Chapter 21: ...The Tiger Wakes

"Silly Tigress." A faint voice echoed from the darkness.

Tigress opened her eyes and groaned. The blinding light would never cease to surprise her, and she was forced to squint as her amber eyes adjusted to the blinding light of the Spirit Realm. Once her eyes had finally adjusted, she began to look around for the tortoise. She had heard him, but she didn't see him.

Then… BONK!

She growled and looked up instinctually with a fire burning in her eyes. Sure enough, Master Oogway was floating openly in the sky and had just delivered another blow to her head using his staff. Oogway merely laughed and gently guided himself down, placing two feet before Tigress and smiled.

"Welcome back!"

Tigress rubbed her head and stood up, more confused than ever. "Am I dead?"

"Why do you ask such things, Tigress?"

Tigress shrugged, genuinely confused. Couldn't you just be honest with me for once? Maybe give me a straight answer. She thought. "I don't know. Everything just feels… weird. Different."

"To answer that question, I have a return question for yourself. Did it hurt?"

Tigress almost smiled at such a silly question. Of course it hurt! She wanted to blurt out. Luckily, she composed herself. Her years of discipline under the mentorship of Shifu took over. "It didn't feel good, Master Oogway. That's all I'll say."

Oogway smiled. "Then it is not death. Not yet, at least. We are the wisest we will ever be when the spirits call us home. That feeling is a feeling of peace, Tigress. Not pain."

"Then I have to get back." Tigress said. Her body tensed. Her words were sharp and quick. Her eyes glanced around, hoping to find an exit, though there didn't seem to be one. Just an endless sea of blinding light and floating rocks and rubble. So, the tiger paced. "I need to help them, Master Oogway. They're in trouble."

"In time."

"I don't have time!" She shouted, losing that discipline. Her voice echoed across the landscape, though Oogway kept his smile. "I need to get back." Tigress realized her outburst and dialed herself back a notch. "If Po is going to beat Lu Fang, I need to be there. I need to help. I need to protect him. I need to do something!"

Oogway watched Tigress as she paced. It became frantic. Manic. Her eyes darted around. Her tail flicked left and right like a whip. Her paws were clenched into tight balls of iron. "Stop." Oogway laughed. Tigress didn't stop and only continued to pace faster. The tortoise's words went in one ear and out the other. Tigress hardly paid him any attention. "Tigress?" Oogway floated over to the pacing tiger. "Tigress?"

Then, yet again, BONK!

Tigress turned and growled again, but realized her mistake and covered her mouth. "Sorry, Master Oogway! That was uncalled for."

"You are repressing your instincts, Tigress. You pace to and fro, here and there. Why waste the energy when that energy could be better spent elsewhere. Those feelings you have deep down cannot be bottled up."

"But kung fu is about discipline! It's about honor."

"And you have shown you have plenty of both. Now, if I were Po…?"

BONK!

Tigress retracted and pulled away.

Oogway merely laughed. "What would you do?"

"What do you want me to do?"

"Let those instincts out, Tigress. Wake up."

Oogway brought his staff down for another, but this time, Tigress caught the staff. She noticed a cheeky smirk come over the lips of Oogway.

"Good." Oogway pulled the staff, bringing Tigress with him. She let go of the giant, golden staff, but Oogway brought it around and sent it back down. This time, Tigress rolled out of the way, allowing the staff to smack into the ground.

"What are you doing?" She cried out.

"Come." Oogway said with a laugh. "Have fun!" He whipped around and attempted another strike. This time, Tigress ducked and allowed the staff to fly overhead. Frustrated, and severely confused, Tigress decided to attempt a strike. If he were Po, huh? She thought, then forced her paws together and lunged at the tortoise. Master Oogway, however, was fast. He spun and allowed the strike to hit harmlessly on his shell. "Good! Again. Do not hold back. Trust those instincts of yours. You have them for a reason, you know?"

Tigress again lunged. This time, Oogway took the brunt of it using his forearms. The tortoise was sent flying into the sky, but remained floating. Then, Tigress felt it. For the first time in a long time, enjoyment. Fun. And not from watching Po or Mantis or Monkey. This time, it was her. She wasn't just watching the fun take place. She was enjoying herself. She smiled and wondered when the last time she had felt like this. It had been a while. Way too long.

Oogway darted towards the ground, forcing Tigress to leap out of the way. The tortoise smacked hard into the ground and jumped before Tigress. Using his staff, he whipped it left and right. Tigress, however, dodged what she could and blocked what she failed to dodge. Then, when the opportunity arose, she crouched and sent a fierce punch to the stomach of Oogway.

