Common Stories


Idea adapted from the art of Lucile on Instagram (lulubellule)

The panda muttered to himself as he paced around the jade floor. "Come on, there's got to be a way around this. Maybe I could... Nah, they'd never go for it. Oh! Maybe they could... no, Master Shifu said I couldn't use that thing anymore," Po mumbled. His feet would've made a rut into the shiny floors if Master Viper hadn't come into the Hall of Heroes.

"Uhh Po, what's wrong?" The serpentine warrior asked.

"Hm?" Po's head perked up. "Oh! Hey Viper. How long have you been there?"

"Only a few moments. Is something wrong?"

"No nothing... other than the normal."

"And what's that?"

"The siblings fighting."

"Ahh," Viper sighed, lowering her head. The tip of her tail rubbed her head as she took a deep breath for support. "You mean Tigress and Tai Lung."

"The same," Po sighed.

"Are they fighting? I haven't heard much shouting."

"They've switched to... silently hating each other. I mean, they've stopped messing up with each other when it comes to fighting the bandits, but it's just annoying. I mean, I get sibling rivalry, but-"

"I think this rivalry goes much deeper than just that," Viper interrupted. "You have to remember that they're two different people."

"I knew that already."

"I mean, they've been raised two different ways by Master Shifu."

"Right," Po grumbled his way towards the exit. "Why didn't Oogway stop Master Shifu from making his mistake with Tai Lung in the first place?"

The snake tilted her head as she slithered towards the doors. "I'm sure he did try. I mean, if Tigress's account of her training is accurate, Oogway was teaching alongside Master Shifu and tried to console her in her times of need. Even if his instruction wasn't... clear."

"It's never clear," Po complained.

"It's wisdom."

"Wisdom clears up things, not makes them more confusing. I got more wisdom from my dad than from reading any of Oogway's stuff," Po sighed, "I feel as if half of Oogway's 'wise ways' was just him having jokes with us."

Viper chuckled, "Well, I don't know about that. But I'm sure that Master Oogway tried the same counseling with Tai Lung's training. Although you know how stubborn Master Shifu can be."

"Please don't remind me," The panda sighed as they stood outside, "Okay, but what about Tigress? Oogway could've told Shifu-"

"It's hard to do self-reflection when you have so much pain in your heart, Po," Viper said. Po gave a loud groan.

"So either way, it's more likely Shifu's fault to blame for all of this and not just Oogway's cryptic warnings that make no sense to anyone until some dire attack or baddie comes up, and then we have a sudden spark of insight or whatever?"

"You mean like what he did with you?" Viper smiled, "I think it's more complicated than that. Whether or not Oogway is somewhat responsible or somewhat tried to stop this, the whole thing is still squarely on Shifu's shoulders." Viper stopped just in front of the stairs heading down to the courtyard. "That doesn't help you with Tai Lung and Tigress now, though. Especially since Master Shifu is off with his new girlfriend."

"Ugh, I just don't know how to-" Just then, a frantic flapping noise rose up over their conversation. Zeng flew up to the panda and snake, crashing down with a splutter.

"Dragon Warrior, your fathers. They- they said that they need your help."

"What is it? Bandits? Robbers?" Po asked.

"The lunch rush," Zeng nervously grinned.

"Awwww come on!"

"It is nearing the Lunar Festival," Viper pointed out, smiling. "It might be worth helping your dads early to make sure you have time for your Dragon Warrior duties."

"Ugh, that just means I'll be doing the same work but longer. Thanks though, Viper. I'll try and get this over with. Keep an eye on Tai Lung and Tigress while I'm gone."

"A-a-a-actually, Dragon Warrior," Zeng stammered, "Master Tigress and Tai Lung are... in the village... right now."

Po's already sunken face frowned wider. With fallen eyes and sagging arms, he croaked with no hope in his voice. "Great."

Meanwhile, down in the valley, the two warriors were on patrol, glaring each other down in silence. The villagers tried their best to stay out of the way of the glaring pair, snatching their kids out of the way, closing up vendors, and shutting their shutters.

"I think you're scaring the villagers. You should go back," Tigress said, matter-of-factly.

