They're close... ish... ugh! The only person that knows her long enough is Shifu, but...Wait! SHIFU!" The panda stumbled up to his feet, ran out of his bedroom, down the hall, skidded up the stairs, huffing and puffing, and finally stopped right in front of the red panda who was lighting candles. "Mas... Master... Shifu," Po panted.
"Ah, Dragon Warrior," Shifu humorously smiled. "I see you're taking your time to do some running. Good, good."
"Master Shifu, I have a question. It's... uh... a pretty personal question," Po grinned.
"I can't guarantee that I'll answer it," Shifu replied, still lighting the candles.
"Ooookay... uh... Sooooo, just out of curiosity. How much do you know about Tigress?" Po asked. The red panda stopped his hand and turned his head.
"What did you do, panda?"
"Nothing! This time. I promise," Po said with his hand on his heart and the other raised in the air. Shifu rose his eyebrow but returned to lighting the candles.
"I did raise her, so I think I would know a lot."
"Yeah yeah! So maybe you know when she's interested in someone, right?"
The room stood still. Shifu's hand froze right over the candle wicks. His head turned around, showing his wide-open eyes.
"Uuuuuuhhhh."
"You're kidding."
"It's not... That is to say I-"
"Master Shifu!" Po groaned, defeated. "How could you not know?!"
"I-I never thought about her love interests before," Shifu replied. He set the lighter down and walked towards the panda. The stroke of his beard unnerved Po more. He knew what his master looked like when he was at a complete loss. "And she's never mentioned finding anyone... attractive."
"Really?" Shifu shook his head. "Wait, no one! What about uh... pandas! I mean we're all cute and stuff, right?"
"Yes, but-" Shifu stopped. He folded his hands behind his back and looked at Po with low-lidded eyes and a raised eyebrow. "Po, why do you want to know about this?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"You mentioned pandas." The silence was longer than Shifu anticipated, but as the realization grew on Po's face, Shifu continued, "I can't help but wonder if-"
"No, no, no, no, no! I was just curious! I swear!" Po exclaimed. "Mantis and I were just talking about his date and signals and... ugh! That's not what I meant, Shifu." The red panda carefully studied Po's eyes and body but slowly nodded.
"I see."
"So... you don't know what she's like when she's interested in someone?"
Shifu sighed, "I do not. The only person who would know is-"
"Tigress," Po finished. Shifu nodded. The big panda sighed. "So it's mission pain and hurt again."
"What do you mean?"
"Shifu, she'll pound me into the Qin dynasty if I ask her. That's why I wanted you to tell me."
Shifu smiled, "I think Master Tigress has a little more restraint over her anger than you give her credit for, Po."
"Really? Because you don't and you did 'raise her'," Po fired back. The red panda's face fell and a raised eyebrow sold his quiet displeasure. "See that right there. That's the face I would get before she kicks me out of the door. Literally!"
"If the answer frightens you this much," Shifu said, walking past the panda, "Why not forget about it?"
"Uh, because I'll spend every waking moment trying to figure out the question? I feel like I'm gonna burst!"
"Hmm, then ask her."
"I'll get punched in the face!"
"It seems to me," Shifu said, as he neared the exit, "That either way, you have the... 'possibility' of being hurt. The next question is which one will you regret more?" Po stood still as a wide smile came to Shifu's face. "I'll let you think about that. Good luck, Po."
"Hmmm," Po grumbled under his breath. "Which one you'll regret Meh, meh, meh, meh. Ugh." Though he hated what Shifu said, there was no moving around it. Actually, there was one way of going around it: not asking. But that meant having the question always on his mind and never getting anywhere close to an answer. As the panda trudged out of the hall with his eyes glued to the floor, he gave a small sigh. "Ugh, why is it every time it's Tigress-related the answer is always no or I don't know? I mean sure she's mysterious, I get it, but come ooon! She's our friend for gosh sake!" His mood soured as he walked up and down the stone steps to the Training Hall, where a certain tiger was sparring. He looked up and saw her punch and kick the forest of spinning dummies with deadly precision. A small smile came to his face, not knowing why, but not caring either. He sat down and watched the skilled tiger's graceful feats of strength until she jumped high into the air and out of the spinning forest of spike-y death.
Then she turned to Po. "Po? What are you doing here?"
"Huh? Oh! I was just watching."
"Why?" Tigress asked almost humorously. Po parted his mouth for a moment, but nothing came out. Tigress jumped out of the Training Hall's sandpit and sat next to the panda "Is there something wrong? You look upset?"
A flash of memories sparked Po's mind and his eyelids lowered into a scowl, glaring into nothingness. "Nah, just trying to figure out something that NO ONE seems to know about," Po grumbled.
"What is it?"
"Uh... uhhh," Po stumbled. "I uh... well there's this... person that I know that's... kinda... well... you and not you..." Tigress rose her eyebrow. "I mean, She's not you! It's just... uh...," The panda sighed in exasperation, "Okay, there's this... girl that acts like you and I don't know how she would act if she was interested in someone."
"I'm sorry?"