The tortoise reacted by flipping back and landing atop his staff. Tigress didn't relent. She charged and swung at the staff. Oogway leapt, with the staff carried beneath him, and allowed the tiger to glide under.

Tigress leapt behind her and caught Oogway mid-jump. For a split second, she saw shock in the tortoise's eyes. Then, another smile.

Tigress kicked the elderly master, separating him from his staff as he was sent floating towards the ground. The staff landed just as it had been sitting, vertical. Tigress landed hard, but she did so in perfect balance atop the staff. She looked down at Master Oogway with a wide grin. Tigress returned the smile, and the sparring session was over.

"That felt good." Tigress said, breathing heavily. "I needed that."

"Po calls it the next level, whatever that is supposed to mean." Oogway said, his smile growing more and more with each passing second. "I call it waking up."

"How will that help, Master Oogway? You haven't seen Lu Fang. You don't know what she is capable of. Are you sure I'm ready to help Po?"

"All I know is what I have seen, and I have seen you and what you are capable of. That is all I need to know, Tigress."

"Right." Tigress sighed, somehow expecting an actual answer for once.

"You're scared?" Oogway asked. Tigress quickly nodded, then she saw the tortoise nod with wisdom on the tip of his tongue. "As was Shifu, when he confronted Tai Lung. As was Po, when he fought Shen." Oogway's voice softened. "As was I, when I fought Kai." He looked up at Tigress. His voice grew wispy, as if a thousand years of wisdom backed it up. "Trust me, Tigress. This is not Po's fight. It is not his destiny. It is the beginning of yours. All you have to do is wake up."

Po watched Tigress lay motionless in the mud. His eyes were wide and his heart raced like a horse.

She's not dead, Po thought. He hoped. He prayed. She's not dead. She's not dead! Po had never seen a hit like that. Time had seemed to stall, and all Po could do was watch and wait for her to get up. Come on! Please!

Po looked up at Lu Fang. The female panda had her arms crossed and a devious smile that made Po's fur stand on end. The two stared at one another, and to Po's horror, he saw nothing in the eyes of Lu Fang. Just… nothing.

"Some warrior." Lu Fang said with a chuckle. "You can leave, Po. I have no further need for you."

"You're evil."

"Her kind took everything from me and somehow I'm the evil one? Grow up."

"You grow up!" Po forced the words through the developing knot in his throat.

"You're acting like a child." Lu Fang waved Po off like he was nothing. "If you and your friends want to keep fighting, then by all means, do what you wish. I can spare a few more hours. After that, however, I'll have to get back to work protecting China from the real threat."

"You are the real threat, Lu Fang!" Po cried out. "Look at what you've done! What you've been doing! What you intend to do!"

"A village here and an innocent there. I don't expect you to understand, but every tiger I kill now will save hundreds of innocents for when the tigers return. They've done nothing but bring war to China, and I intend to make sure China remains a peaceful nation at all cost. They're out there, Po. I will find them. Best stay out of my way."

"You sound like Shen." Po hissed.

Lu Fang's eyes snapped. She snarled. "What?"

"No. You're worse than Shen." Po spoke louder. "He was misguided. He did nasty, terrible things, but because of my friends I was able to overcome the trauma and the loss he had inflicted upon our kind. In the end I saw in his eyes that he regretted everything. He thought he was too far gone." Po glanced over at Tigress. She still hadn't moved. "You? You're worse."

"Maybe that's what it takes to complete our goals, then. If so, I'll take that as a compliment." Lu Fang turned down towards Tai Tzu, who had been by her side the entire time. "Deal with the little warriors. I want the panda."

In a flash, Tai Tzu sped into battle. Before Po could stop him from reaching Mantis, Monkey, Viper, and Crane, Lu Fang charged and barreled into the panda. The force brought him back nearly a dozen feet until a large boulder stopped him dead in his tracks. Po could barely brace himself for Lu Fang's oncoming onslaught.

Po did not notice immediately that Tigress had opened her eyes. A searing wave of pain encompassed every inch of her body. She raised her head and realized that she had somehow found herself halfway in a small puddle of muddy water. She shook the water from her fur. Everything was fuzzy and sound seemed nonexistent. She glanced left and right but it was all a blur. Then, she heard the distinct roar of Po as he loaded one of his powerful punches.

"YEE-YAH!" He cried out. All Tigress heard next was the sound of the panda hitting the ground. She looked up and saw Po, eyes crossed and shaking his head.

