Author's Note: Alright! Another chapter out, let's go! (Fun fact, this was meant to be a single long chapter, but I've found that pacing wise it will be much more fitting to have the second half take place in the next chapter) There are quite a few fun moments in here plus some melancholy ones too, I hope you're ready cuz I've had a hell of a time writing it.

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN KFP (HOLY CRAP: INFO IN KFP 4!)

Enjoy.

A Moment to Rest

Lively music bounces off the walls of Zui's Baijiu banquet, lifting tiger after tiger out of their seats and into a joyous, wild dance. Most of the tables and chairs have been pushed towards the outer edge of the tavern, rumbling along the to the frivolous cavalcade of feet stomping on the wooden floor. Orange lanterns only add to the delightful atmosphere as drops of baijiu flick around and the chorus of fun-loving voices fills the air.

A large circle engulfs the centre of the tavern, swarmed in a mosaic of orange, black and white dancing and jumping around in circles in time to the music. Tigers whoop and cheer with renewed vigour as link their arms together by their shoulders, rotating around the makeshift dancefloor as if their lives depend on it. Amidst these feline faces, a notably rotund figure joins in on the festivities, having an absolute ball.

"Woooh! Ha ha!" Po cheers on as the circle shifts into more of a huddle and the participants get to show off their individual dance moves. He flails his arms and legs around just as capably as the rest of the amateurs in the circle, a gigantic smile plastered on his face whilst the rest of the tigers egg him on.

"I love this guy!"

"Go on, Dragon warrior!"

"We need to get more pandas to visit, man."

More jovial fanfare is thrown around the circle, only making the panda smile wider as he happily dances on whilst two amber irises watch him by the bar, thankful that his carefree attitude has returned once more. An enamoured smile coats Tigress' lips as she watches her love have so much fun with… her people. She can barely believe it still. So many tigers in one place. She must be dreaming.

"I had a feeling they'd like him." Her mind is snapped out of her gaze by Zhonglei as he too watches Po, a cheery, toothy grin on his face. Another person she can barely even believe is here. Her uncle, her own flesh and blood, alive and well. All these years and she can finally meet her family in person. Well… her other family… real family? She can't exactly pick the right word for it. The golden tiger takes a swig of xifengjiu from his mug before yelling out to the barkeep for a refill of both their glasses. His ruby eyes then shift to her, "So, you two are an item?" A slight tenderness lines his clearly overjoyed voice.

Tigress looks out to her panda again, seeing him join arms with two muscular tigers and flailing their legs around in a feeble attempt of a dance, tempting a laugh out of her at his endearing antics. With pride in her eyes and her heart melting in her tone, she answers, "Yes." Her smile widens evermore as he notices her stare and waves at her.

"Love you too!" He shouts out to her, melting her heart further before he dances away with his tiger buddies, "Woo!"

Zhonglei mirrors his niece's smile in kind, thankful that she had found someone so sweet and lovable. Someone who brings a familiar yet welcome chill to his heart. The two twist their bodies around as they hear the white tiger barkeep, Zui, return with their glasses. "Your refill, Chief." He slams down a mug filled with xifengjiu to his grinning chieftain, "And… Heh, I still can't believe you're here in person." He places down Tigress' glass of rice wine as well as a bowl of bean buns before bowing to her, "Once again, it's an honour to have you here, master Tigress."

She gives a fist in palms salute in response, "It's my honour, Zui."

Zui smiles back, "Alright, let me know if you need anything else and…" He trails off as he sees a couple of tigers furiously making out near the end of the bar, Tigress noticing they're the same tigers Viper had shied away from not a minute ago. Walking over, the white tiger taps them on their shoulders, "Hey, hey, hey! If you can't keep it together there's a private room down there!" Without breaking out of their kiss, the couple rip themselves away from the bar and heads over to the room, the male tiger giving him a thumbs up as they walk away.