"Are you sure they're not scared of you?" Tai Lung smirked. "Maybe that stern look on your face is frightening the poor little children half to death."

"They're not scared of me," Tigress growled. "I believe it's you that they're terrified of. Criminal."

"Teacher's pet."

"Betrayer."

"Kiss-up."

"Tai Lung! Tigress!" Shouted someone behind them. Po ran at top speed, panting and huffing as he stopped in front of them. "Ugh, finally made it. What are you two doing here?"

Tai Lung and Tigress looked at each other, both of them with their arms crossed. "We... live here."

"Don't sass me!" Po snapped, making them step back. It wasn't every day that Po got mad that easily.

In fact, it wasn't any day that Po got mad that easily.

"I'm not in the mood today. Why are you two patrolling together?"

"Monkey said-"

"Of course it was Monkey," Po grumbled in a rage foreign to him. He rubbed his forehead much like Shifu would when he was upset. "Nevermind. Come with me. Both of you."

"Is something wrong, Po?" Tigress asked.

"The panda probably hasn't had his third lunch," Tai Lung whispered.

"I heard that," Po grunted. "And yes, I need help with my dads. And since I can't get Monkey back for putting you two together, I'm sending you two to meet my dads."

"Po, I've already met both of your fathers," Tigress said.

"But you haven't worked with either of them," Po replied. "The point is they need your help and I need your help to help them."

Tai Lung grumbled, "So we've been demoted to cooks."

"Just do this for me, please? I have other duties right now," Po said, "And the Lunar Festival is coming up soon, so I need to know that you won't run away the moment my dad whacks you with a spoon, Tai Lung."

"What? Why would he-"

"We're here!" Po stopped in front of the noodle shop. Tai Lung and Tigress could see it was largely empty, and a male panda and goose were making food in the back. "Hey, dads."

"Po! It's good to see you. Eh? What are you hiding?" Mr. Ping asked with narrowing eyes.

"Whaaaatt? I'm not hiding anything."

"Then why are you standing behind the corner of the doorway like you're hiding someone?"

"Uhhhh... dramatic effect?" Po nervously grinned.

"Ha! You lie just as well as Li Shan when he's playing checkers."

"I still win, though," Li Shan smirked over the goose's sulking glare.

"It's just... I have some... friends to show you. And I would just like to start with... we're friends now, so no whacking them with spoons, okay?"

"No promises," Mr. Ping said with a raised wing. Po grabbed Tigress and Tai Lung and showed them to the two parents. Li Shan and Mr. Ping blinked and stared at each other. "Uhhh huh, and you brought these two trouble-makers here why?"

"Trouble-makers?" Tigress asked.

"Oh don't act like you don't bring chaos everywhere you go when you're with this lug," Mr. Ping pointed to Tai Lung.

"Excuse me!" Tai Lung growled.

"Daaaaaad."

"Come on, Ping, aren't you being a little unfair?" Li Shan said, coming out from the kitchen. "These are Lotus's friends."

"Ha! With friends like these, who needs enemies," Mr. Ping said.

"He's got a point," Po muttered under his breath. Tai and Tigress glared back at him. "Hey, ever since Tai Lung came back, both of you have been a thorn in my flesh. And at the worst time too with Shifu out of town."

Tigress frowned, "I'm... sorry, Po. It's just that Tai-"

"I don't care," Po said curtly. "At the end of the day, both of you had the same stories with different outcomes. That's it!"

"Po, are you okay?" Li Shan asked. "You seem stressed."

Po huffed sharply and cracked the loud cricks in his neck. The felines winced at the noise. "Stressed is an understatement."

"Well, any friend of Po's is a friend of ours," Li Shan smiled. The two felines looked at each other and nodded. They bowed to the older panda.

But they didn't expect the panda to suddenly lift them up in a big warm bear hug. "Aaah! There we go. That's how we hug around here."

"You're a doting father, you know that?" Mr. Ping griped, crossing his arms with his spoon.

"And you're a thinly hard egg with a big soft center."