"Tigress? You're alive!" Po said. His words were muffled when they reached Tigress' ears. "Tigress?! Now would be a good time to do that awesome kung fu thing you're always doing! Tigress! Ti-"

Lu Fang was on top of Po in a heartbeat. She pulled the Dragon Warrior into the sky and ran him down. With each punch, a wave of golden chi erupted from her fist.

"Tigress!? Tigress!?" Lu Fang mocked after each punch. "Tigress. Tigress. Tigress!" As she mocked, her punches grew more powerful. Lu Fang grit her teeth as if a rage was building deep within her. All her anger and all her frustration. The memories of her past came swelling back to her, she remembered the tigers that took her family. That sent her on this path, and before her now, lying helplessly in her paws, was one of her own. Another panda who refused to see things how she had. Who refused to set aside his way of life to help her on her crusade. To help her on this noble and necessary war against the ones who had wronged her. "You're pathetic, Po!" She cried out. "Just…" Punch. "Let…" Punch. "Her…" Punch. "GO!" Another punch forced Po back into the earth. The female panda finally let go and allowed the nearly unconscious Po to fall to the mud below.

That was when Tigress managed to stand. Her knees still wobbled, but she felt she needed to do something. She approached Lu Fang, but Lu Fang was all too quick. She lifted the tiger up and threw her back to the ground. It was then that Tigress knew it was over. She lay there and she realized that her body had finally given out. All she could do was look up at Lu Fang.

"Your kind took everything from me. Allow me to return the favor."

Tai Tzu flew beside Lu Fang. Behind him was a trail of destruction. Four warriors lay nearly unconscious in his wake. "You promised me you'd let her live." Tai Tzu frowned. "I still need her for my… interrogation."

"Shut up." Lu Fang's words were crisp. She bent down and pulled a lone flower out of the ground. Sure enough, as everything had done time and time again, the flower immediately began to wilt. "You have until the flower dies."

Tai Tzu smiled and raced beside the tiger. He bent down. His breath tasted of mint. It made a dazed Tigress want to gag or throw up. She tried to squirm herself away from the sadistic bird, but Tai Tzu pulled her back. He positioned her head so they were looking eye to eye.

"Last chance to tell me what you know." He whispered.

Instead, Tigress pulled her head away, leaving Tai Tzu with a snarl. He spat and turned from the tiger.

"Tell me." He hissed closer. "Tell me!"

Then, the flower died.

"Time's up, Tai. Get out of the way."

He laughed. "With pleasure!" With a growing smile, he spoke again. "Make it slow and painful."

Lu Fang closed her eyes. A yellow ball began to build. It was like nothing Tigress had ever seen. Inside the swirling ball were dark spots. She'd seen the essence of chi, but she found it hard to even describe what she was watching unfold. Instead of pure chi, whatever Lu Fang seemed to hold was the opposite. anti-chi, if that truly were a thing. The essence of death itself.

She closed her eyes and waited for the end.

The golden ball grew. The dark spots did as well, and swirled and mixed with the chi, tainting the pure gold she had once thought was so beautiful. Then, Lu Fang let it out. A stream of golden death made its way straight for Tigress. She braced herself as the heat grew and grew. The light became too intense, even with her eyes closed. She growled. One final form of resistance before the end.

From a few feet away, Po watched. His eyes lit up with horror as the stream made its way towards Tigress. It almost took the form of a dragon. Its mouth opened, and inside were razor sharp teeth. Black teeth.

"No!" He cried out, finding the strength to find his feet. "NO!" He cried again, lunging in front of the stream. Time seemed to slow as he positioned himself in front of the helpless tiger. He stuck out both paws. He took a deep breath and waited. "Skadoosh." He whispered.

Then, the blast hit him. A magnificent wave of pure gold echoed throughout the land. The chi hit his paw and reverberated back into the world, spreading far and wide. The blast was mighty but made no more sound than that of a light tap of a metal spoon on a tea cup. A slight ring with minimal echo. Po shut his eyes as he was too blinded by the light.

The chi blast swirled around him. He left the essence of life come back to him. It was like a feeling he couldn't explain. Confidence. Youth. Energy. He felt like the Dragon Warrior again. He felt chi. He opened his eyes, looking through the blinding power of the chi. He looked directly into Lu Fang's eyes. They were wide. First with wonder, but that wonder turned to confusion, then fear.

Another wave of chi barreled from the Dragon Warrior's paw.