Amber irises can only look on in surprise as Zhonglei chuckles to himself, "Sometimes the people here can be a handful to say the least." These amber eyes shift to gaze out at the entire tavern, seeing so many tigers frolicking and enjoying themselves, truly having the time of their lives out of instinct. Something that had been almost beaten out of her. This realisation brings a despondence to her eyes that her uncle notices immediately, "What's wrong?"

She doesn't answer immediately, her eyes hanging on the circle of tigers dancing, smiling wide and her panda joining with them. If only she could make him happy like that. If only she wouldn't hold herself back so much, even after attaining inner peace. Her eyes linger on the party happening right in front of her, a brief flash of herself in Bao Gu replaying in her mind. The time before she had been locked away, when she had been as fun-loving and excitable as any other child. Feeling her uncle's eyes prodding at her, questioning her sudden silence, she pushes these thoughts to the back of her mind and asks. "Who were my parents? Who were they as people?" This immediately pulls a smile from Zhonglei, who lays his paw on her shoulder.

"Well…" He pauses for a long while, remembering the last time he had seen them. 30 years. Has it really been that long? The grief that would normally take his heart is soon replaced as he looks upon his niece again. "They were the best I've ever known." Taking a deep breath, several memories of his brother begin to take shape. "Your father was a kind and compassionate man. It would be impossible to see him without a smile on his face." Ruby eyes wander off towards the monochromatic bear dancing about in the centre of the room, the golden tiger chuckling to himself as he notes, "In fact, he was much like your dragon warrior. Minus the gut, of course." His little joke puts a smile on Tigress' face once more.

"And my mother?"

Zhonglei's smile softens a tad as his eyes make a new companion with the floor, "She was strong, fierce. And one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen." He resists the urge to laugh as he remembers another memory of that sapphire-eyed tiger that had captivated both him and his late-brother, "It's a bit embarrassing to say, but… Well, my brother and I fought over her." Amber irises widen at this, "Yes, I know. Immature. Luckily your mother managed to smack some sense into both of us before things could escalate." He shifts his gaze back to his niece who looks to be deep in thought, grasping at any memories she has of her parents aside from… that one. She's like a spitting image of her. Even looking at the tiger master brings a twinge of grief back to his heart, knowing that he will never see them again. But the happiness of seeing her after so long overpowers it tenfold. He squeezes her shoulder with his paw, prompting her to make eye contact. "You have your father's eyes. I know you have the kindness that he had. And I can tell that your strength has certainly been passed down from your mother. You look just like her." Tigress' smile grows as he tells her this, thankful that she at least has some closure on her long-lost mother and father.

"They would be so proud of you, Liliang*."

An inquisitive expression crosses Tigress' face, "Liliang?"

Zhonglei mentally slaps himself, "Oh, of course. I forgot to say. That's the name they gave you when you were born."

Liliang. Tigress repeats the name in her head, her eyes smiling at the sound of it. In another lifetime, she would've been Liliang, not Tigress. Such a strange thing to even think about. Perhaps that's why Po is always somewhat uncomfortable when Li-Shan calls him Lotus.

Crash!

Both uncle and niece switch their attention to the brawny white tiger that has just been thrown into the bar by his drunk tiger friend. "Oh boy, it seems like someone's in the mood for some training." Tigress eyes the golden tiger with an odd expression until she remembers the scroll she had read a while back, only making her more curious at the two 'combatants'.

Zui nonchalantly walks over to the white tiger sprawled over the counter as he wipes a glass with a rag, a humorous grin on his lips, "Let me guess, reload?"

"Reload." The drunken tiger slurs as he just barely picks himself up off the counter. He catches a bottle of baijiu tossed by the barkeep and readies to attack his friend only for him to notice the amber-eyed kung fu master he's crashed next to. "Well, hey there, beautiful." Tigress raises her eyebrows at him as he flexes his left bicep, "Enjoying the show?"

A polite smile crosses the tiger master's face, "Apologies, but I'm spoken for."

"Aw drat." He curses under his breath before reloading his system with a long swig of baijiu, "Have a great day, ma'am." Tigress doesn't flinch as he chucks the bottle onto the ground and charges at his friend with a mighty, albeit hoarse, battle-cry.