"Hmph!" Mr. Ping went back to the kitchen. Tai Lung and Tigress were still frozen stiff by Li Shan's hug, even though he released them a while ago. Though Tigress was more used to it because of Po, it had been a while since she had felt that feeling.

But this was the very first time Tai Lung ever felt something like a panda hug. "That... was... different," was all he could say.

"Well, don't just stand there you two," Mr. Ping said, "Po says you're helping? So you're helping."

"Great! I'll check on you guys later, okay?" Po patted them on the back and left before they could realize what they had just signed up for.

Unwillingly signed up for.

"Wait I-"

"This isn't what I-"

"Byyyyyeeee!" Po shouted as he left them.

"Now!" Mr. Ping tossed the two of them aprons. "Both of you, wash your hands and get to work. We've got a lot of work!" The two felines growled at each other. "And leave your relationship problems at the door."

"What?!" Tigress shouted. Tai Lung laughed. "Mr. Ping, he is not my... my... ugh... we're not in a relationship," Tigress shuddered.

"Not that the kitten doesn't secretly mind," Tai Lung teased. The tiger glared hard, snarling. The wide grin on the snow leopard's face only enraged her. But what Mr. Ping asked next shook them both.

"You two were both adopted and raised by Shifu?" They nodded. "And both of you tried to be like him?" They nodded again. "And you're fighting because the other doesn't understand what they've done or your side of the story?" They slowly nodded. "Which means you have a sibling relationship, even if it's the worst one in recorded history. But then again you didn't toss her down a well or sell him for a slave so what do I know? Eh, like I said. Leave your relationship problems at the door. You two aren't the only ones with bad parenting."

"Heh, ain't that the truth," Li Shan groaned as he stretched his back. "Alright, let's help Mr. Ping with the decorations. We got a lot to do."

The two felines nodded and, surprisingly, went quietly to work. Mr. Ping and Li Shan offered enough noise to really counteract any aggression the two warriors had. Mr. Ping would sing from time to time while shouting orders for Tai Lung to get. Tigress planned and worked with Li Shan to put up the decorations.

The lunch rush was packed and the felines were really at work. Several kids pulled at Tai Lung's tail and Tai Lung impatiently growled at them. And several times, Mr. Ping's spoon would find the back of Tai Lung's head. "If I lose any customers because of you, the Spirit Realm is going to be the least of your worries!"

Tigress helped too. The kids were more amazed at her, but it was a similar problem that Tai Lung had, only with the occasional questions about Po and their relationship.

Serving the customers wasn't that difficult, though it was an amazing balancing act. Literally. Tai Lung and Tigress balanced many plates and bowls on their arms, heads, and legs while trying to maneuver through the small clustered tables in the tiny shop. How Po managed to do this for so many years was a mystery to them.

Finally, the lunch rush was done, but clean-up was another thing. Tai Lung sat and brushed his tail with his hands, grumbling to himself. "Those little brats. I'm not some kind of toy."

"At least you didn't have a million questions pelted at you," Tigress sighed as she wiped the tables. She looked at the walls which were still halfway done with decorations.

"Eh, Snowy! I need your help with the dishes."

"For the last time, I'm not Snowy!" Tai Lung roared. A quick flick of a wooden spoon suddenly found his head. "GaAAAh! How does he throw those so fast!?"

"Maybe you're getting old," Tigress smirked.

"Watch it, kitten. I can still beat you at your own game," Tai Lung grunted as he went back to the kitchen to wash dishes. Tigress's smile couldn't be wider as she finally finished the tables.

"Great! You're done. Now we can finish the decorations," Li Shan beamed.

"Great," Tigress sighed, a little weary.

Kung fu training didn't prepare them for this.

Tai Lung grumbled as he washed the dishes.

Suddenly,

Smash!

"ARGH! That's the third one! This is stupid. Why am I doing this?"

Smack!

"OW!"

"Because you have the same problem that Shifu has," Mr. Ping said. "You don't look yourself in the mirror."

"What?" Tai Lung grunted, nursing his head. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Hmm, Po told me what Shifu and the Furious Five were like before and after defeating you, you know. I didn't really listen too much, but your story does sound very interesting. And familiar."

"Huh?"

"Hehe, sounds like what my father was like."