"This isn't right!" Tai Tzu looked on in horror. It was clear the bird was uncomfortable. Perhaps, Po thought, even in pain. He shielded his eyes and hid behind his wings. "Make it stop!"

"What is this?!" Lu Fang cried out. "What are you doing?!"

Po smiled. "Skadoosh." He said once again, this time with gusto and clenching his paws into fists. From them came a final burst of chi. It erupted from his paws and sent a forceful wave of life around them. Dead plants quickly sprung back to life. Black turned to brown which turned to green. Leaves sprouted from the dead trees. Flowers sprouted and bloomed with a vibrant color Po hadn't seen in a long, long time.

"Make it stop!" Tai Tzu pleaded. "Make it stop, now!"

Lu Fang was too taken aback to take into account anything the bird was saying.

Despite using his feathers as a shield, the power became too much. He let out a cry, then another wave erupted. Tai Tzu's feathers disintegrated into nothing. He was forced to watch as another wave came storming towards him. "Stop!" Tai Tzu was hit with a force unimaginable. One second, he stood his ground, the next, he erupted into a ball of golden sparks. He was gone.

Then, the chi stopped. The quick and sudden wave of energy Po had felt vanished immediately. His muscles felt like they were torn from him. He collapsed and gasped for breath. The pain from Lu Fang's beating returned. Po winced, but hardly had the energy to do even that.

Tigress saw her panda fall to the ground and stumbled over to help him. It was clear to Tigress that Po was out of the fight. He was breathing heavily and could hardly lift his head without her help. Still, he managed a smile and looked up at the tiger. He opened his mouth as if he were to speak, but no words came out.

Lu Fang stumbled forwards. A thick cloud of dust surrounded her. Her eyes were glowing with hatred. Gone was any sense of elegancy. No smile. No sarcastic quip or passive aggressive comment. Nothing but a snarl and a glare of pure hatred, and it was all directed at Tigress.

"You and your kind took everything from me!" She grit her teeth and roared. It was a roar loud enough to echo across the valley. Tigress left the side of Po and stood to face Lu Fang. Tigress was ready. Her fangs were sharp and her claws were as well. "Once I kill the mighty Tigress, I'll make sure the rest of you tigers end up like the pandas. Why should we have to wither away as the world forgets about us when your kind gets to live? We were peaceful! You were the warmongers, and yet I'm the villain?" She shook her head and wiped the grime from her mouth. "First you, then your panda, then your friends, then your species."

"You aren't touching me. You aren't touching my friends. You aren't touching Po. And you aren't touching my kind."

"My family survived Shen! We survived for days until we ran into you filth. You tigers took my family from me! Now I see it clearly. It was destiny that took my family away. We were supposed to meet, you and I. This is my destiny!" Lu Fang laughed. "It's written in the stars."

Tigress let out a crisp roar and lowered herself into a crouching position. Her claws dug anxiously into the dirt below. "Let's end this."

The two charged, breaking some form of barrier and sending a thunderous blast through the sky. They then vanished in a flurry of kicks and punches. Tigress no longer fought like an artist of kung fu. For her, nothing was off limits. She took everything she had learned. Discipline, patience, aggressiveness. Tigress gave each punch everything she had. Each punch forced its way deeper into the panda's soft belly, but this time, Lu Fang had no counter. No amount of fat or muscle could stop the tiger's wrath. Each punch left Lu Fang weaker and weaker. The panda's fat didn't protect her. It couldn't. Not from the tiger's unmatched ferocity. For the first time in her entire life, Lu Fang felt true pain. Tigress continued, each punch growing more and more powerful. Tigress had never punched so hard in her entire life. She tore through a chunk of Lu Fang's arm and leapt backwards, allowing the panda to observe her wound.

Tigress crouched once again, breathing heavily as Lu Fang looked down at her arm. A mild trail of blood began to drip down the pandas fingers. Tigress managed a smile. For the first time in her life, Tigress was awake. She could finally see the potential she's possessed the entire time. She saw her true power.

Then, like the monster she was embracing deep within her, she lunged again.

Lu Fang did as well but was off a beat. Tigress got to Lu Fang first and long before the panda was ready. Every punch and every kick was backed by enough power to cause Lu Fang to wince with pain. With the tiger's strikes managing to penetrate the thick fluff of the panda, Lu Fang withered. It was not diverting any attack as it usually did. Lu Fang tried to retreat, but Tigress was hunting. Her ruthlessness during such a hunt was unparalleled. Retreat was impossible.