He tackles his friend onto a table, breaking it in half as a crowd of tigers cheer them on. They continue their flimsy 'spar' on the ground as Crane and Viper watch on from a lone table in jovial disbelief. "Guess that scroll wasn't a joke after all."

Viper chuckles at her bird's comment, her sky-blue eyes finding themselves unable to rip themselves away from the multitude of tigers partying like tomorrow will never come. "I never thought we'd get to see this. The Zhanshi clan, in all their glory." Her sights shift to her feline sister deep in conversation with the golden tiger. "I can only imagine how Tigress must feel." After all these years, her feline sister can finally meet her own kind, her own blood. Finally, she is getting what she deserves.

"Yeah…" At her avian confidant's almost silent timbre, the serpent master turns to face him, noting the lack of focus in his yellow orbs.

"Something on your mind?"

It takes a few seconds for Crane to look back at her, noting her welcoming smile that brings a warmth only akin to a loving embrace. He smiles back as the memory of her sweet kiss reverberates in his mind. My hero. A sweet whisper that caressed his heart and solidified the love that was building up inside him.

Time slips away fast, so if you're gonna be serious with her, best to tell her soon.

Mantis' reminder pounds into his brain, a future of peaceful rest, of truly settling down with the kindest woman he has ever known is ever-present yet clouded in something he cannot identify. That's his dream. No more fighting. No life-or-death situations. Just him and the woman he loves. But does she feel the same? That's the ever-present question, the one question where the answer practically mortifies him. Yes, no, maybe, I don't know, who do you think you are? You can't decide my life!

… Okay it won't be that bad.

But the possibility, however unlikely, is enough to make him reconsider. He feels Viper's eyes shift to a look of concern though her smile remains, silently assuring him 'It's okay, you can tell me.' A look that may as well reel the words out of his beak. How could he ever resist her? "I'm, uh… Well…" He thinks for a moment as she patiently waits, wordlessly admiring her adorable bird. "I… I was thinking about… well… uh… the future."

Her eyebrows raise, now that's a pleasant surprise, "What about the future?"

Crane gulps, "About… us…"

Viper's heart skips a beat, "Oh…" Her eyes widen to the size of the very table they are sat by, whilst her lips part by a tiny amount. Is he? Is he going to ask what I think he is? Though there is excitement in her heart, uncertainty still runs through her veins but not for the reasons one might think.

"I was thinking that… that we never know what could happen next and… I want to know…" He pauses, drowning in sweat as he considers his words carefully whilst Viper waits with bated breath. "In… a couple of years, I want to settle down. Y'know? To retire and live a peaceful life, away from kung fu, away from it all… And… I need to know…" Another pause, his heart races as his ears block out the cheerful music in the air. So many fears, so many possible responses, all fade away as he finally speaks. "Will you come with me?"

Viper doesn't immediately respond, her eyes darting around, mimicking the state of her mind. It's no secret she's dreamt of getting married, of being with someone she can love truly and wholly. But, there has been one part of that fantasy that she had never considered. Giving up kung fu. After training, fighting, and protecting her home for so long, she can't think of a life without it. She can't think of abandoning that responsibility. Can she give it up? Even when something so much better awaits her? Does she want to? That's the thing, "I don't know." She croaks out, disappointed that she can't give her sweet bird a better answer. Her heart withers further as Crane's expression wilts, "I… I need time… To think about all this, to know…" She pauses, only now understanding just how little she has prepared for her future, "What I want to do…" A deep sigh escapes her lips, already regretting what she has said.

"Then I'll wait for you." Sky-blue eyes look back at the avian master in shock, his face wearing a heartfelt smile. With an uplifted heart, Viper returns his smile, thankful that she has someone so understanding as her love. She thinks of going for a kiss, until something odd catches their ears. "Wait, is that?" Both masters look off towards the back end of the tavern, noticing a certain tipsy langur singing out of key with a group of tigers. They can't help but to chuckle at Monkey's display.

