Chemistry


Po ran around the place like a chicken without its head. "Where is it?" He threw and tossed sheets, covers, and clothes all over his room while two onlookers looked on with confusion.

"Uh... Po?" Crane said, "What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to find something nice to wear. I have to go out today."

"For what?" Tigress asked. Po stopped his investigation and looked at his friends.

"Nothing," He said. The feline and bird glanced at each other. "It's uhhhh just a silly meeting. Stuff like that."

"I didn't hear Shifu talk about a meeting. Is it private between you and him?" Tigress asked.

"It's... not really uh... ugh. She's gonna kill me for this," Po grumbled, dragging his fingers down his face.

"Who's she?" Tigress asked, narrowing her eyes.

"I'm... going to meet my girlfriend's parents."

Tigress and Crane blinked. Once and twice. They looked at each other, didn't say a word, and looked back at the panda.

"Since... when did you have a girlfriend?"

"Uh... for about... two years now?"

Tigress and Crane blinked. Once and twice, looked at each other, didn't say a word, and looked back at the panda.

"So you got a girlfriend... after you defeated Kai?" Crane asked.

"Uh... kinda."

"Kinda?" Tigress repeated.

"Well, she's not really...kind of my girlfriend. It's... more of a contract."

Tigress and Crane blinked. Once and twice, looked at each other, didn't say a word, and looked back at the panda.

"Who is your... kinda girlfriend?"

Po grimaced before saying her name. "Mei-Ling."

Tigress and Crane blinked. Three times this time and groaned.

"Okay," The bird grumbled, rubbing his head with his feathers while his feline comrade pinched the bridge of her nose. "I keep expecting this to make sense eventually but the more questions I ask, the more confusing it is."

"Just... uh... Okay, you want the total truth? Come with me to see Mei-Ling and she'll probably explain it better." The panda began frantically looking for his clothes, tossing pants and shirts the others never knew he had.

"Are you offering this because you're worried about something?" Tigress asked.

"That and I think the more people there, the more we can stop doing this crazy thing," Po sighed. "HA! Found it!"

"Po, that shirt is way too small for you," Tigress pointed out. The panda huffed. "Just wear your white robe. That's formal enough."

"Right! Haha! Thanks, Tigress." The panda quickly wrapped the robe around him and placed a straw hat on his head. "How do I look?"

"Like a mess waiting to happen, but good enough to fool someone who doesn't know you," Crane smiled. Po rolled his eyes with a sigh.

"In either case, let's go. I'd love to hear the whole story of your... kinda girlfriend," Tigress smirked.

With that, the team ventured onto their destination. The whole time, the panda walked in front, half muttering and half silent. Crane shrugged as they continued past ravines and valleys, but as the hills turned into a foggy lake, Tigress began to worry. "Po, is there anything else we should know about this... arrangement between you and Mei-Ling."

"Uh... well, not that I know," Po said, scratching the back of his head. "I just know that this whole thing has been... kinda hard to keep up with."

"Why?" Crane asked.

"Because I've been basically lying to her parents for a straight two years."

"Why?" Crane asked.

"I think it's just best to let her explain it," Po sighed. Crane and Tigress looked at each other and followed the bear in silence. The foggy lake slowly cleared into a large house erected several feet above the water on stilts.

Crane breathed in the cooling mist and sighed, "It's good to be back." The three journeyed up to the academy door where Po knocked.

Well, he would've knocked if the doors hadn't swung open and smashed right into his nose. "OOWWW!" Po fell back and grasped his nose. "OWOWOWOWOWOW! That hurts!"

"Po! Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry," Said a flustered-looking feline. She gently helped Po up to his feet.

"Nice to see you too, Mei-Ling," Po grunted.

"Sorry, sorry. I was worried you wouldn't get here in time. My folks are nearly here and-" She looked behind him. "CRANE!"

"Hey, Mei," The bird smiled, stretching his wings wide. The Asian Golden cat lunged at him and wrapped her arms tightly around his thin frame. "HACK! It's good to see you."

"Sorry, sorry. Didn't mean to crush you."

"Hehe, I'm used to it with Po."

"Hey!"

"And Master Tigress. It is good to-"

"Hey, hey," Po interrupted. "Before we go down the list of greetings, remember we have a lie to commit."

Mei-Ling rolled her eyes. "Don't say it like that!"

"What exactly is happening here?" Tigress finally voiced. Mei-Ling's head snapped over to Po's quivering lip.

"You didn't tell them?"

"The more I talked, the more confusing it got."

"That part is true," Crane added. "So we were looking for a... better explanation."

Mei-Ling sighed, "Okay, Po is pretending to be my boyfriend so I can fool my parents into thinking that I'm actually social."

Tigress and Crane blinked. Several times. And gave a long groan.

"The more I hear this, the more confusing it gets!" Crane woefully cried.

