Growling Panda
Tigress growled impatiently. He shouldn't be taking this long. As she peered down at the valley below from the top step of the Jade Palace, she couldn't sit still and began pacing around more and more. The sun was setting and the panda was late. Again. Crane and Viper watched as the tiger paced back and forth in a straight line. She gnashed her teeth, gritting and growling to herself as she crossed her arms. Her deep stare into the ground could start a fire. Crane and Viper glanced at each other. Viper shook her head, but the bird shook his head too. Suddenly, Viper jabbed the Crane's side with the tip of her tail. "CAWK!"
"What?" Tigress harshly asked.
"Um... well, ummm. Tigress, is something wrong? You've been sitting here for a while now and-"
"It's Po," She interrupted and went back to her pacing.
"Okay... what about him?"
"He's late."
"For what?"
"He... he's just late," Tigress grumbled. "And I know why," She growled as she spoke the words. Just then, Po's white head slowly came up over the horizon of stairs. The tiger stopped her pacing and glared hard at the panda as he finally got to the last step, panting and huffing. "You're late."
Po held up his finger, struggling to catch his breath. "Stairs," Po groaned and panted.
"Why are you late?"
Po, finally catching his breath, stood straight up, tilting his head. "I didn't know I had a curfew," He said in a deep tone. Viper and Crane glanced at each other. "I was... hanging around with some of the villagers, that's all."
"You were hanging with Bai again."
"Tigress," Po growled under his breath, throwing his head into his hand. "It's nothing serious. She's just a friend that I like to talk with."
"I don't like her. She's trying to get something out of you. I just don't know what."
Po rolled his eyes. "You never like anyone."
Tigress's eyes widened, though she held her glare. "That is not true!"
"Oh?" Po said, stepping closer to her. "Then show me."
"My friends and you," Tigress grumbled, "Though you're starting to get to the bottom of the list."
Po sighed, "It's nothing bad, Tigress. Besides, I'm not into her like that. She's just nice to talk with." Tigress said nothing. "Anyway, I'm going to bed. Those stairs are tiring."
"You wouldn't have a problem if you were here for morning training, Po," Tigress called out.
"Yes mom," Po muttered. Tigress growled as the panda walked away.
"Okay, what the underworld was that?!" Crane asked.
Tigress sighed, "Po's been...acting a little different."
"A lot different," Viper echoed. "When did his voice get deeper?"
"And when did he start talking to you like he doesn't fear death."
"I'm not that scary, Crane," Tigress said firmly. Crane only rose an eyebrow. "A while ago, Po learned about some... bear stuff from Master Grizzly. He didn't think he could do some of the feats that Master Grizzly could, but Master Grizzly showed him the things he could do since Po's still technically a bear."
"Like talking in a deeper voice and growling?" Crane asked.
"I think it's more of a confidence boost," Viper replied. "But who's this Bai?"
"A snow leopard from the Gaijin providence. She... seems to like Po," Tigress explained.
Viper tilted her head. "And you're upset with this because?"
"It's distracting Po."
"What's new?" Crane fired back.
"Crane."
"Tigress, what are you really upset with?"
"It's just... I'm not... used to this... kind of confidence from Po. I'm more used to the awkwardness he had before," Tigress said. "But I am serious about this Bai person being a distraction."
"Okay, a distraction from what?" Crane asked. Tigress remained silent. "Seems to me that you're really upset that Po's changing. And I don't think that he's exactly changing for the better."
"Maybe you should tell Po how you feel instead of just being angry at him," Viper pointed out.
"More like she's being hostile to him," Crane mumbled. Tigress glared but sighed. She started to walk, but Viper stopped her.
"But, if it's his confidence that you're worried about, maybe you should bring some of your own confidence."
"How?" Tigress asked. The viper simply smiled and winked at the tiger. Tigress shut her eyes and continued on to find Po. Crane side-glanced that snake by his side.
"What was all that about?"
"You mean you don't know?"
"No?"
"The only reason why Tigress hasn't done anything to Po is because she might actually like his confidence. She just doesn't know how to respond to it."
"Oooookay, I can see that. But what does that have to do with her own confidence?" Crane asked.
Viper smiled, "You have a lot to learn about girls, Crane. A lot to learn."
Meanwhile, Po just sat down in his room when someone knocked at his door. He could see the person's shadow through the silk door. Rolling his eyes, he scrambled up to his feet and flung the door open. "What is it now, Tigress?" He bellowed softly.