With sharp claws extended, each attack drew blood. The black and white coat of the female panda turned red. The yellow eyes of Lu Fang dimmed. She tried strikes full of chi only for them to be countered, dodged, or parried. Lu Fang could hit nothing but air. Tigress returned with a two-handed punch to the gut, forcing Lu Fang back towards the cliffside. Her feet tore holes into the rock below. Her heavy breathing had now become a desperate wheeze.

"You're a monster!" Lu Fang roared, though immediately regretted the waste of precious breath. "When… When I'm done with you… nobody… will be… safe."

The panda closed her eyes. Her red, white, and black fur turned yellow. The sky followed suit. Almost like an eternal being, she began to float. Her body swayed with the wind. Tigress crouched low, expecting something unnatural to happen but unsure of exactly what.

The panda then plummeted to the ground like a soaring hawk. Her fists were gold and full of chi power, and everything was aimed at Tigress. For the first time since the fight, Tigress saw a smile on the panda's face. A confident smile. One Tigress couldn't wait to tear away.

She struck the ground, sending a wave of gold swirling like a tornado around herself. Rubble parted from the land and seemingly tore holes into the sky. Lu Fang stood with confidence, but Tigress was nowhere to be seen. Lu Fang was only able to enjoy her seeming victory for a second. Until she heard the tiger's roar.

Lu Fang looked up. Her smirk vanished in an instant. Lu Fang had no time. Tigress was on her too quickly. The tiger had leapt as high as a bird could fly and readied her fists. Mistress Fang knew it was too late.

Tigress came down on Lu Fang like nothing she had ever seen. Lu Fang's bones snapped. With each punch, something new broke, but Tigress did not relent. There was no mercy. Only the hunt.

Po couldn't help but watch. Despite his aching and broken bones, he was in awe at the legendary display of power and raw physical strength before him.

With a fierce punch to the face and a thunderous roundhouse kick to the chest, the panda flew back further towards the cliff. Lu Fang was able to stop before plummeting over the edge towards the roaring white waters below. Her feet dangling over the rocky ledge.

"Tigress?" Lu Fang said, spitting blood. Tigress stopped everything and observed the injured panda. The tiger allowed her breathing to cool. Her eyes returned to normal. Still, her heart raced with the thrill of the hunt. Her tail thrashed violently behind her. Again, Lu Fang tried to speak. "You've ruined everything!" Lu Fang attempted to roar with defiance, but it only came out as a bloodied mumble.

The tiger lowered herself. Po watched with nothing but marvel in his eyes. Each movement was absolute perfection. Nothing was out of place. Perfect balance. Perfect form. Something even the legendary kung fu masters found nearly impossible.

The tiger charged. Lu Fang braced herself, but to her absolute horror, the paws of the tiger began to glow. A bright violet light emitted from them. Lu Fang's eyes widened. For the first time since childhood, she felt fear. Fear in its purist form.

"Wait!" Lu Fang raised her paws, hoping to have something to break the impact. She was too late.

A gigantic purple flash sent Lu Fang flying backwards. She tried to scream, but a broken jaw, broken rips, and crushed windpipe made it impossible. Tigress stood on the ledge and watched as the panda went limp and fell backwards, over the ledge. Lu Fang hit rocks and roots on her way down then splashed into the roaring waters far, far below.

Tigress turned around and saw the rest of the Furious Five licking their wounds. Viper was tending to Crane and his broken wing. Monkey was holding his head to avoid the oncoming headache, and Mantis was somewhere. The little bug was too small to find most of the time, but Tigress knew he was just fine. Then, her eyes met with Po's. She raced towards her panda and knelt beside him. The rest of the Furious Five gathered as well. Even Mantis, who joined on top of Monkey's head.

"Po? Are you all right?"

Po nodded and reached out for Tigress' paw. She froze, unsure of what to say or do. She hoped Po would speak first, which the panda tried to do. His grip tightened.

"Tigress…" His voice was hoarse. "I'm so proud. That…" He coughed.

"Hang on! I can get you help. Just, stay with me."

"That… That was…" He winced and forced his head upright. "That was SO COOL!" He roared.

Tigress nearly fell back on her rear with relief. She took a deep breath. She squeezed his paw, gently at first, but tighter once she realized she actually enjoyed the feel of it. "I'll take that as a yes." Tigress stood up and turned back towards the others. "Let's get back to the others."

"Where are they?!" Shifu demanded an answer. Mr. Ping just looked on with horror. He had never seen Shifu so worried, or perhaps he was just angry. And to boot, Emperor Hongwu was standing at his side. Mr. Ping was unsure what the correct answer was.

