Development.

The word could mean many things to a number of people, whether it be personal, business, or even health. This one word held a tightly knit definition for a myriad of experiences a mortal could partake in.

Shenzhen was a developing city between Hong Kong and the mainland, it was a place she'd wanted business in for a very long time.

Su blew out a puff of smoke as she watched the blinding lights of the city almost phase the silhouettes of its own people as she walked down the street. It wasn't like your average city with open areas of vegetation or old buildings, it was new.

And it could be nothing else.

The claps of a party or maybe many parties almost drowned out any thought she had, it was constant noise and bright lights here.

The future so many enjoyed and craved for.

Another trail of smoke was left in her wake as she slowed her pace at the silhouette of a beautiful woman dancing and singing behind a paper cover littered with floral designs as the crowd slowly dwindled.

"At least some things don't change…" She noted with a flick of her ear as she took a break from her smoking to take in what had to be a rare moment of silence this evening. "Even the future needs a beauty to sing for the masses…Hmm?"

Past whatever that little establishment she passed by and down a barren almost dark street that felt like a ghost town with but a few flames waning in the air did she find something peculiar in this city.

It was so bright.

There was a single lantern yet people clamored around the gate's entrance. With their attire, they looked like martial artists but some seemed as if they were an average Joe.

"Hey," The snow leopard cocked her head as she stood near the crowd, they didn't even look her way or seemed surprised she chimed in with them. "What's going on in there?" She asked casually, putting out her smoking pipe to the side and putting it away.

A young goat merely turned his head halfway as she looked upon the scene explaining what was going on. "The Dragon warrior came by to visit this old Kung Fu school. I was shocked since I was so sure that the old man would lose it within a year…"

"Why would you think that? Kung fu hasn't exactly gone out of style…" Much to her dismay, she shrugged as she watched the panda and witnessed the light that escaped from his paws that cascaded over her shadow along with the other onlookers, engulfing them entirely.

"Well, here it is. A Lot of the young people think it's a waste of time and not worth the pain…can't say I blame em too much considering how rigorous the lifestyle is…" An old goat interjected as he sat to the side.

She hummed in agreement. "Hmm. And they don't see how the guards won't always protect them yet?" She asked with a smirk.

The old goat nodded. "Yup, they'll learn the hard way as I did, thought the city was all that…but it's just a bigger village at the end of the day. We still need heroes for the little guys. And I know the Dragon Warrior and that New Type of his will show people that."

She blinked. "New Type?"

"You haven't heard of em?" The old goat was so shocked he actively looked away from the panda for the first time and looked at her as if she had grown a second head. "They've been the talk of the whole region these past few months, a new type of way of understanding life and how we are connected to it, even going so close to calling it a blessing from heaven!"

The old goat was getting animated with his hooves to the point it made her sigh and almost chuckle. No, it happened. Almost was nonexistent. "Heh, so what you're saying is, this is some sort of spiritual development and he's got one student with such a…" She rolled her paw causing the fabric of her shirt to shimmer in the moon's light. "Unique title. Yeah, that'll show those youngsters."

The goat huffed and turned away from her with a deep frown she couldn't help but snicker at. "You can meet her near the back where the garden lays if you don't believe me!"

Her?

The light shined brighter, and yet it was not from the Dragon Warrior this time, but the people.

"That old man's lucky I'm not busy til later this week otherwise I'd go home for a drink…" She grumbled as she pulled the ends of her light coat closer to her neck. It'd taken her a while to find this garden, this place was old and reminded her of the long paths of the Forbidden City.

It was much to her revelation, nostalgic.

"I really am getting old…" She bitterly laughed as she made another turn around a building that was probably far older than she was but was kept up as best as the owner could. From the shadows, she emerged into the moon's light to see none other than a young tiger alone in a barren so-called garden.

The tiger's flowing red hanfu coat shimmered and dazzled in the moonlight, the design of flowers having more life than this barren grassland around them as she walked toward the other feline. She was motionless kneeling before whatever she was looking at as if she was a fragile doll left unattended.

But that wasn't reality, just a metaphor.

The tiger's ear flickered as she neared too close and turned slowly to regard her with bright amber eyes that glowed softly in the dark of night.