"Your father?" Tai Lung repeated. Mr. Ping looked up at the picture of his father and smiled a bit.

"He was the same as Shifu in a way. Stubborn, blunt, tough love. Eh, I guess I still have a lot of that in me. Heh. But he never looked himself in the mirror. Always thought what he did was right. Eh, drove me insane. 'Do this. No, you're doing it too much. Not like that.' I nearly hated making noodles because of that."

"Really?" Tai Lung looked across the counter and saw Tigress had been listening in. The utter shock visible on her face told Tai Lung it was a major deal, even though he hadn't met the goose for more than an afternoon.

"Yeah, really. But... I remember running away one time, I took a look in a pond and just asked myself a bunch of questions."

"Like what?" Tai Lung asked.

"Why do I want this?"

"And... what was the answer?"

"Money!"

Tai Lung and Tigress facepalmed in a groan while Li Shan laughed hard. The snow leopard couldn't stop himself from smiling though. In his few moments with the goose, he could fully understand the reason.

That and he got tired of the amount of "discounts" Mr. Ping had to offer.

"Anyway, I figured out why I wanted to do this, which made me go back and endure the pain. But I often do that, especially when Po arrived. I never wanted to raise Po like my dad did. Even when he lied to me about having the noodle dream, I was never mad at him. I was glad that he found himself. That he was honest with himself."

Mr. Ping chuckled a bit somberly. "That's all a parent can really do, you know? Help their children find themselves. To help them find something that makes them special."

"But what makes them special?" Tai Lung asked. "I mean, what makes Po special?"

Mr. Ping shrugged. "He believes he's special. There's no secret to it."

The snow leopard remembered Po's words when they first fought. He couldn't say anything. Tigress watched as much of the snobbery and contempt hiding on Tai Lung's face disappeared. Maybe it was finally clicking in his head. Tigress couldn't figure it out by looking at him.

"Now your problem," Mr. Ping suddenly said, pointing his spoon at Tigress, "Isn't his problem."

"Excuse me?" Tigress asked.

"You're trying to do something to please someone else, not for yourself," Li Shan said, resting his large hand on her shoulder. "While it's okay to do that, that's not who you are. You're not some... pleasure machine for someone else."

"Well... some guys would disagree-"

"And some guys are idiots," Li Shan quickly hushed the snow leopard's comment. The panda's tone, usually jovial, turned stern without losing its loving nature. Tai Lung's ears drooped.

He never did that with Master Shifu's discipline.

"The point is that I was where you were too. I had to get through a lot of people pleasing just to get some kind of attention from my parents in a house of three."

"Try a house of six," Mr. Ping smirked.

"But a house of three pandas?" Li Shan smirked back.

"Good point."

"Anyway, there were a hundred things I tried doing to make my parents notice me. I even learned how to wield a warhammer to impress them. My friends were impressed. Even Po's mother was impressed. But I was never satisfied with myself until my parents were. I worked to the bone to hear a 'good job' or 'that's my boy.' And when I did, it didn't feel as good as I thought it would. I was so used to the negative comments that the positive ones didn't feel as good. And they just... never noticed it. So... I grew up alone."

"How...," Tigress cleared her throat which was thick with emotions. "How did you get through that?"

"Well, I remember wondering if my parents wouldn't like Po's mom. The anxiety ate at me like a hungry panda on a bean bun. Heh, this was before I even talked to her. But a friend of mine just said, 'if they were pleased with you, what would you do with the rest of your life?'." The big panda laughed. "That's when it just hit me. I was fighting for this one moment in my life to please people who had probably always been pleased with me. What about the rest of my life?" The big panda smiled wide as he leaned on the kitchen counter. "I loved them so much that I didn't know how to love myself. When I started loving myself, that's when I could love others without worrying what they thought about me."

Tigress's eyes widened though she stayed silent.

"Alright, lessons aside, we've got work to do," Mr. Ping said. "The dinner rush is about to start. Get ready you two."

"Just one question," Tai Lung asked. "How does Po fit in this shop?"

"Very well yet very tightly," Li Shan and Mr. Ping laughed.