Do I lie? He asked his conscious. Do I stay silent? Unfortunately, his conscious didn't give him a clear answer. All that came from it was an eerie silence.

"Where is the panda?" Shifu asked once more. Then, in a fit of worry, threw his arms up and began to pace and grumble beneath his breath. "Silly panda. Silly Tigress. Curse them all!" He spun around to face Mr. Ping once again. This time, Mr. Ping saw something else in Shiu's eyes. Not anger. Not frustration. Not just fear. It was a certain kind. One only a father could manage. "I know you know where they are. Please, tell me." He almost begged.

Mr. Ping opened his mouth to speak, but no words needed to be said. Just beyond the horizon, further back along the trail, he spotted them. Po, Tigress, Monkey, Crane, Viper, and Mantis, though he was forced to squint to see the little bug.

Shifu almost dropped his staff and ran to them, but his composure told him to remain in place. Mr. Ping, however, didn't have what Shiu had.

"Po!" He cried and ran straight for the panda. He wrapped his feathers around his son and burst into tears. "You're safe! You're safe! Thank goodness! Oh, thank goodness!"

Po returned the embrace. "I told you I would."

"Are we safe?" Mr. Ping asked.

Po nodded. "We're safe, dad."

It was just then Mr. Ping noticed how worn and torn the panda looked. He had cuts and bruises all over. His fur was ragged and tattered, and his posture was slouched, as if standing put him in constant pain.

"Po." Shifu spoke softly from further down the trail. "Can we speak?"

Po looked up and saw he was standing beside Emperor Hongwu. He swallowed the knot in his throat and glanced at the Furious Five on either side of him. They each gave him an uneasy glance back, but there was nothing that could be done. Po looked back at Shifu and nodded. Together, Po and the Furious Five stood before Shifu, and scarier yet, Emperor Hongwu.

"If I were to take a guess as to where you've been, would I be correct?" Mr. Shifu spoke sternly.

Po didn't know how to answer the question. Sounds like a trick question... He thought. Still, Po knew Shifu needed an answer. So, the panda nodded. "Yeah. If you took a guess, you'd probably be right."

"Then I assume the task is done. Lu Fang is defeated?"

Po nodded. "Lu Fang is gone."

Then, Shifu smiled. Then, he laughed. "I knew you could do it." A pride filled Shifu's eyes.

Even Emperor Hongwu managed a smile. "Another legendary win for the legendary Dragon Warrior! Congratulations, Master Po. I have no doubt there will be legendary stories written about this-"

"It wasn't me." Po blurted.

"Po!" Shifu hissed. "Do not interrupt the emperor when he speaks."

"But it wasn't!"

Emperor Hongwu chuckled. "Was it the bug?" He mocked.

"Jerk." Mantis whispered under his breath.

"No. It was Tigress."

The eyes of both Shifu and Emperor Hongwu snapped towards the tiger. They had noticed how torn Po had been, but Tigress seemed far worse. She had been tucked behind Po, so nobody had seen her. Her robe was tattered, and her fur was frizzled.

"Tigress…?" Shifu whispered.

Tigress stepped forward and bowed. "I couldn't have done it without-"

Suddenly, in a flash, Shifu ran up to Tigress and pulled her close. In the warm embrace, Shifu began to whisper. "There is no need to bow. Not at this moment." Tigress was frozen stiff. Eyes wide. "Ever since I picked you up at that orphanage, I knew your destiny would be great."

"I really couldn't have done it without them. Without Po." Tigress whispered back.

Po immediately looked up into the eyes of Emperor Hongwu. Po was not blind to the tension the tiger and the emperor had formed, and as soon as Emperor Hongwu opened his mouth, Po butted in.

"And we couldn't have done it without Tigress." Po said, standing straight. Taller than the emperor. He looked at Emperor Hongwu and smiled. "Tigress did everything. I'm not sure how, but she reached a level I knew she had in her. It was awesome! Like… legendarily awesome!" He spun to Tigress. "How'd you do it? How? Please, tell me how!"

Tigress smiled. "I just woke up."

Then, everything stopped when Emperor Hongwu approached the tiger. He looked at her with eyes of uncertainty. His constant scowl made Tigress uncomfortable, and she knew whatever he was about to say would be something to detract from their victory. She clenched her jaw and braced her fists. A growl was already on the tip of her tongue. All of a sudden, the hard, stern eyes of Emperor Hongwu softened.