She held onto her coat again, and she couldn't help but note its black color made her contrast with the brightly colored young girl before her.

"I know who you are." The young woman, no, the new type spoke as she turned back around to what she was looking at before.

She neared closer with caution at that comment. "Mind if I ask how a kid like you would know who I am? And so sure about it too…"

"Su Wu." The New Type answered. "You wanted me to say it even though I gave you an opening to politely introduce yourself… Interesting…"

Su kept her face neutral at that, it was rather uncommon for people to know her nowadays and she'd long attempted to stay low these past decades in order to develop her long-held goal. It was why she was here. "Then how about you introduce yourself to me? The only name I know for you is New Type."

There was a lone blue flower covered by the tiger's shadow. "It's a better name than my true title, Tigress…so I wouldn't mind if you called me it…it's given me a new meaning and purpose in this world. Truly a…"

"Blessing from heaven." Su finished Tigress' sentence as she looked upon the small blue flower, she always thought they looked like little blue stars bundled together on one vine. 'I think Wan called them Cape Leadworts?'

Now that she thought about it, they were pretty common along with those white ones that seemed like weeds. It wasn't a special flower to many.

"Yes." Tigress nodded as she lightly touched the flower with the tip of her digit. "It's gifted me more freedom than I could imagine yet…I don't know what to do with it exactly…" Her paw separated from the flower.

"As if it was a blank canvas."

Su didn't really understand the young woman's ramblings, she wasn't even sure she believed in this blessing yet. 'Even though I walked all the way back here out of curiosity. She seems as elusive as that crazy old tortoise.'

But a blank canvas could also lead to a development.

So she said what she would tell any of her workers in arms. "Then you should do as you please with it. It's yours, no one can stop you when you have freedom." She'd know, as soon as she got a taste of freedom she never let it go!

She leaned forward to regard the young tiger more closely at a rather unique angle, both of their coats touching the ground. "So, what do you want right here and now?"

There was a beat of silence as Tigress pondered what she wanted while still looking upon that lonely blue star of a flower. She shifted from one leg to another as she noticed a few people walking by them. Most likely to get through to another building.

Su sighed as she straightened her back with a little stretch. "I wish you'd just admit you wanna see more of those little flowers, not sure why considering they're all over the place but…" Su shrugged. "Who am I to judge?"

'A little flowers here and there wouldn't hurt to liven this sad little place up.' She thought with a sigh and closed her eyes as the night caught up with her.

"Look!" A new voice sounded out with shock and it took her a moment to notice the shimmering light at her side as they pointed near her, stunned and shocked at a standstill!

They'd even dropped some of their supplies!

The view below made her take a step back!

The red satin coat dazzled even brighter and flowed higher above the ground that once only held small grains of grass that seemed to grow with a swiftness as light poured from Tigress' paws, it washed over this small area like a wave of golden water.

None of the passersby moved as they watched this barren almost dead garden come to life, bloom by bloom, from the grass to more flowers appearing in a small patch as if it had been preordained by an expert gardener. Vines grew and reached the fences with a fervor, golden pothos, and Barley made their way between the blades of grass in their own areas and if she didn't know any better it seemed as if some overgrowth and light had reached the soles of her shoes.

In a matter of minutes, a true garden was born into this city under the gentle hand of a Kung Fu Master, none of the plants were spectacular. They were all rather common but…

"It's beautiful…" Su admitted as she looked around, still unaware if the grass under her feet was still growing, but from the dimming of the new type's light it might have been the case.

She only caught a glimpse of the passerby scattering and running with shock, no doubt about to tell all their classmates what they saw!

"Hmph." Kids these days were really skittish, it was just a bunch of flowers. Su rolled her eyes as she turned back to the other, hoping that she'd explain if this were her power.

That red coat finally lifted off the ground as its owner stood up for the first time, Tigress was tall, taller than her, and yet held those common blue flowers in her paws so delicately. "Thank you for your wish."

Su blinked. "My…wish…" No, that couldn't be…

Tigress merely nodded as she brought those flowers closer to her person and she reached out slowly as she heard heavy footfalls in the distance. "Yes, a wish for freedom isn't something I'd seen in anyone else much less heard, but I appreciate it nonetheless. It helped me paint a better picture of this place."