Meanwhile, said primate's best friend hysterically guffaws at his antics as he savours the taste of yet another one of Zui's special spring rolls. Unlike the rest of his comrades, Mantis had decided to keep himself off the alcohol for once. Besides, winter festival would be coming up some time soon, plenty of time to party then. His hazel orbs survey the tavern with glee until he notices a single downer sat by a lonely table. Grandmaster Shifu, of course. Though part of him feels it would be better to leave him alone with his thoughts, the insect warrior resolves himself to hop over to his master's table.

Steely blue stares at the impromptu family reunion happening at the bar, the grandmaster's paw reaching over to a bowl of dumplings sat next to him. In spite of his unreadable face, Shifu's eyes are muddled in their stare. Protectiveness lingers within yet the speculation is nowhere to be seen, he's thankful though the caution is hard to ignore, regret outshines the sadness. But why is there sadness? His focus is soon drawn as his ear twitches at the sound of Mantis' hopping feet. "Having the time of your life, huh master?" His gaze remains fixed on his daughter, the soft smile on her face bringing a microscopic one to his. He doesn't need to face his insect student to realise he's looking along with him. "It's good to see her happy, isn't it?"

"Yes." Shifu's gruff voice falters for a brief moment, exposing the softness of a father, grateful for the gift he has been given.

However, the insect master senses the conflict lying within his stare. "So, why are you so… solemn?" His master gives a side glance, "Okay, more solemn than usual." Those steel eyes shift back to the bar, their sight shifting over to Zhonglei. At noticing this, Mantis' jaw nearly unhinges in disbelief, "You're jealous, aren't you?"

A deep, almost exhausted, sigh escapes the elder master's lips as he looks back to his daughter. "Jealousy is beneath a kung fu master." He reminds Mantis, his mask of stone slipping little by little.

"But that doesn't stop them from feeling it." Mantis points out but doesn't press on as he realises Shifu's gaze has shifted back onto Tigress. Both masters note the unkempt brightness in her smile, a look in her eyes that tells them 'I'm home'. That's when it clicks. "You don't think she'd stay here, do you?" For the first time in a while, he sees his steadfast master's expression melt into despondence. Defiant as ever, the insect master retorts, "There's no way she'd do that. We're her family."

Yet another deep sigh serves as Shifu's response, the shadow of his guilt only further darkening his despondent expression. "The heart speaks for itself, Mantis. And I've kept her from listening to it for far too long." His voice lowers to a near whisper, yet the pain hits harder than any other rambunctious sound in the tavern. A pain that threatens a shiver in his insect student's spine.

"You can't keep blaming yourself for that, master. You were grieving."

"That doesn't mean she had to grieve with me." Shifu sakes off his assurance, leaving him with nothing to say. But he knows. He knows how Tigress isn't the only one he had failed. They all just had too much respect in their master to say it. Respect he's not even sure he deserves anymore. Blue steel focuses back on the two tigers, envisioning themselves in the golden tiger's shoes for a split second before snapping back to reality. He had his chance, and no matter how many times he tries to repair the damage, it will never replace the time he had so carelessly wasted. "She has the chance to live out something she has been dreaming of for years." He looks to his student with a heart-aching question in his eyes, "Do you really think she won't take it?"

Mantis doesn't respond, knowing that if he were in her position, he'd find it impossible to refuse. Instead, he looks on at the uncle and niece. Hoping that his good friend, no matter what decision she takes, will be as happy as she is now.

Unaware of her concerned onlookers, Tigress drinks down another glass of rice wine, allowing herself to enjoy the strong taste dancing along her tongue. "So, my parents had moved to Xiwang valley after I was born?"

Zhonglei remembered that day clearly, the hope in his brother's eyes, the adoration in his wife's and the adorable excitement on little Liliang's face. "Yes. Your parents had wanted to start fresh. To build a new life, starting from our village. But that was before…" Hope that had died. Adoration now lying hollow and cold. Excitement that had been corrupted into fear and misery. He holds his tongue for both their sakes, but the memories come regardless. Her horror and his grief. Nuba's pain, her legacy; tragedy and despair. Tigress looks forward, her cheerful expression having settled into a familiar mask. Her protective stoicism fails however, as the truth of that awful day reigns without mercy in the depths of her soul. The fires of her older life burn in her eyes whilst the blood that had been spilt paints Zhonglei's.

