Po sat outside the Jade Palace with a worried look on his face. He was feeling something. Something different than anything he’d felt before. He looked down at his hands, and in them he held his action figure of Tigress.
Po had those commemorative figures of the furious five placed in his dorm room in the Palace barracks, but he held the once of Tigress for this morning’s reflection. He couldn’t explain it, but in a way he knew perfectly how to explain it. It was complicated. All Po knew, as he looked down at the figurine, was that he had feelings for Tigress.
“Hi Po.” A voice said, shaking Po from his reverie most violently.
“Ah!” Po said, then noticed it was no other than Tigress standing beside him. Po hastily put the figurine on the opposite side of his body, in hopes Tigress couldn’t see it.
“Master Tigress!” Po said, looking embarrassed as his greatest hero sat down beside him.
“What have you been doing?” Tigress asked, noting Po’s obvious embarrassment.
“Wha? Me? Nothing! I’ve just been…been…meditating, that’s all.”
Tigress smiled. “Meditating over my figurine, hmm?”
Po was about to object, but realized two things at once. One, Tigress knew what Po was really doing, and two, she had just took Po’s excuse and used it against him in the most humiliating way. But, if Po was honest, Tigress was absolutely right.
“What? No, no, I’m not doing anything like that.”
Tigress wordlessly reached over Po and picked up the figurine, bringing it into view. Po stopped short. “Ok, ok, yeah, I brought your action figure out here.”
“What’s that, Po?” Tigress asked, turning the figurine in her hands, studying it.
“I just like them.” Po lied. “You guys are my heroes, so why-” As Po continued on his lying streak, Tigress continued studying it. The likeliness to herself in comparison to this little toy was impeccable. She’d seen several figures like these in the village, and there were several of Po now available for the children. Tigress smiled to herself. Po still had a boyish charm to him, and, as all boys did with their heroes, idolized, cherished, longed for…
That train of thought derailed Tigress for a moment. Po wasn’t a boy anymore. He was one of the Masters of Kung Fu now. But he still had a childish admiration for her. Tigress thought back to his heartfelt hug he gave her only three days ago, after the defeat of Lord Shen was completed. Tigress looked down at the figurine in the flash of an epiphany. Po had more feelings for her than simple idolization.
Po noticed Tigress’ face change and stopped. “What?” He asked.
Tigress turned and looked at Po, with a mixture of hurt, awe, and humbleness mixed in one.
“You like me, don’t you?” Tigress asked almost softly.
Po paused for two reasons. One, Tigress was normally never this emotional; Po had always thought Tigress was so hardcore, nothing but the thrill of battle intrigued her. She showed him otherwise in their fight against Lord Shen, but this was even more incredible. Tigress was having emotions. The second thing was simply how quickly she’d been able to deduce everything Po had tried to keep hidden for the last two minutes.
In light of those two confusing elements, Po simply replied, “Well, I, yeah, I guess, I mean…” Po was looking at the ground, trying to find something to say, but when he turned, Tigress was gone.


Tigress sat in her room, looking downcast. Po liked her. She knew that. But that’s not what discouraged her. What discouraged her was her feeling of inadequacy. She didn’t deserve his affection. All she had done for him was discourage him. Sure, things were different now, but that wasn’t enough. She hadn’t done enough good to redirect all the bad she’d caused him before.
She was about to discourage about it more when a voice called her name authoritatively. “Master Tigress.”
Tigress leapt up immediately and left. “Yes Master.” Tigress said, standing crisply in front of her foster father, giving him the typical Kung Fu bow.
“Tigress,” Shifu said, walking up to her, “I have just been with Po.” Tigress tensed. This could get ugly very fast.
“And he tells me,” Shifu continued, crossing his arms, “that you’ve been asking him questions about the Soothsayer he met during the fight of Lord Shen.” Tigress sighed visibly.
“Yes Master. I’ve been, considering, asking her about my parents backgrounds.”
Shifu’s face dropped some. “Tigress, I find this news troubling.” Shifu turned around, back facing Tigress. “Mr. Ping and I, I suppose, could be in the same boat. He once worried Po’s search meant his feelings for his father had wavered. I hope you’re not feeling the same way, because I worry you are.”
Tigress nearly gasped. Shifu was worried that Tigress didn’t love him. “Master,” Tigress said, “you’re my teacher, maybe more than you’ve been my father. But I don’t hold that against you. When I was a cub, the only thing I wanted was to please you. I know you’re are pleased in me, Master, even if I wasn’t the Dragon Warrior.”
Shifu smiled. “I’m glad Tigress.”
Tigress bent on one knee and embraced her foster father. “I hope you find what you’re searching for.” Shifu said in Tigress’ ear.
Tigress stood, looking down at Shifu. “Where can I find the Sooth?”
“That,” Shifu said, “is something only Po knows. You’ll have to ask him.”
Tigress nodded. “How soon can I leave?” She asked.
“Whenever you like. Take whatever you need.” Shifu said. Tigress nodded, smiled, than left.