Su moved back away with her blue flowers as Tigress smiled at her around the most common garden in the world. "Because…" The young tiger continued.

"These common sights are quite special to me. A blessing from me in a sense."

She closed the door behind her rather loudly by accident causing her to wince as she slipped her shoes off.

"Su? That you!?" Wing called, sounding annoyed and groggy. "Keep it down, you know I was busy setting up your party invitations today while you went on a little walk, god knows where!"

"Right, right. I am ever grateful for all your hard work my dear sister!" She spoke up with a light sarcastic hint and laughed as she heard an audible huff and close of a door as she entered the living area of their hotel.

"Where have you been?" Wan sat near the window's edge, enjoying a cup of tea near the moonlight with a scroll as per usual.

Wan's eyes found the flowers before she could even show them to her. And as she reached for an empty pot in the corner she could almost envision the befuddled look under her mask.

"I wasted a wish on some flowers but I received quite the blessing in return," Su smirked as she settled her little blue stars inside the pot near the moonlit sky.

"Hehe, the city is truly a lively place, sister."

The party was as extravagant as expected, long decorated hanfu and large umbrellas that wouldn't last a day in the rain twirled in this building of rich investors, business owners, and the military force of the Emperor connected in one tacky rich event.

Albeit her own judgment behind the sanctity of her black shades, she also had to dress up more than usual, nothing too much but it was a rather long red and black hanfu with black pants legs with some shimmering gold details of an unknown city surrounded by wispy clouds.

Su tapped the golden button near her chest as she waited for her soon-to-be partner. She was sitting up higher on the second floor, watching the hustle and bustle below. She could see many generals, dignitaries, and all the likes of important people.

But what she didn't expect was the arrival of the Dragon Warrior, he was clad in a traditional black hanfu, that was detailed with a dragon flying around the mountains on his back as he warmly welcomed everyone and even loudly announced a few names of people she did not know.

'He's smart, far too good of a memory, and has a power many do not understand…' She'd made a mental note of his face and voice. She'd heard rumors of the kid, it didn't mean much to her business but trouble seemed to find her crew no matter what. So, she realized faster than her coworkers in their army to gain more territory to not underestimate this panda.

Her good eye caught another panda, who seemed older and wore a green and gold hanfu, and alongside him was… 'His student, the New type.' Today, the young tiger did not adorn red, but rather black and white hanfu with flowers and vines adorning the arms and legs of her pants. It was simple but still pretty. The most fancy part of her outfit may be the tassels of flowers around her ears as decoration.

Tigress looked up at her and she froze.

The young master merely waved and she couldn't help but cringe as even Wan noticed with her long veil covering her face in the background.

'How'd she know it was me!?' Su knew she wasn't a master of disguises like her sister Wan but she tried tonight!

Still, she reluctantly waved back to Tigress before turning back to her drink, fully intending to down it all after that interaction.

"I didn't know you had dealings with Kung Fu Masters." A red panda strolled up to her table with a drink, only pausing to greet some guests before he finally sat down with her. "Starting to think the other guys were right, you are flying a bit too close to the sun nowadays."

"Eh, mind telling me who said that Zedong?" Su swirled her drink around in her cup before going in for a toast with the red panda, clad in red and gold, he was truly a superstitious little thing, looking for luck even in his attire.

Their glasses clinked together without much fanfare for a deal that would stay in the shadows and had for years.

Zedong chuckled. "Maybe another day, Miss Huiqing. Especially considering all your generous donations over the years towards my hometown's continued development. This wouldn't be a reality without you."

The red panda gestured toward the wide open windows to the balcony that held even more partygoers and straight into the blinding light of a city that seemed to grow from nothing.

But they knew better than that. Everything costs something whether it be money or…

A slip fell out of his sleeve and she picked it up as she casually leaned forward as more people greeted and congratulated Zedong and his success at bringing life back to his home. It was a wish no one else believed in.

But her. Another sip and her body was filled with warmth. "No need to butter me up, we've known each other long enough to not point out the obvious…"

Zedong shook his head as he let his glass linger in his hand as he looked upon the city with an expression of deep love and disbelief. "Still, I feel even with that bit of control and land isn't enough to thank you for making my wish come true…" His voice softened. "I never thought this dream of mine would become a reality."

