Old Couple Energy


The ceremony would start in a few minutes. Tigress impatiently tapped her foot against the wooden planks of the barracks. He was gonna make them late, and he couldn't be late. He was the one giving the speech. "Where is he?" Tigress grumbled, placing a fist on her hip. The fiery red fabric of her ceremonial dress shimmered in the dim light. Its dazzling golden flower stretched from her calves to the shoulder-cut top.

That didn't make Po's tardiness any easier to wait for. "Gah! Come on, come on!" She could hear the panda's grumbling behind the silk panel door. "Ahh! Why won't this fit!"

"Po? Is everything alright?"

"Uhhh! Yeah, yeah! Everything's alright. I just can't get this thing to fit!" Po grumbled. Tigress slowly opened the door and could see what the panda was talking about. He was trying to fit the last button of a large white long-sleeve Tang suit sometimes worn by Kung Fu masters. "Ugh, the last button won't fit."

Tigress shook her head with a small smile. "That's because you're impatient with it."

"Oh ha ha."

"Here, let me help." Tigress calmly worked the rest of the buttons up to his neck. She could hear the rapid tapping of his foot on the floor. "You're nervous."

"You aren't?"

"About what?"

"The first speech I've ever given for the Masters' ceremony. What if I mess up?"

"Po."

"I know, I know. I mess up all the time."

Tigress glowered slightly. "I wasn't going to say that." She sighed and started taking off the buttons. "Change into the Qi suit."

"What? Why?"

"Because the Tang suit jacket*isn't... becoming of you. And you look uncomfortable in it." She walked over to his wardrobe and pulled out a white robe with a golden cape that he wore when he defeated Kai.

"Isn't the cape too much?"

Tigress smirked, "It is, but I know you'll wear it anyway because you think it looks cool on you."

"But it does," Po quietly fussed under his breath. Tigress tossed the fabric over while she turned around and waited for Po to change. "I still don't know if I'm ready for this, Tigress."

"You are ready."

"What if-"

"Po," Tigress sighed, "If you open that door, you're going to see a whole avalanche of what-ifs. You'll be fine."

"I just don't want to look like an idiot in front of everyone."

"How is that different from every other time?"

"Because I was saving the village half the time, and the other half there weren't this many people that I admire."

"Po," Tigress chuckled a bit to herself, "You seem to admire everyone."

"Hmph," Po softly grumbled as he finally got the robe on. He looked at the cape and bit his lip. "Ummmm. Tigress?" The tiger simply looked back at the cape before rolling her eyes. She walked over to the bed and helped the panda put the cape on. "You could've just said no."

"I know that's a losing battle." She clipped the cape around him and smoothed out any of the wrinkles in his robe.

"How do I look?"

"Nervous."

"Tigress."

"You look great Po. And you'll do great."

"Ugh, why do I have to give the speech?"

"Because you're the Dragon Warrior."

Po blew a huff of air. "Are you sure you guys aren't adding more responsibilities to the Dragon Warrior title? How come I didn't know any of these things until after I became Dragon Warrior?"

"We didn't think there ever would be a Dragon Warrior after Master Oogway. We started to give up hope," Tigress explained. "Come on, the others are waiting for us. We need to go."

"Wait, are you going in that qipao?"

"Yes, why?" She asked as she looked all over the shimmering dress.

"No, no, it's great! I just... don't you think it'll bring too much attention to yourself? I know you don't like being in the spotlight."

"Viper says that I should try new things and you've said that as well."

Po blinked. "Yeah, but I don't think we actually thought you'd... you know... listen." The tiger snapped a hot glare at him. "B-B-But, I could be wrong." Tigress shook her head. "It looks great either way."

"Thanks," Tigress smiled. They soon regrouped with the others. The travel didn't ease Po's nerves. Time and time again, Tigress had to rest her hands on his shoulders, rubbing the tension away so his head wouldn't disappear into his shoulders.

"What if I-"

"No, we've been over this," Tigress replied as they finally reached the majestic hall where the ceremony would take place. "You're going to go up there and do your speech, or I'm going to claw you up there kicking and screaming like I did when you wouldn't take a bath for a week."

"The water was cold!"

"Po," Tigress growled.

"Okay, okay," The panda muttered as he disappeared backstage. Tigress suddenly grabbed his hand and smiled.

"You'll do fine, Po." With that, she left the panda and sat with the other Furious Five. Shifu was the first to play with his cup, almost menacingly glaring into its shiny exterior. "You're nervous too, Master Shifu?"