"You know, if someone caught your fancy, how would you act?" Po asked. Tigress's face dropped almost all emotions, not that there were any to begin with. The panda waited in silence while the tiger thought through the question.
"I'm sorry I... don't understand," Tigress said. "Are you asking how I would act if I found someone attractive?"
"Yes. I mean! Ugh, okay fine, yeah. I'm asking you," Po confessed. "But I am curious. How would you show someone that you're interested in them?" Tigress stared off into some fixed part of the Training Hall. A small frown crept onto her face, and she sighed.
"I... I don't know."
"Huh?"
"I... I've never thought about being in a close relationship. It's always been a mystery to me."
"Why?"
"I've... never experienced someone showing true affection towards me other than friendship."
"Yeah, but haven't you had someone that you could see yourself... you know... being happy with?" Po asked. Tigress glanced at the panda briefly before looking straight ahead. She took a deep breath, sat up straighter, and sighed.
"Kung fu masters aren't supposed to have earthly attachments. They can distract us from-"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Okay stop!" Po said, "I know that, but you're telling me you NEVER had a crush? Or found someone cute?"
"Pandas, bunnies, and ducks are cute."
"Right! That's what I told Shifu."
"But why are you so curious, Po?" Tigress finally asked.
Po gulped. "Well eee. Mantis was talking about his date and... I don't know. I just... am. I'm just... curious of the kind of guy you like."
"The kind of guy I like?" Tigress repeated. They stared at each other for a moment. The lines in Po's face concerned her. She never liked those lines, the ones that came with his sadness.
But why? "Why does it matter to you?" She asked vocally.
"I... I don't know, just... curious."
"How do you think I would act?"
"Uh... huh?"
Tigress's lips curled up at the corners. "How do you think I would act if I was attracted to someone?"
"Uh...," Po scratched the back of his head. "I... I don't know. That's why I'm asking."
"Guess."
"Guess?" Po blinked. "Tigress, you're an amazingly complicated and secret-y person! How am I supposed to guess right?"
Tigress's smile turned into a smirk. "Just try it." The panda crossed his arms, placing a fist underneath his chin. He glared into the floor, sticking out his tongue to the side. Tigress chuckled. She could almost hear the mechanics of his brain churning.
"Hmmmm. You're not the flashy type so I don't think you would go out in a dress for someone," Po said.
"Mmmhmm," Tigress hummed quietly with her smirk still firmly on her lips.
"I guess you'd smile a lot to the guy... or uh-" Po glanced at Tigress who only gave a roll of her eyes.
"No."
"Just checking," Po rose his hands in defense. "I've had a few friends that-"
"No, Po."
"Okay, okay, not that there's anything wrong with that," Po murmured. Tigress shook her head. "But I think you'd give the guy more of your time."
"And do what?"
"I don't know. Talk? Of course, if I know you, he'd talk a lot more than...you... would." Po's eyes slowly widened.
"Are you okay, Po?" Tigress asked. Po glanced at her. Her smirk was still plastered on her face.
"Yeeeeeahh... just... uh... thinking."
"Hmm." Her smirk didn't change, but the way her amber eyes softly gazed at him while her smirk unnerved Po, but it made him wonder. "Go on," She said after a long period of silence.
"Uh... you would... probably ask him to spar... because you don't know how to do anything else."
"What was that part you mumbled?"
"Nothing!" Po grinned. The tiger's smirk only dipped for a moment. "But uh... you would ask him to spar a lot. And... Maybe go on patrols and missions with him?"
"I see."
"I mean, that's what I think you would do. But I... I don't know. Does that sound right?"
"Hmm," Tigress hummed still holding her smirk. "It does." She stood up and dusted her pants off. "I hope that helped you answer you question."
"Uh... not really, but uh-"
"What you listed sounds... close to what I believe I would do. Now, what are you going to do with that knowledge?" She looked down on him, placing her hands behind her back. The judgment in her low-lidded eyes didn't frighten Po as much. The panda cleared his throat and scrambled up to eye-level.
"I... I don't know."
"Hmmm."
"But I do have another... question. But you've got to promise me you won't get mad," Po hastily said. Tigress rolled her eyes.
"What is it?"
"Do you... One thing I forgot to say is... I have a feeling you would keep your interests secret. You don't... tend to be open with your... fleshy stuff."
"Fleshy?" Tigress rose her eyebrow.
"You know what I mean," Po argued. The cat simply shook her head.
"That's not a question, though."
"I was wondering... do you have anyone that... interests you... right now?" Po pressed two index fingers together, hanging his head as he spoke. He looked up. The tiger lips twisted into a small half-smirk, giving Po the courage to stand up a little straighter.
"I might," Were the only words that exited her mouth. Po blinked, not realizing his mouth had dropped. Tigress's smirk widened as she walked out of the Training Hall, leaving the stunned panda there. "Po?" She called. "Are you coming to dinner?"
"Huh? Oh! Yeah YEAH! Uhhh I'm coming!" Po caught up to Tigress's side analyzing the tiger's amused smirk, but he never asked who it was that had piqued her interest. He had a funny suspicion he knew who it was.
And he couldn't have been happier.
The end