Su sighed as she looked at that slip of paper before stowing it away in her pockets. "I had nothing to do with your wish. I just gave you the means to do something you wanted and you made it a reality. That's all."

Zedong laughed as he finally downed his drink at her comment and called for two more for the both of them. "I should have known you'd say that despite catching the attention of the New Type Master. She makes wishes come true, you know?"

"I wouldn't say wishes per se, merely suggestions to reach it…" Su decided to simmer on the topic with him as he watched the tiger stiffly dance with the older panda below who seemed to be having the time of his life. "The poor thing doesn't even know what to do with the freedom she was given…" She glared at her small friend who swiped another drink from a waiter. "And that would not be useful for my cause, I prefer doing things on my own with my own paws and so should you."

Zedong hummed rather whimsically as he watched Tigress and Li with her below. "I don't think there's anything wrong with wishing and hoping for a miracle of sorts to bless you, it gives you what you want all the same just with less work." His smile brightened at the sight of his wife, another bright red, red panda and she knew their short interaction was coming to a close.

"Too many damn uncertainties for my liking!" She countered as the night continued to roll on.

Everything seemed calm, light even to her ears even as things grew louder as the Dragon warrior went outside and showed off his moves, Su merely watched from above until she went back inside. Zedong was still making his rounds greeting and speaking on matters she knew all too well about.

They were connections they could use, locate, and 'borrow' from let's say in the near future.

She smirked as she made her way to the first floor, tired of watching from above with her business done here, she was officially in control not as a simple crime lord but as someone who owned parts of this land for unfettered use for their operations. It was a quiet tactic she'd partaken in after the now crowned and member missing Master's council ruined her plans. But failure truly was life's best teacher.

It taught her to be more quiet and precise, these lands were filled with towns desperate to develop and build themselves up into something everyone would flock to. Investment was the greatest crime of all. In the end, everyone owned you for their lives, jobs, homes, and stability all combined into one nice package.

She nodded with a smile towards a young lady who passed by her with a wave before heading to the back and watching the dances unfold. She was tempted to check out the food since the panda and rhino had stopped hogging it.

'Hopefully, they didn't eat all of that curry, I could smell it from the balcony…' Su could feel her mouth watering at the mere thought of the dish, she hadn't had curry in a couple of months but it was one of her favorite dishes. 'Heck I can even smell it now-'

"Eh…?" Su looked to her right, thinking she was far enough away from all the older men who leaned against the wall on the other side to find Tigress standing next to her eating curry while looking at the ends of her hanfu, most likely looking at the designs. Still, she'd almost appeared out of nowhere and it unsettled her a bit despite living with Wan for decades. 'There too similar…' She noted.

They stood there in silence as Tigress chewed away, tapping at her bowl with her spoon without a care in the world and a funny idea crossed her mind at that moment.

"Hey?" Su leaned toward the tiger, ruining the view of her hanfu which made the young master look toward her with one more bite of her curry finishing it. "Can I wish for a bowl of curry this time?"

It was silly and out of pocket but she truly did not believe in this 'New Types' ability. It was too outlandish, there had to be a catch, a cost, or worse something leaning in that infuriating Ying Yang cycle she'd heard time and time again from Masters and students alike.

But it'd be funny if a bowl of curry appeared in her paws.

Tigress thought about it for a minute and she was about to laugh and tell her never mind but then she replied with. "Okay, one moment. I guess I can tell Po what your favorite food is now…"

"Wait, why would he want to know that? Also, what do you mean okay?" There was too much in that sentence to process, why was the Dragon Warrior interested in her much less, her tastes?

"I'll tell you later." And with that, she left into the crowd all the way to the table of food to the older panda again who greeted her warmly. He nodded when she asked him something before reaching over to the table for something and handing it to her after a moment.

Tigress walked back to her with a bowl of warm curry with a spoon and even chopsticks. She presented it to her politely. "Here you go."

Su accepted the bowl, she was happy to have what she wanted but… "That was a bit anticlimactic for a wish…but thank you." Despite her words, she still took a bite of that curry and it was just as good as it smelled!