Tigress and Tai Lung shared one thing at that moment. A well-understood smile.

The time got away from everyone, including Po. As the pink and orange sky of the sun set hung overhead, he grumbled his way down the stairs, fiddling with his fingers. "Ugh, I can't believe that meeting took so long. Why are they so worried about wool coats if they'll just grow them back?" Po groaned, rubbing his temples. "I don't understand how Master Shifu deals with this-"

He stopped mid-sentence when he heard something like a female laugh. It was a female laugh, but it wasn't one he thought he would hear. Po rounded the next corner and slowly crept to the noodle shop's entrance. He peaked inside and dropped his jaw at what he saw.

Mr. Ping, Li Shan, Tigress, and Tai Lung gathered under paper lanterns, playing mahjong. It was Tigress who was laughing next to Tai Lung's wide grin. Mr. Ping seemed upset while Li Shan chuckled loudly. "I told you I'd win, Mr. Ping."

"You cheated, Snowy," Mr. Ping honked.

"You still owe me a free noodle soup and a bean bun," Tai Lung said.

"Okay, but I'm not giving you that backrub."

"You gave it to Po."

"He was a kid!"

"And yet you still wash him!"

"Eh! Who made you emperor of being a father," Mr. Ping huffed. "He's still my baby panda."

"I don't know, Mr. Ping," Tigress hummed humorously. "He did win."

"Maybe he hid a tile in his sleeves."

"I'm not wearing sleeves!" Tai Lung exclaimed. "I'm not wearing a shirt!"

"Li Shan, check his pants."

"How?" The panda asked.

"Shake him!"

"Wait what!" Without warning, Li Shan stood up, grabbed Tai Lung, and shook him until Po was pretty sure that the snow leopard's brain fell out. But no tile came out, upsetting Mr. Ping and making Tigress laugh at Tai Lung's woozy face. "Ugghhh, I don't feel hungry anymore."

"Nothing, Ping."

"Hmph," the goose grumbled. Po finally came into the restaurant. "Po! There you are."

"I was just making sure that everything was okay... and to make sure the shop was still standing," Po muttered under his breath. Tigress and Tai Lung stood up. "You two seem... better."

"We... enjoyed some of the work here," Tigress smiled. "Even had some... helpful insights."

"Or outsight with the amount of shaking I endured," Tai Lung joked. The panda was shocked that Tigress actually laughed at the joke. "Don't worry, panda. We're not trying to kill each other anymore. We've had a... bit of a reflection."

"Uh... huh," Po replied. He stared at the two with disbelief and unbelief. In the end, he shrugged. "Well, I'll enjoy it while it lasts. Sorry, I'm late. The meeting went on longer than I thought."

"It's okay, Po. We... actually like working with your dads," Tigress smiled.

"Playing with them on the other hand," Tai Lung smirked.

"Hey! I still think you cheated."

"How can I cheat?" Tai Lung asked in slight hurt.

"Hey, what's that on the ground?" Li Shan asked. Tai Lung's eyes went wide as they all saw the mahjong tile under his foot.

"AH HA!" Mr. Ping shouted. Li Shan and Tigress laughed.

"You cheated the last five times by putting it under your hat!" Tai Lung roared back. He ducked a spoon thrown at his head. "Ah!"

"No free bean buns!"

"What?! That's not fair!"

"So is cheating!"

"Takes one to know one."

"What was that?!" Mr. Ping threw another spoon.

"Dah! Po!?"

"I'm not getting involved in this," Po sighed with a small laugh. He watched as the four interacted: Tigress laughing more than he had ever seen and his panda dad's boisterous laugh over Mr. Ping's spoon assault at Tai Lung. Tai Lung could easily dodge them, but somewhere deep inside Po's mind, he knew the snow leopard was only doing this because it gave the old goose the satisfaction of having someone to discipline like another son. Po was pretty sure Mr. Ping knew that too, but somehow he knew that Tai Lung responded well to this kind of treatment. Especially when he knew it was out of a kind heart.

Po smiled. Whatever happened here, he was glad it did happen. It's amazing how common our struggles in life are. And how much it helps to know that we're not alone in those struggles.

The End