"Okay, look. My parents have been pestering me to get into a relationship since Crane left. And they said that if I didn't find someone by the time I turned 28, they would start setting me up with dating partners," Mei-Ling huffed, "I don't have the time to do that. I have an academy to run! But that could mean that they want me to shut down the academy."

"Could we return to the issue? We're running out of time," Po interjected.

"Right, right. So when Po defeated Kai, everyone came to the Jade Palace to celebrate, me included."

"Oh right," Crane smiled a bit. "I remember that."

"Well, I told Po my situation while we were talking, and he came up with the idea-"

"Stop," Tigress groaned, rubbing her muzzle. "Now everything makes sense. Po plays as your boyfriend whenever they visit and you don't have to waste time with suitors or shut down your academy."

"Y-yeah," Mei-Ling finished.

"How did you figure that out so fast?" Po asked.

Tigress smirked, "Once she said you came up with the idea, it was easy."

"HEY!"

"Guys focus!" Mei-Ling cried out.

"So you're pretending to be Mei-Ling's boyfriend to fool her parents into NOT having her shut down her academy to date? Wouldn't it be easier to just... I don't know... tell them to back off?" Crane asked.

Mei-Ling sighed as they walked into the center courtyard of her academy, "You try telling your parents that they're wrong."

"Okay, I see your point."

"Anyways," Po interrupted. "Mei-Ling and I have this all figured out. We rehearsed, read about each other's likes and dislikes, and even came up with a list of couple nicknames for each other."

"And you managed to figure this all out... by yourself?" Tigress asked.

"I helped," Mei-Ling said.

"Okay, now it makes sense," Crane sighed.

"Hey!"

"Anyway, when do your folks come?" Crane asked. Then they heard a knock at the door. "Slowly open it this time."

"Meh, meh, meh, meh, meh," Mei-Ling mocked. Po and Tigress looked at each other with raised eyebrows. The Golden cat opened the door and two older versions of herself stood at the gate. "Mother, father. It's a pleasure to see you," Mei-Ling said with a bow.

"Now, now, is that any way to greet your old man," Said the slightly taller male feline. He hugged her, gently rubbing her head. "It's good to see you, little Ling Ling."

"Ling Ling," Crane echoed. "That's going on the list." Mei-Ling snapped her head back and glared at the smirking bird.

"And I guess you are her boyfriend, Po," Said the female feline, bowing in front of Crane.

"Oh, no, no, no. Mother, this is Crane, my friend."

"Oh! Yes, I remember Crane," Her mother smiled, "You grew up so much since I've last seen you. Still the wisecrack I see."

"It's good to see you, Mr. and Mrs. Fen," Crane bowed.

"Ah, and where is this boyfriend you spoke so much about?" Mr. Fen asked. Mei-Ling pointed to the large panda standing behind Crane. Po awkwardly waved only to clear his throat and bow. "Oh! Uh... hello."

"It's great to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Fen. Was your uh... trip okay?" Po nervously grinned. The Golden couple glanced at each other and nodded. "Good, good. Sorry I'm just a little nervous. This is the first time I've ever met you. Mei-Ling told me a lot about you. AND what she was like growing up."

"Did she tell you the time she nearly put berries in our clothes while they were being washed-"

"So that they could smell good," Po finished, chuckling. "Yeah, she told me that. Or when she set a trap for burglars-"

"And ended up catching Mr. Fen in a net," Mrs. Fen finished. Mei-Ling grumbled and fumed quietly. "It seems you really do know our little Bamboo Warrior."

"Bamboo Warrior?" Crane grinned. "What's that about?"

"Oh well, Mei-Ling used to carry this bamboo staff everywhere she went so-"

"PO!" Mei-Ling shouted and clamped the panda's mouth. "How about we get lunch ready? Oh! One last thing. Mother, father, this is Tigress. She's here with Crane."

"You're part of the Furious Five, no?" Tigress nodded. Mr. Fen squinted his eyes as he rubbed his graying beard.

"Is something wrong, Mr. Fen?" Po asked.

"Huh? No, no, son. I'm just... thinking."

"Shall we eat, Bamboo Warrior?" Crane teased.

"Crane, I swear I'll-" She trailed off as she playfully hit the bird in the shoulder. Mr. and Mrs. Fen watched the two carefully as they followed the procession. Tigress and Po were left on the courtyard.

"You seem to know a lot about her," Tigress smirked, crossing her arms. Po sighed, hunching his back.

"Tigress, please don't tease me."

"You got yourself into this. I'm just curious how you'll pull this off."

"It'll work. You'll see."

"And when it doesn't?"

Po threw up his hands in exasperation. "Then I'll buy you a meal to eat and we can dine out."

"Deal," Tigress smirked, but it disappeared after a moment. "Do you think her parents are buying it?"

"They know I know a lot about her, but I don't know if they know that we don't know if... uh... wait what was I talking about again?"

"Po."

"Right, right," Po shook his head. "I don't know."

Tigress rolled her eyes and followed the panda inside. The tea was poured and the table set and soon the feast and talking began. Po rattled off every story and nickname Mei-Ling ever told him and Mei-Ling told her parents almost everything about Po.