"Is that so? I'll keep that noted for the future then…" And, truth be told, she didn't know if Tigress was joking or not. Still, it was funny enough to make her laugh. "Because I'd like to make these simple moments seem magical to everyone but it's difficult…"

"You can't please everyone, kid…Just do what you think is right." Su pointed the spoon at Tigress and she pulled it back as the other eyed it as if she was going to share some. Not. "Doing what you want without regrets is the way to live. That and I am pleased so…" She grumbled. "So, good job."

Tigress seemed to beam at the praise which was sign enough for her to go back to eating before she said something else, kind.

Before she could take another bite of her curry-

CRASH!

Stone and wooden structures crumbled with massive cries of battle from all sides, inside and outside the building, knocking Su's curry straight out of her paws as people screamed and evacuated with swiftness!

The bowl clattered, spreading the rice, cabbage, and soy sauce spilling onto an already ruined ground! It was a terrible sight to behold!

A loud laughter rang through the air! "Hahahahaha! Listen here, The Northern Shenzhen gang is back to reclaim their turf and maybe take some riches on the way out so-" The large pig halted as he noticed quite a few people remained as a lone panda was escorting the crowd out in a timely manner, almost as if they practiced for such an event. "What the-How did they know we'd be coming!?"

"I don't know Boss…" A goose shrugged with his arrow in his wings. "Maybe we got a spy among us…" He said with squinted eyes as he looked around at their group.

From the looks of things, they'd taken a large tree to bust in with what could only be called incredible speeds matched with their obvious brawn. Not much smarts.

Tigress was the one to take a stand and walked through the debris-fettering dust cloud with a confident stride before striking her signature stance of tiger style. "It wasn't hard to figure out when you were going to attack considering…"

A pause as the dust cleared fully upon a tattered dance floor and knocked over food and paper walls meant for decoration before she announced. "Your neighbor vented to Master Li about how loud you were next door while shopping. Miss Ju heard everything without even trying, her words, not mine."

Someone in the back thanked her for the nonbiased quote.

"I'm starting to wonder if you're not the master of anticlimactic answers rather than wishes…" Some of Su's anger toward the gang dissipated as she heard that explanation. Despite herself, she went to walk beside the tiger, as the official crime lord of this area it was only a matter of time before she destroyed or assimilated any local gangs to her own forces.

She pulled her arm back, allowing her long sleeve to flow for effect to show she was serious and in charge. "Regardless, I don't think you know who you're messing with. This domain is mine and soon you will be too!"

Another pause, far less dramatic as it was filled with confused stares and looks toward another in the case they may know. None of the bandits knew in the end so the leader ended up asking.

The pig clad in makeshift armor took a step forward and asked with uncertainty. "Um…Old lady, who are you? I don't remember stealing anything from someone's grandma…did I?"

Su rolled her eyes. "Oh now, my disguise works but not on the tiger…No, she just knows-Forget it!" She brought the arm she threw back at full force, letting something small and quick fly from her paws.

Two chopsticks impaled the goose at his side before he could even grunt in pain, causing his bow and arrows to fall with a clatter. "Surrender now and I'll promise to make your deaths swift and clean enough for the morgue to know what you are after I'm done with you!"

Whip!

Su never moved even as the arrow flew straight at her from another bandit to the left as Tigress flipped a nearby table up to cover her. "Guess that's a no. Well, I don't mind making you lot learn the hard way." She winked before kneeling behind the table with the other master. "Nice one, kid."

Tigress was quicker on the conversation considering their circumstances. "I can take out the bandits on the right and you on the left."

Su nodded but couldn't help but ask. "What about the Dragon Warrior, Po? Don't you think he's coming to help?"

Tigress gestured her head toward the door. "I can hear him fighting outside with the Shenzhen Masters, they've divided their forces to cover the area."

"Ah, so they do have some smarts…" Su conceded. "Alright, in that case, I want you to focus on the leader, I can handle his goons easily."

Tigress almost seemed to want to disagree until her ears perked and eyes lit up with an idea. "Mhmm as long as you help me fly."

