Friends Last Forever

"Come on, hurry up!" Lin laughed.

"I'm hurrying. I don't run fast," Lei Lei panted. "I can't run as fast as you."

"Master Crane said that you can do anything if you put your mind to it."

"Does that mean I can make rice pudding out of a rock?" Lei Lei excitedly asked. The black wolf rubbed the back of his neck.

"I... I don't think so."

"Aww."

"Come on," The wolf ushered on. They rounded the corner only to get blocked by three large boars. "Uh oh."

"Well, well, look who's back. The little runt who broke my toys."

"I said I was sorry," Lin apologized, backing up.

"Lin, who are these guys?" Lei Lei asked.

"They're just bullies," the wolf growled until a bigger, stronger boar came up behind the smaller boars. "Big... Bullies."

"I brought my dad to teach you a lesson?" said the lead boar boy with a red vest.

Lei Lei's eyebrow rose. "Your dad bullies kids?"

"I pick on anyone that messes with my son," said the father boar. He picked up Lin by his scruff. "And sounds like you've made some trouble for my boy."

"I said sorry!"

"Leave him alone!" Lei Lei shouted.

"Aww, and what are you going to do about it, little girl," The father boar laughed. Lei Lei suddenly rushed and headbutted his lower regions, right at his tenders. "OOOooooooooh," Wheezed the father boar, hunched over, and released Lin. The little panda smashed her tiny foot right in the boar's jaw. The boar tumbled to the side, holding his family jewels. The impact of her fist was a minor inconvenience compared to how hard she headbutted his groin.

The other boars snapped their heads to the little panda. She glared with her tiny fist raised while her wolf friend stood behind her. "Don't hurt my friend! You mess with him, you mess with me and all of my family."

"And who's your-" The vested boar boy stopped as he looked to the rooftops. The sun stood behind nine silhoetted figures whose white eyes glare down at them like insects. The boars could only make out their outlines. Two feline-like creatures stood on both sides of a crouching bear whose nostrils expelled smoke. A tall bird and a monkey stood at the corners as if to attack from the sides; a slithering thing was wrapped about the bird's neck. Two smaller creatures stood by the felines ready to attack. The boars were too frightened to see the small bug on the monkey's shoulder. The boars quickly grabbed their father and ran for their lives.

"And don't pick on anyone ever again!" Lei Lei shouted.

"Wow, you scared them off! You must be superpowered," Lin excitedly grinned.

"Hehehe, maybe," Lei Lei glanced at the rooftops but found no scary shadows there. She smiled nonetheless.

Soon, the two made it to the shop where Tigress, Po, and Zhen talked. "Master Tigress, Master Tigress!"

"What is it, Lei Lei?"

"Lin was getting picked on by some bullies, but I scared them off."

The tiger smiled knowingly, "Hmm if that's the case, we better continue your training. Just to make sure you'll have no problems fighting them."

"YAY!"

"C-C-C-Can I learn how to fight... too?" Lin timidly asked.

Po smiled, "Of course, I'm sure Master Crane will be happy to train you again." The little wolf gave a toothy smile as he and Lei Lei helped Mr. Ping and Li Shan in the kitchen. "Seems like Lin is adjusting to the village very well."

"I'm getting tired of the bullies, though," Zhen muttered, "You'd think the Valley of Peace would be more open-minded."

"Everyone has their own definition of peace," Tigress sighed, "That's why we're always fighting each other."

Zhen rolled her eyes. "Does Jiaohua like his new job now that the Emperor pardoned him?"

"Oh yeah, and his brothers are liking the change," Po smiled. "Seems like things are going better than I thought."

Then Lei Lei came from the kitchen, scratching her clothes. "What's wrong, Lei Lei?"

"Ms. Tigress? Could you help me? My clothes are itchy."

Tigress tilted her head. Her clothes seemed to be the same. What changed? "When did this happen?"

"When you had that red stuff on your hand. Some of it got on my clothes and my mom didn't wash all of it out."

"AHHHH HAAAA!" Po shouted, slamming his hands to the table. "So it was you that put the itching powder in Shifu's clothing!"

"Wait, I can explain."

"And I know Zhen helped you with it because you wouldn't have gotten it without her help."

"WHAT?! What makes you say that?!" The fox exclaimed.

"Because Tigress knew I would search you, but not her. And she's the only person who knows where Monkey's itching powder is. So you stole the bottle from Monkey's room and gave it to Tigress who just so happens to know where Shifu keeps his clothing. And it wouldn't be suspicious to Master Shifu to see Tigress there instead of Zhen."

Tigress and Zhen glanced at each other with tight lips while poor Lei Lei was still scratching her side.

Finally, the tiger sighed, "Fine. You're right."

"Hey! Never confess to a crime you committed," Zhen said.

Tigress shook her head with a smile. "Zhen, could you help Lei Lei get the itching powder out of her clothing?"

"Ugh, fine," The fox muttered.

"Yay! Stealy lady's going to help me!"

"I'm not... actually never mind," Zhen sighed. She took Lei Lei to the back while Tigress looked back at an inquiring panda.

"Just... why?" Po asked.

"Because... you and Tai Lung were right. Family doesn't get an excuse to do bad things. And... I was really upset that Shifu said that to you. I also think he knows, though."

"What makes you say that?"

"I don't know. The fact that he wore his clothes the entire day while itching rather than just getting new clothes is a little suspicious," Tigress explained.

Po smiled, gently resting his hand on her shoulder. "Well, thank you for that. I'm surprised you did it though."

"It... was... actually Zhen's idea. She mentioned it shortly after I left you and we came up with the plan. It's childish I know-"

"Hey, that means I'm rubbing off on you. Wait... that's a bad thing, isn't it?"

The tiger grinned, letting a small laugh come out her lips. "Things will definitely change, now. With Shifu working with the Emperor to make government changes, what will you do?"

"Uhhh be Dragon Warrior? Make sure Zhen and Tai Lung don't get in a fight. Make sure you and Tai Lung don't get into a fight. Make sure you and my dad don't get into a food fight. You know I'm starting to realize that for a person that's supposed to be a skilled fighter, I stop a lot of fights!"

Tigress chuckled, "Part of being Dragon Warrior, I guess. But... that's not what I mean."

"Hm?"

The tiger took a long breath and looked away for a moment. "Viper's gone to check on Mama Yun, Rua, and Princess Maoqi. Monkey is in a relationship with Meiyang. Crane is going to be spending more time teaching Lin and I'm sure that Lei Lei will want to learn from me. Aside from Tai Lung and you teaching Zhen and Mantis doing his own thing, it... feels like the group might... separate."

"So?"

Her head spun to Po.

"Tigress, people come and go. It's sad, but I never regret the time we spent. Besides, I can't force people to stay or leave," The panda held a sad smile. "I've done this before. Seen friends come and go. It's just life, I guess. But... I never regret or forget to call them my friends." His sadness slowly ebbed away. "You and the others aren't just friends, though. You're my family. And family will still be family no matter what. Even if we have to cut some of them off, they're still family."

The tiger stared at him, not saying a word. She simply got up from her seat and hugged the panda from behind. "Uhhh, what is-"

"Sometimes I forget how much you know. How much you've been through. And I know I don't show how much I care about you from time to time. So... I want you to know that I do care about you, Po. And I... thank you for being there. Thank you for being my friend."

The panda smiled, gently resting a hand over her hands. "Thank you for being my friend."

Continued...

A/N: Why do I want to cry? And who left these onions here?