"I just hope Po doesn't embarrass himself too much," Shifu replied. "I know how daunting public speaking can be. I really hope he doesn't-"

"He'll be fine, Master Shifu," Viper interrupted. "He's got us to cheer him up if anything happens."

Shifu glanced at Tigress for confirmation. The tiger nodded and watched as the announcer introduced the speaker of the hour. Po walked up onto the platform. A single wooden podium stood before him as he placed his "speech" on it. It was really just some bullet points and suggestions he got from the Furious Five and Master Shifu about what to speak about, but he figured he could make something out of them.

Right?

Po looked up from his 'notes' and saw Tigress in the vast crowd of seated people. She smiled, warm and kind. Taking a deep breath, Po spoke, "Thank you... everyone for coming here. And I know that this ceremony is... pretty awesome. In fact, I can't think of anywhere else I'd like to be other than my father's noodle shop for some bean buns."

The crowd chuckled a bit.

"But seriously, this ceremony is about the Master's council, and how it's come a long way from its start. It's been through rough times, many heroes and villains, and... some people who have died fighting for what is right. But the ceremony isn't for the literal high and mighty to come together and rub elbows... or wings... or any other appendages while we talk and laugh. It isn't a place where we talk only about our bad days or our mess-ups. Yeah, it's supposed to be a time for the masters to come together and do what they've been doing for countless generations. But maybe at its heart, it's more than that. Maybe we want it to be more than that. A place where we don't hear just another lame speech celebrating or berating something or someone. Maybe we just need a talk... face-to-face... with a master who's been having a rough time, who's gone through a bad time or good time. I've learned in my... really short time of being a master of Qi," Po smiled widely, "Is that all the power in the world isn't worth much if you're alone. If you want to be alone, that is your choice, but trust me, it's not all that it's cracked up to be. Maybe instead of simply being masters and warriors of awesome powers or abilities, we just need to be a friend with each other. As much as your own story is interesting, it won't really have meaning until you help out each other."

The room went silent before a slow clap rose up. Then more and more came to the clapping until a thunderous applause rose up from everyone. The masters stood up and cheered, clapping or using whatever they could to cheer Po on.

"And with that," Po continued, "let the Master's ceremony start!"

The masters greeted and thanked Po for his words. Some of them even had tears in their eyes. It took about five minutes of thanking and bowing before Po could actually see the table where his friends were. "Whew! Made it."

"That was amazing, Po!" Monkey celebrated with a strong hand slap on Po's back. "You were great!"

"I told you I would be fine," Po smirked, straightening up proudly.

"No, you did not," Tigress calmly yet firmly stated.

"Alright, alright. I admit I was a nervous wreck," Po sighed as he sat next to Tigress. "Thank you, guys. And thanks Tigress. You really helped."

"We masters have to look out for each other," Tigress smirked. They celebrated with the others until the wee hours of the night came upon them. Soon, Po and the others were walking back to the Jade Palace. Po's eyes watched the moon hovering in the sky without a sound. "You did very well, Po."

"Thanks, Tigress. I really couldn't have done this with you."

"I'm sure you would."

"Not as smoothly," Po replied.

"Hmm, that much is true," Tigress grinned. The panda shot a deadpan look at her and rolled his eyes. "However, there was one critique I had about your speech."

"Oh?"

"It was too short."

"What?! That's all I had in my head at the moment."

"And yet when you talk with us you have no problem talking," Tigress said with her arms crossed.

"It's different with my friends. When I'm in front of a crowd, my mind tends to go blank."

"And yet, you seem to be talking up a storm now," Tigress smirked.

Po spluttered, "I... you... They... I... Ugh, forget it."

"Wow," Viper spoke up. "If I didn't know any better, I would've thought you two were a couple. You bicker and help each other like my grandparents." The rest of the Furious Five laughed and walked on as Tigress and Po stopped in their tracks. Po rubbed the back of his head, chuckling nervously.

"Do you think we should tell them that we've been dating for a while?"

Tigress gave a smile that walked between mischievous and enduring. "Give it a bit more time. I enjoy the privacy."

"Hehe, but do you think Viper's on to something?"

"Hm?"

"That we're an old couple at heart?"

Tigress smiled and rested her head on Po's shoulder. "I think we're more of an old couple than we think." Po gave a warm smile as they walked onto the Jade Palace under the moonlit sky.

The End