An arrow struck far too close to home near her foot but it didn't bother her too much. They had some bad archers. "Explain for the non kung fu masters who believe in chi or whatever that shiny stuff is!"

"You told me I should do what I think is best and I believe I can take out their leader in one hit causing the rest of the group to fall apart," Tigress explained matter of factly before looking directly at her, almost as if with those amber eyes she could see the gold and blue behind her shades. "You just have to believe."

She said it with such conviction, that it was almost believable.

Almost.

"I'll stick with giving you a boost-jeez my back!" Su reached to her lower back as she kneeled before fixing her posture to give the tiger master exactly what she needed. "It's easier…"

Tigress nodded as she stood up, dodging an arrow with a mere sidestep as she placed her foot upon Su's paws. "That's enough for me and good luck."

"Good luck is all I got left, kid!" She launched the tiger up with her last words and dashed from behind the table whilst picking up stray chopsticks along the way as she dodged arrows as cleanly as Tigress had!

She threw a few as projectiles but didn't shy away from close combat as she used her basic knowledge of her own snow leopard style of kung fu to send any bruisers back with a shock! Su ended up twisting a bull's arm and using his own power against his teammates by punching him toward them so they fell in a heap of confusion and befuddlement at her prowess!

In the midst of her ground battle, she could see the shadow of the flying tiger, as she flipped in the arm, a glow of chi spread from her paws such as before but her eyes gleamed with an after shadow on her back that could only be-

"Wings?" Su threw one last pair of chopsticks at the last remaining pig as she watched the tiger master come down in a swift kick from above with a speed matched by her own throws as Chi engulfed her foot as if it were blazing fire!

The leader stood his ground, and she assumed he was dumber than he looked, there was no way he could survive that attack!

In a last-ditch effort, the leader of the Northern gang charged as soon as the tiger was close enough, believing he could punch her down back to Earth, but that was his first mistake! Her foot connected with his face at that moment, a ripple of chi that looked as if it was a large star blasted across the area causing plants to flourish around the area as he was taken out in one single kick!

Tigress merely used the momentum to flip right off the pig and land gracefully on the ground as those transparent wings slowly disappeared and yet…

Su couldn't help but see them clearly within her shadow as they left the premises outside.

"Tigress!" The old panda, Li, Su noted, rushed over to them past the crowd and very late guards. "Are you okay? I'm sorry I couldn't get back to help you in time but some people needed my help-"

"It's alright, Li," Tigress spoke softly despite interrupting him with a raised paw and a soft smile as Su held onto her arm. "Everything turned out alright in the end, and I know you were out here for a good reason. Protecting the people is more important than assisting me."

She placed her paw on Li's shoulder. "You did the right thing."

"She's right, without you. I would have never found my husband the help he needed!" A new voice, another red panda clad in pink and white hanfu, and flower decor around her head. "The Valley of Peace should be grateful their law enforcement are trained far better than our own!"

"Aw, ma'am really you don't have to thank me." Li scratched the back of his head bashfully. "I know what it's like when your loved ones get hurt so I couldn't leave you or your husband behind, besides this was his party. I had to make sure he and his guests were safe."

"Also," Tigress interjected softly. "We're not law enforcement ma'am, merely Kung fu masters who fight for what's right to protect the people."

Su nodded whilst acting tired and weak, going so far as to hunch her back. "You should tell your husband Zedong to invest in their school in your city more. There a far better force than what the government could ever give you and for half the price." She planted the seed for a perfect deal that would surely tug on the young woman's heartstrings.

"I…I think I will." The red panda announced before leaving to go check on her husband once again after thanking the masters and herself for the advice.

"Thank you for that recommendation ma'am!" Li excitedly thanked her with more gratitude than she could describe. "We were worried that school would have to close down without the proper support but hopefully with this more and more people can experience and learn Kung fu here! Po will be so happy to hear about this!"

"It's no problem, dear." She feigned a soft smile only a grandmother would know how to give in Li's direction as they walked toward the healers to check on everyone's condition. "I'm quite the investor myself so maybe if you tell me the name of this school, I can give them funds faster after, Master Tigress saved me."

Tigress said nothing, merely looked ahead.

She walked past confused guards and healers looking over bandits impaled with chopsticks with a smirk.

~

Fin.