A Good Surprise


"It's just an idea," Said the snow leopard. Po grumbled and groused as he threw another dumpling into his mouth. The male cat across the table only made the panda furrow his eyebrows more. The barracks' kitchen wasn't full but between Tai-Lung and Po, the air seemed all too crowded.

"I'm going for a jog."

"A Jog," Tai-Lung said more in a laugh than a surprise. "Since when do you-"

"Just shut up," Po groaned, popping the last dumpling into his mouth and heading out the door. Tai-Lung only rolled his eyes and followed. "I said-"

"You didn't say you wanted to be alone."

"Well, I kinda do."

"What's wrong with what I said?"

"Other than it's suicide and it'll never happen."

"I could say the same about a chubby panda falling from the sky and claiming the Dragon Warrior title," Tai-Lung smirked. With a head shake and an eye roll, the panda continued his march down the mountain while the snow leopard tried his best to keep up. "What's really bugging you?"

"Why are you so worried about this?" Po asked.

"I'm not worried, I'm just curious."

"Curiosity-"

"It's not like you to be scared like this," Tai-Lung finished more seriously. Po stopped and looked back. He scanned the snow leopard's form before letting out a sigh that he wished was a little lighter.

"She... hasn't made it obvious."

"What obvious?"

"You know, that she's... interested in me," Po replied. Tai-Lung tilted his head a bit but snarled.

"Why are you letting that stop you?"

"I don't want to waste everyone's time."

"You've done it before."

"Oh yeah?" Po shot back, placing his hands on his hips. "When?"

"When you gave us that lecture about why the Tigress action figure you have is ultra-rare. And when you wanted to figure out if putting hot soup in the Urn of Whispering Warriors would feed the souls inside. And when you had the bright idea of a 'new training technique' which included strapping fireworks to the balancing bowl so it could spin like a top which nearly wrecked the Training Hall!"

"Okay, okay! So yesterday was a bad day," Po interrupted.

Tai-Lung crossed his arms. "Why are you scared?" He asked quietly. Po shifted between looking at him to looking the ground.

"What happens when... she rejects me?"

Tai-Lung stayed still for what seemed thirty minutes. The sun was bright that day, but it was offputting for the panda's mood. His mouth couldn't be longer, and concern labeled Tai-Lung's face. He had never seen Po this vulnerable and honest, and the snow leopard's frigid heartstrings were plucked for the first time in a while.

Slowly, Tai-Lung took a breath and rested his hand on Po's sagging shoulder. "Then there are more out in the sea. And they'll take the Drago-... They'll take Po any day."

Po's lips gently curled up into a small smile. "Thank you, Tai."

"Now, let's get to your dad's place. I'm starving."

"Wait, I thought you ate."

"I was trying to, but you came in, we talked, and you started eating my dumplings!" Tai-Lung snarled.

"Hehe whoops," Po sheepishly chuckled. The two stepped down steps to the flat stony roads that started to come to life. The sun, still east in the sky, burned down hot on the two warriors. While Po waved to his friends and villagers, Tai-Lung respectfully bowed to anyone that came his way. "Why do you do that?" Po asked.

"Just because you grabbed me from the Spirit World doesn't mean that people automatically like me."

"The villagers seem to be okay with you. And Furious Five like you."

"Except your crush."

"SHHHH! She's supposed to be at the shop today," Po said. Tai-Lung shook his head.

"Either way, I have a lot to do to turn around that image I left."

"Ooohh! Look at you not being gloaty-showboaty."

"The words you come up with," Tai-Lung sighed with a small smile. The two warriors rounded the corner near Mr. Ping's shop when they heard two laughing females on the wind. Po stopped in his tracks, making Tai-Lung stop. "What's wrong?"

"Tigress is laughing."

"So?"

Po widened his eyes as he made a broad gesture with his hands as if to say, 'you don't know this?' "Tigress almost never laughs."

"She laughs with you."

"You mean at me."

"I beg to differ," Tai-Lung said, peeping inside the shop. "Who's the cute snow leopard talking to her?"

Po tilted his head. "Snow leopard?" He looked and dropped his jaw. "What the-" Before the panda's eyes was Tigress wearing a broad smile and chuckling with a shorter, slender female snow leopard that Po knew very well. "That's... that's Song!"

"Who?"

"That's the leader of the Ladies of the Shade. They're a group of bandits. Well, they were a group of bandits before Song took over and reformed them."

"And you know her because?"

Po rubbed the back of his neck, coughing out, "She um... might have... stolen some stuff from the Jade Palace and... well, She... might have liked me a bit."