A brief silence overtakes them, trying to find a way out of their haunting memories only to have two amethyst orbs drag them back in. "I tried to find you." He finally breaks the silence, trying his best to console the both of them. "I had checked everywhere, every orphanage, every school. I had almost torn apart the whole of China to get you back…" A pained, disappointed sigh escapes his lips, "I even went to Bao Gu."

Amber irises shrink yet they do note move, "What?" It is barely a whisper, as if all the breath had simply evaporated from her lungs.

Ruby eyes greet the counter in shame, knowing just how close they had been. "They turned me away. They said they had no child bearing your description and slammed the door in my face. Only now do I understand that they had done that out of fear. That maybe they thought I was trying to hurt you."

Tigress doesn't hear a word after 'They turned me away.' It doesn't let her.

That orphanage. That damn orphanage! No matter what I do, no matter how far I get, they manage to dig their way back into my life. Why!? Why would they ruin my life like this!? Why would they cast out the one person that could've prevented everything! They never wanted me, they hated me! Why keep me? Just to make me suffer? Just to sneer at? Just to vent out their disgust!? That's all I've ever been to them! A monster to cage up and abuse! They enjoyed every second I suffered in there. I know they did. I know that they turned me into this. Into a mad beast… I could've had so much. I could've been with my people. I could've been happy. All because of them. No. Not just them. Her.

"Tigress!"

Zhonglei's voice snaps her out of it just as a pair of amethyst eyes had taken up her vision. She feels his paw on her back, not even realising how her pupils had almost eclipsed her eyes in an empty void. Her eyes dart around the bar until she notices the shattered glass on the counter and the blood seeping out of her right paw. "Let me get you something for that." Zui offers until Tigress raises her other paw up, halting him as it glows a golden light.

As her friends approach the counter in worry, she places her golden paw on her bleeding one, healing it in only a few seconds. During these few seconds however, she notices how unusually difficult it is to use it. Pushing aside this oddity for now, her amber irises look out towards the rest of the tavern, noticing how everyone has stopped what they're doing to look at her. It is only in this moment that she realises the music has stopped. Yet another happy moment ruined by… it. A grave expression forming on her face, the tiger master turns to Zhonglei, who can only stare at her in concern. "I think we've spent enough time here."

Everyone in the group can identify the brutal coldness of her voice, the rest of her family certain that they have never heard her speak in this tone before. It has a few of them unnerved, whilst Po, Viper and Shifu feel a deep worry sinking into their hearts. Zhonglei however, notices something else. Her eyes. They hold a deadly look yet permeate with melancholy, as if they had been festering in it for a lifetime. What happened to you Liliang? He had heard the stories of 'Tigress, the monster of Bao Gu' but he had been hoping they were all dramatizations. He had hoped that she would never have to go through something like that. Unfortunately, reality doesn't account for hope. Nor does it care about one person's despair. "Of course, follow me." He replies in a deep timbre as he motions the group outside, with concern lathering his eyes.

As they exit the tavern, Po hurries up beside Tigress and gently takes her paw in his. She clutches back tightly, her heart never wanting to let go.

1* Liliang = Power in Chinese

Ah, yes. Classic me to have some sweet and cute moments and then throw in a really sad one to put the grief back in :) Joking aside, this chapter was a lot of fun to write, especially figuring out just what kind of people I'd think of the Zhanshi clan to be. As for unanswered questions, well, some have been answered in here, but many more will be answered in the next one. Plus, a reveal that you might not expect but trust me, it is a BIG one. Ooh! One last thing, the KFP 4 synopsis. I currently have mixed feelings on it, but I'm still keeping my hopes up, albeit cautiously. Let's see what else we'll get from Dreamworks. Anyways, I hope you've enjoyed the chapter, and until next time :)