"Master Tigress, I am an emperor of few words, so forgive the brevity. To you all I can say is China owes you a heap of gratitude, and I owe you an apology."

Tigress was quick to bow before Emperor Hongwu. "Thank you, your majesty. It was our duty."

"Raise your head, Master Tigress." Emperor Hongwu ordered. Tigress didn't hesitate and stood straight up. "I will not have any of China's saviors bow to me. Not this day."

"What about the army of vultures?" Crane asked. "They're still out there, aren't they?"

"Lu Fang and Tai Tzu are gone." Po said softly. "I don't think they'll be much trouble."

Emperor Hongwu nodded. "Just leave them to me. They will scatter and disappear into the countryside. For now, I believe it is time to turn this caravan around. Master Shifu? I trust you and your warriors can handle the trip back. I will split off and return to the Imperial City. I have a lot of work to do."

"Of course, your Majesty." Shifu said as he bowed. When he raised his head again, Emperor Hongwu had already turned and nearly vanished back into the crowd of citizens.

Shifu turned towards Po and the Furious Five, and with a proud smile stappled across his face, spoke. "Let's go home."

The night had set quickly at the Jade Palace. A large, bright, full moon was beaming down more light than the sun had just hours earlier. Tigress looked up to find millions of stars in place of the clouds. She was stricken by how beautiful the night was.

Though her body was still weak from the fight earlier, her mind was wide awake and racing with questions. She walked across the courtyard. The grass wet with dew. She wasn't sure why, but she felt the need for a walk. She made her route around the Jade Palace and found a familiar trail. She glanced over at the garden where Zeng was digging. She smiled and he waved, but no words were exchanged. From what she could tell, the garden was thriving and there was a lot of work to do. Beautiful flowers of pink, purple, yellow, and orange bloomed like she had never seen.

Tigress continued down the trail which eventually veered off into a heavily forested area. The small dirt path narrowed and began to wave around rocks and hills. She walked for miles, unsure as to what was drawing her back to the Tiger's Grotto. The place she had lost the feeling in her paws. Now, that feeling was back. Tigress smiled and rubbed her paws, making sure to enjoy every second.

"Master Tigress?" Shifu said, emerging from the darkness up ahead.

"Shifu? What are you doing out here?" Tigress asked.

Shifu smiled and held out his paws. Cradled in his paws were three seeds. "Seeds for the garden. I thought they might look nice in a few years. Hopefully I am around to see them bloom." He chuckled.

"When did you get into gardening?"

"Just tonight." Shifu said with a proud smile. "Zeng is teaching me all there is to know about plants. There is so much wisdom in that brain of his." There was a long silence. "So, what are you doing all the way out here? I doubt you are out to collect seeds."

"I'm just going for a walk."

"Need to clear your head?" Shifu asked.

Tigress nodded. "A lot has happened."

"And a lot more will happen in your lifetime." Shifu smiled and gave Tigress a gentle pat on the paw. "I look forward to being by your side through it all."

Shifu turned to leave, but Tigress opened her mouth. No words came out, but Shifu noted her desire to say something and stopped. He slowly turned and looked up into her eyes of amber.

"Yes, Tigress?"

She swallowed the knot deep in her throat. "Shifu, I've been wondering..." She paused briefly, gathering the courage to ask a question she was oddly scared about. "...Do you think I was destined to defeat Lu Fang? Was this my destiny?"

"No." Shifu's words were immediately, and they managed to sink the tiger's heart. Her ears lowered and she nodded.

"I understand." She could not hide her heartbreak. She had spent the better half of the night wondering that exact question. She was honestly hoping for a better answer.

"Destiny played no part in your victory." Then, Shifu smiled. "Which makes your willingness to see it through all the more impressive. It was all you." With that, Shifu brushed past Tigress and continued his walk down back towards the Jade Palace. "Oh…" Shifu exclaimed as he was about to vanish into the darkness. "And I also had a wonderful chat with the Dragon Warrior."

"Po? Where is he?"

"Follow the trail, Tigress. You'll find him." With that, Shifu spun around and was gone like the wind.

Tigress turned and began to trek up to the Tiger's Grotto. Before long, she came into a clearing. Lining the grotto were the old ironwood trees she had spent so much time with. And still, even after all those years, she saw her old prints. The memories quickly came flooding back. Her paws traced the old bark before coming upon a new mark. One she didn't recognize immediately. It was another fist print. She compared it to hers, and it didn't fit. She ran her fingers over the dent, then it clicked.