Tai-Lung smirked and rose his eyebrow. "Might have liked," He repeated.

"Yeah, but I know Tigress and Song DO NOT get along."

"Well, you have been away for a month on that mission," Tai-Lung pointed out. "Things might have changed."

"Tigress doesn't change well," Po quickly and casually said. Tai-Lung showed a small bit of concern. "I mean, she can change, but..." Po trailed off, not knowing how to find his words.

"Maybe," Tai-Lung proposed, "You're just having a hard time adjusting to everyone changing at the same time? Hm?"

"I... I guess." Po looked inside the shop. "She looks like she's actually enjoying herself."

The snow leopard smiled, "Come on. Let's find somewhere else to eat." As the two left, Tigress continued laughing with her snow leopard company.

"It sounds like you've had quite a misadventure when it comes to men," Tigress grinned, lightly sipping her tea.

Song smiled back, sipping her tea with her iconic red umbrella under her arm. "I try my best." Her eyebrow perked up as the rim of the cup hid her lips. "Speaking of my love life."

"Not in your life," Tigress said, growling but not as threatening.

"I didn't mean to pry. I was actually asking for someone else's love life."

Tigress narrowed her eyes and frowned. "Who then?"

"Po."

"Why?"

"I was just making sure he's alright."

"Why?"

"Well, it's been a while since I last met him. And we didn't exactly leave on the best of terms," Song replied sadly.

"That's not what the lipstick on his cheek showed."

Song lowered her teacup. "Why are you so defensive?"

"Po has a lot of suitors. Someone has to vet them."

"Why you? Why not the rest of the Furious Five?"

"Why are you asking about Po?" Tigress asked directly. Song stared. There wasn't much she could do to get the information she needed. She sighed and rested back in her chair.

"I was just making sure I didn't ruin his chances at getting a girlfriend."

Tigress's eyes stayed on the snow leopard for a while before sipping her tea again. "He's alright."

"Then he's found a girlfriend?"

"No."

"Oh," Song said sadly. "And are you helping him find one?"

Tigress paused. She lowered her cup slowly, saying, "What are you really asking?"

"Honestly? I'm just wondering if Po's okay. It's hard being the Dragon Warrior if you have to deal with women like me."

"I believe he's fine," Tigress replied.

"Are you just saying that or are you trying to cover up something?"

"Does it matter?"

"To Po, I'd hope it does."

"What are you implying?"

"Tigress," Song sighed. "I'm not saying that I'm going to date him. We're friends. What I am asking is if he's, at the very least, found someone that can... share in his struggle." Song leaned on the table. "What I want to know is why you're so defensive about the questions? I thought we were past the whole hostile snarls."

"Just because we fight well together doesn't mean I can tell you everything about me."

"I get that," Song said. "But this isn't about you. This is about Po."

Tigress leaned onto the table too. "Why not talk about my love life?"

"I'm not stupid?"

"And you're not interested?"

"I didn't say that," Song replied, leaning back into the chair. "I just know that some questions will get clearer answers than others."

Tigress stared at Song before sighing, "No, he doesn't seem to be... interested in anyone."

"Isn't that a good thing?" Song asked. "That way it doesn't interfere with Dragon Warrior stuff."

"Yeah... interfere," Tigress sighed, noticeably sad. She shook her head and widened her eyes when she saw the snow leopard's smile widening. "I don't-"

"But let's pretend you do for a moment. Just humor me," Song smirked. "What would be stopping you?"

"Nothing. Now can we move on?" Tigress growled, sipping the last of her tea. Song held a worried frown on her face, staring at Tigress. "What?"

"It's okay to be afraid, you know. I was afraid of Po the first time I met him."

"Why?"

"I thought he would eat me."

Tigress rose her eyebrow, dropping any visible signs of defensiveness. "Why?" Song shivered remembering when an innocent connected noodle between her and the panda led to her head nearly swallowed.

"Reasons," Song said, shivering again. "But I was scared to open up. I get it. I'm not gonna force you."

"...Thank you."

"But," Song said, getting up from the table, "Someone else might. I always believed in getting stuff done when you don't have to rush. Take it from someone who knows drama. Telling him when you don't have to growl at someone else is so much better. But only you can make your decisions." She placed yuans onto the table. "Breakfast is on me. See you Master Tigress." She walked away a bit but stopped. "By the way, that nice-looking snow leopard guy. Tai-Lung was it? What's the deal with him?"

"Supposedly another 'reformed' criminal. You two have a lot in common," Tigress smirked and growled at the same time. "You both get on my nerves."