"N-Nothing. I was just... could I come in?"
"So you can scream at me more?"
"No... I just... want to talk. Calmly," Tigress growled.
Po rolled his eyes. He might as well die today. He let the tiger inside and shut the door behind him. "So, what did you want to talk about?"
"Bai."
"I told you that-"
"I know," Tigress interrupted. "I just... wanted to know why do you enjoy talking with her?"
Po blinked a couple of times. He rubbed the back of his neck with a deep long sigh. "Well, she's... nice. Can't... really explain it."
"And you said you don't like her... romantically?" Po shook his head. "Why? She's pretty."
"She's not my type."
"What is your type?"
"I don't know."
"But you seem certain that Bai isn't that type."
"Why do you want to know so badly?"
"Because you're... acting... different," Tigress sighed as she watched Po's confusion consume his face. "Po, I'm... still getting used to your new... behaviors. I... I just haven't had someone stand up to me like this. I thought that talk with Master Grizzly would help you be more confident about yourself-"
"Which it has," Po said.
"But... I don't know if you're using that confidence in the right way."
"Oh? And you know it should be used?"
"No."
"Then what are you saying?"
"I'm just saying that," Tigress stopped and slowed down. "I'm saying that I'm getting used to it is all."
"That's an understatement."
"But true nonetheless."
Po stared at her, crossing his arms before sighing to himself. "Look, I'm not into Bai like that. She's not my type."
"I see."
"Why does it bother you? I thought you'd like me more confident."
"Yes, but there's a difference between being confident and acting like a... a... jerk," Tigress huffed. Po's eyes widened a bit, not that she called him a jerk, but that she used the word.
But she was right. He knew that.
The panda sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Okay, yeah. I'm sorry. I've been getting... more reckless with my confidence boost. Even my dad told me I was getting edgier with the customers."
Tigress smiled, "At least I told you. He would've hit you with his wooden spoon."
"Hehe, that's worst than you kicking me down the stairs," Po chuckled. They stood quiet for a moment as Po sat down on his bed. "So?"
"So... that's it. I just... you're growing into a new person and... I'm sorry for not realizing that before."
"It's okay," Po smiled. "I shouldn't have been such a... jerk."
"And Bai... you really don't have anything for her?" Po shook his head. "Is there someone else?"
"Maybe," Po shrugged as he stretched his limbs. "But right now, I'm not worried about her. She's one of a kind but... it's hard to figure her out."
Tigress's eyes widened. "I... see." Po looked up for a fraction of a second and saw the tiger's smile widen across her face.
It was at that moment he knew, he messed up.
"Does she have a big temper?" Tigress asked as she slowly approached Po.
"Definitely."
"And you think she's pretty-"
"Beautiful."
"I was going to say pretty rough around the edges, but we'll go with that," Tigress smirked. Po couldn't tell what kind of game she was playing, but he steeled his nerves to get through whatever it was. "And you said she was hard to figure out?"
"She... can be."
"Hmm. Sounds like she's more of a problem in your life than Bai."
"I wouldn't say a problem," Po said, scratching the back of his head. His eyes daringly stared back at Tigress's teasing orbs while her smile widened ever more. "She's just... hard to understand. She's very kind and loving when you get to know her and... she does have this cool mischievous streak about her that... I kind of like."
"Mmmhmm?"
"Ummm Tigress, is there some reason why you're smiling?" Po asked, cracking in his confidence.
"No reason," Tigress smirked as she turned to leave the room. "This woman sounds very interesting. I'd love to meet her someday."
"Ummm, yeah yeah, I don't think that's gonna happen any time soon," Po said, eying the tiger suspiciously.
"Hmm," Tigress hummed, "I did mean what I said, Po. I do like your confidence. You could reign in the arrogance."
"Thank you, Master Shifu," Po grumbled under his breath.
"One thing you can keep," Tigress abruptly said. "Is the growling. I like it."
"Uhhh why?" Po asked.
Tigress smiled over her shoulder, "It makes you more... alluring," she spoke smoothly. Po's mouth dropped. "See you later Po. And tell the other girl I said hello."
"I... I will?" Po spluttered. Tigress left with a small chuckle. The panda grumbled noisily to himself.
Apparently, confidence could help Po handle a lot of things, but Tigress's mischief was something he thought no one could handle.