"Po?" She was nearly taken aback. Had he been up here punching the trees? When was this? She didn't know and didn't have too much time to think on it before she heard something behind her.

"AH-CHOO!"

She spun around and saw Po sitting down at the base of a peach tree. He was looking out over the water as pink petals began to lift into the air from his thunderous sneeze.

"Sorry." He whispered, making quick eye contact with Tigress. "Petals up my nose."

Tigress held in her laugh and approached the panda. She opted to sit beside him, but didn't expect the slant of the land to push her closer to Po. They were quickly shoulder to shoulder. Both froze. Both held their breath. Tigress' muscles quickly tensed, but it was Po who spoke first, hoping to break the immediate tension.

"You know, you were out cold for a while." Po said softly. "I… I thought you were dead."

Tigress cleared her throat. "Maybe I was." Tigress responded, still unsure herself. "Oogway… he gave me some good advice."

"You talked to Oogway?!" Po said with enthusiasm. "What did he say? What did he tell you?" The panda began to bounce with a burst of energy.

"He just told me to wake up, and that's what I did. I still don't know if I was dead or dreaming, but I managed to wake up, and I woke up with a thirst." Tigress had to admit. "A thirst to find out who I am. What I am."

"You're Tigress, and you're a tiger." Po said with a dorkish smile.

Tigress chuckled. "I know that, but…" She thought hard on the next few words. "There's something else. Ever since I woke up in the Spirit Realm… I just can't explain it."

Po nodded and set his gaze out towards the water. "Well, I'm glad you didn't stay in the Spirit Realm. I was worried. Like… really worried."

"I know you were." Tigress said, then leaned her head into Po's shoulder. She felt the panda tense for a brief second. The act of companionship came as a sudden surprise, but within moments, his body relaxed, and she heard him release a deep breath. "So, what's next?"

Po shrugged. "Oogway once told me yesterday is history... tomorrow is a mystery... but today is a gift." He looked down at Tigress. "That's why it's called the present."

Tigress smiled. "I heard something similar." She stated, then her eyes began hazed as her memories came swirling in. "A long… long time ago." She couldn't explain the feeling. A rush of thoughts swirled through her head. Words came popping up from a time long forgotten.

"What is it?" Po asked.

She looked back up at the panda. "If you're sad, it's because you're living in the past. If you're anxious, it's because you're living in the future." She smiled. "And if you're at peace, you're living in the present."

"That's beautiful. Where'd you hear that?"

The question came as a surprise, but what was more of a surprise was that she didn't know. The words just came out. She knew she had heard them before. She remembered them clear as day, but what wasn't nearly as clear was when she heard it, where, or from who. She quickly glanced back off out towards the water. An uneasy, uncomfortable feeling came over her.

"I don't know." She whispered, then leaned back onto Po's shoulder. In an instant, the uneasy feeling was vanquished.

Po remained still and accepted with silent glee the fact that Tigress' head rested on his shoulder. The panda had no intention of moving until Tigress moved, and he hoped she never would. I love you, Po thought to himself. Why can't I just say it? Why is it so hard? Why… Po's thoughts came to a quick and sudden stop once he felt her quiet breath on his shoulder. Suddenly, the stress didn't matter. He smiled and embraced the moment. Even if the words never came out, Po was happy.

Tigress had similar thoughts. Oogway's words were true. Today is truly a gift, and she hoped it would last forever. She was unsure of what tomorrow brought, but it didn't matter. Though the words love hadn't been brought up, and she didn't expect them anytime soon, she knew the truth. Still, she would wait. She would wait until the right time. For now, she closed her eyes and listened to the silent breaths of the panda.

Her panda.

A/N: There it is! The final battle and a little aftermath. I do plan on writing an epilogue, which is why I'm not calling this story completely finished just yet. This chapter was long(ish) already and I don't want to rush the resolution. The epilogue(or you can just call it chapter 22 if you're not a fan of epilogues) will hopefully serve as proper closure for the rest of the characters and hint at things to come if I decide to continue this story thread.

Hopefully you enjoyed this story. I originally plotted everything out using a particular sheet that marks First Plot Point, First and Second Pinch Points, Midpoint, Third Plot Point, Climactic Moment... yada yada yada. Plans and story beats quickly went out the window once my mind started racing with cool scenes I wanted to add, of course.

When it comes to writing first drafts of original works, I'm very good at keeping those plot bunnies in my head and sticking with the outline. Fanfiction, however? Not so much.

Thank you all!