"See you later, Tigress," Song winked and left the tiger to her thoughts. The tiger got up and walked out alone. Her feet trudged on towards the mountain.

That's what she thought, anyway.

She didn't think about where she went, though

Her thoughts were too much on what Song said about Po. Tigress knew she was right, but it meant things could change majorly.

Like they already had.

Never in her life did she think she could learn to tolerate someone like Tai-Lung. And she definitely didn't think she could get along with the likes of Song in a month.

Things were changing.

She was changing.

And if she wasn't careful, someone that she admittedly cared about a lot would be gone with the next person who went after the sort of carefree, lovable, caring, genuine, funny, cute, and golden heart guy that Po was.

Tigress stopped in her tracks. It was nighttime. "Wait, what?" Had she been so engrossed in her thoughts that time sped up? She shook her shock off and charged up the Jade Palace steps, only to see Po running down them to meet her. "Po?"

"Tigress!" Po panted. "What uh... what are you doing here?"

"I was... umm... coming to see you, actually."

"Why?"

"Because uh... umm. I wanted to tell you something," Tigress sighed.

"Really?" Tigress nodded. "Well, I've been meaning to tell you something," Po said. "Something that I've been really wanting to say but... didn't know how to say."

"Just say it," Tigress encouraged, hiding her flicker flame of excitement.

Po nervously scanned the stairs for anyone coming or going. He looked up at the night sky. The canvas above still held a band of light pink from the twilight sun. He took a deep breath, inhaling the scents of the mountain; sharp cool air.

But Tigress's scent was also in it. Dirt, mostly, but earth, hints of noodles, and a sprinkle of lavender, one of her teas. "Po?" Tigress called the panda out of his daze. "There was something you wanted to tell me?"

"Right, right," Po anxiously chuckled. "Tigress, I... I... We've been friends for a while, right?" Tigress nodded. "And we've been through a lot together, including getting over some of our... phobias." The feline smiled at the panda's inside joke. "But... I wanted to say that... for a long time... Actually, since you were first chosen to be part of the Furious Five I uh..." He started breathing deep and slow but before he could finally say it.

"Po, I like you too and I want to date you."

Po exhaled his breath like a deflated balloon. "Oh come on! I was so ready!"

"You were taking too long," Tigress smiled, much wider than she usually did.

"Ugh, way to steal my thunder, Tigress," Po muttered, crossing his arms. The pout on his face only widened Tigress's smile as she took his hands into hers.

"I'm sorry."

"Hmmm, you're lucky I like you. There! I said it! HA!" Po exclaimed. Tigress rolled her eyes but still smiled.

Meanwhile, past the point the two warriors could see were two snow leopards staring from atop the mountain. "Looks like I won the bet," Song grinned. The two leopards had met up with each other while Tigress was thinking about what to say to Po. The panda introduced the two to each other around lunchtime, and they got into a fierce argument, when Po was away of course, about who would confess their love first: Po or Tigress. In the end, they both really won, but money was still involved.

Tai-Lung grunted, but his crossed arms couldn't hide his smile. "I'd say she cheated. Po was going to say it."

"But Tigress said it first. You still owe me 5 yuan. And I'd like that money sooner rather than later. That breakfast was all I had."

"It's stolen money from some bandits, right?"

"Yes, but aside from that I'm broke," Song said, extending her hand. Tai-Lung glanced at her hand and then at her small charming smile. He cleared his throat and sighed. Song's eyebrows furrowed together. "If you don't have anything I can think of something else to-"

"It's not that. I was thinking," Tai-Lung rolled his large shoulders back, "Maybe instead of simply paying you, we... I pay for your breakfast tomorrow."

"With you there?" Song asked. Tai-Lung nodded. The lady feline clutched her outstretched hand to her chest, spinning away from Tai-Lung for a moment. Her eyes stayed on the ground. Tai-Lung mentally kicked himself in the head. He knew it was a risky move, but what could he say? In the few hours he had spent with her, she was actually pretty nice to be around, apart from the flirtatious nature she had, but he quickly grew fond of it.

But maybe that was just it. Her flirtatous nature. There was no way she would-

"Sure."

"Huh?" Tai-Lung shook his head awake and stared at a now smiling Song.

"I'll take that breakfast tomorrow... if you'll be eating with me." Her lips gave a small blushing smile before shrugging her shoulders a bit. Tai-Lung quickly shook his head from the daze again. He reached down to her hand and kissed it.

"It's a date," He practically purred with a long smile.

Needless to say, that day had a lot of unexpected turns in it.

Of course, everyone likes a good surprise.

The end