Aftermath, KFP 2

The Valley of Peace was in a buzz about the defeat of Lord Shen. Everyone stayed down in the Valley village and brought festivities and light to every home. Master Shifu stood with his Kung Fu students, smiling proudly at the crowd, then up at his students.
“Students, this is a glorious night. Let us celebrate another triumphal victory.”

SMALL fireworks burst above the village, lanterns lit every square inch of space, and instruments played merrily. All the available cooks of the valley, including Mr. Ping, prepared food for everyone. Po, who felt a little tired from all his work earlier that evening, stood watching the spectacle with a smirk on his face, holding a bowl of soup.
Upon feeling a tug at the leg of his pants, Po looked down to see some of the village kids looking up at him. “Dragon Warrior!” they said by way of beginning the conversation, “what happened with Lord Shen?”
Po smiled, but really wished he didn’t have to say anything. Deciding to appeal to the kids anyway, he was about to narrate some when Tigress spoke up. “He fought gallantly.” The kids turned towards Tigress, who, looking proudly at her friend, asked, “do you want to hear how he diverted a cannonball by only using water?”
The kid’s eyes lit up, and Tigress squatted down as the small group of kids gathered around her. Po sat watching the group, and when the kids finally had their fill of Kung Fu stories, they departed. Tigress smiled at the fleeing children and rose, looking at Po, her expression growing softer.
Tigress sat down beside Po. “Thanks.” Po said, placing a noodle in his mouth.
“No problem.” Tigress said calmly.
The two watched the festivities in silence, Tigress noting Viper was ribbon-dancing for a particular group. Monkey, never being devoid of energy, played with some of the kids in the village, while Mantis stood watching Viper, as did Crane.
Tigress smiled, reflecting on the course of events the Kung Fu Masters had undergone over the past couple of days. They had all come a long way. They were, for all intents and purposes, like a family. Tigress looked over at Po, who was eating more of his soup. The smile slid from her face as Tigress reflected. How had this adventure changed the two of them? Did it change how she felt for Po?
Tigress looked down, thinking. Po was a good man. Caring, compassionate, always putting himself second. Tigress had grown a lot herself, compared to how she treated Po when he first came to the jade Palace. She’d be so bold as to say she cared for Po, especially in realizing their connection to a loss of parents, as far as they knew.
Tigress had learned from Shifu how to not feel pain. But, she felt SO much pain when she suspected Po was dead. Not only that, but it was like she could feel Po’s pain when he stated that he would do anything to find out who his real parents were. When Po swam out away from where she lay limp in the water, ready to take on Shen's fleet, Tigress longed for Po to return to her. So much for metal trees. Tigress thought for a moment, then wondered, “was that so terrible?”
Tigress looked at Po. He was strong, confident in himself and the unity the Five and himself shared. Confident in her. Tigress was confident in Po. Tigress understood that much from their fights together, where each member aided all the others, sometimes creating a duo attack team for the purpose of keeping one another from harm. Now, all she needed, was to be confident in herself.
Tigress knew Po appreciated her, that much was certain on the boat before the final destruction of Lord Shen’s fleet, when, after the rubble began to burn, blew up in a flurry of fireworks and gunpowder. She was growing, but definitely a better person than before. She was healing.
Tigress decided to speak.
“Po.” Po looked over at her.
“Hmm?” Po asked.
“I wanted to tell you, thank you. For everything.”
Po nodded, looking back forward. “Sure.”
The two spoke, still watching the festivities.
“We’re a lot like a family now, wouldn’t you say?” Tigress asked.
“Yeah,” Po said, nodding, “we’re tight.”
“I’ve been wondering, Po,” Tigress said, looking at Po now, “how tight, we intend to be…” Tigress let the sentence hang for a moment, then, seeing Po fail to respond, continued. “I don’t take the affection I gave you lightly, nor what you offered me in return.”
Sometimes, Tigress was blunt about herself, which, in this case, was good.
Po thought for a moment, then spoke. “It’s good to know I’m not alone in this. It’s good to know someone understands.”
Tigress nodded. “I’ve been thinking Po, about how far I’ve come since we first met. I don’t pride myself in how I treated you. But, Po, please understand. I think I have feelings for you.” Tigress looked down, receiving a slightly shocked look from Po. His reaction probably would have been greater, if he wasn’t so tired.
“I care about you, Po. I care about the rest of the Five. But there’s something different I see in you, Po. We’re much the same, you and I. We work well together, even with our differences. We’re, as far as we know, both orphans. But, what I like about you most, Po,” Tigress looked down at her hands, which she practically had to will to move onto Po’s, “is that you care too. For me.”
Tigress wrapped her arms around Po, giving him another hug. Po returned it. Tigress didn’t know where things would head for the two of them. Nor did she care. As long as Po was with them, Tigress would be there, to stand beside him and defend him.

END