She didn't tell them he was the Dragon Warrior. That would have tipped them off.

Crane seemed content on making things more difficult for Mei-Ling, asking for more embarrassing stories, remembering all of the nicknames that Mei-Ling, and telling his own stories about Mei-Ling's "daredevil" nature.

Needless to say, the Golden cat's glare on the bird could have melted an iron bar. Of course, they laughed it off and went onto another story.

Po and Tigress kept exchanging glances between Mei-Ling's parents and Mei-Ling and Crane. Mr. and Mrs. Fen seemed either confused or suspicious between the bird and cat. Tigress tilted her head and looked at Po. Why were they so worried about them? Po shrugged.

As they finished their meal and headed towards the exit, Po stretched out and yawned. The amber-pink sky hung over their heads, sinking into blackness. "Well, it was wonderful to have you two here," Po smiled widely.

"It was uh... nice to meet you two," Mr. Fen bowed, hesitantly. Po and Tigress glanced at each other again and finally stopped in the courtyard.

"Okay, something's off here," Po finally said, stopping the whole procession.

"Po, what are you doing?" Mei-Ling said, darting her eyes from her parents to him. "My parents need to go now," She said through gritted teeth.

"Yes, but something isn't right," Tigress stepped up. "Mr. and Mrs. Fen, you two have been looking... concerned this whole time. Is something wrong?"

"Yeah, we noticed it when we were eating. You two look like you were trying to solve a crime or something," Po said. The old felines glanced at each other again. Mrs. Fen sighed first before saying,

"We... Mei-Ling, are you... really dating Po?"

"What?! Of course, why-why would you think otherwise?" Mei-Ling asked. Her hands were folded behind her back, and she stood straight and at attention.

Mr. Fen sighed, "Because this whole time, you were more comfortable around Crane but not around Po. You two know each other, yes, but... the intimacy isn't there." Mei-Ling looked away. "Ling-Ling, don't lie to us anymore."

Mei-Ling gave a sharp sigh. "Okay, yes. Po and I... aren't dating."

"Are you and Crane?"

"What?!" Crane and Mei-Ling cried out. "No!"

"Then you're not dating anyone," Mrs. Fen pursed her lips. "Why would you lie to us, Mei-Ling?"

"Because you were gonna take me away from my academy if I didn't find a date soon. So... I lied because... I didn't want you to take me away from the thing I love: my academy." Mei-Ling hung her head. The air fell to a heavy quiet. She heard the footsteps of her father approach, and she flinched her shoulders up.

"Mei-Ling, we know that," Mr. Fen said.

"Wh... what?"

"My dear, we know you love running your academy more than anything else. We just didn't want you to miss out on sharing that love with someone else."

"We were never going to take you away from your academy," Mrs. Fen said. "Not that we could."

"Wh-why not?"

"Because they can't," Crane finally spoke up, crossing his wings. "That's why I was teasing you the whole time. You're grown now. You don't need your parents' approval for everything. What were they gonna do to stop you from running the academy?"

"And you didn't tell the REST of us sooner?" Po growled through his teeth.

Crane shrugged, "I guess I've been around Monkey too long."

"Crane, I swear I'll... You're right," Mei-Ling sighed. "I should've just told you guys instead of hiding it. I'm sorry." Mr. Fen lift Mei-Ling's head up and smiled.

"We just want you to be happy, little Bamboo Warrior."

"I am."

"And that's all we want." He pulled his daughter into a hug with Mrs. Fen quickly in tow. Po sniffled and wiped his eyes, making Tigress raise her eyebrow.

"What? It's touching," Po sniffled.

"Thank you, Dragon Warrior, for having us," The two older cats bowed.

"Wait! You knew all along?" Po asked.

"Of course, you're known all around China. What did you think we were living under a rock?" Mrs. Fen laughed.

Po hunched his shoulders and sighed, "So the plan never worked." Tigress smiled as she lightly patted Po on the shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Po. But you can't fake the chemistry between two people," Mrs. Fen smiled, looking between her daughter and Crane. "Which can often lead you to unexpected places."

"I'm sorry for deceiving you guys," Mei-Ling sighed.

"It's okay, little one. We'll always love you. No matter what," Mr. Fen said with a hug. "Take care of her for us, would you Crane?"

"Why me?"

"You're really the only one that seems to put up with her antics."

"FATHER!"

"HAHAHAH!" Crane laughed, earning a punch from Mei-Ling. Po and Tigress looked on from the back as the two parents left. Po and Tigress glanced at each other and smiled.

"So they think that Crane and Mei-Ling-"

"They do seem to have a certain kind of... chemistry," Tigress finished.

"Hehe, yeah," Po chuckled. He looked up at the night sky and cleared his throat. "So... that dinner?"

"I like Mr. Ping's stir fry soy cubes," Tigress smirked.

"Hehe, right on it," Po smiled back.

The end