Lion's Oneshot of Kung Fu Panda Oneshots

How to Understand

Po has always been very understanding of people. Even when he doesn't fully understand, people get a sense that he somehow does. "How does someone understand everything?" Monkey asked the team one time. The Furious Five and Shifu were talking to each other in the kitchen and the issue of Po's understanding came up. Crane just shrugged.

"I guess that Po's just like that," he replied.

"Oh come on, Crane. No one can naturally be that understanding about everything. Like for instance, when my friend died recently. He came to me and gave me a sandwich and just sat with me and talked. He just seemed to know exactly what to say and when to say it," Monkey replied. "He really knew what was going on."

"That and Po does seem to know how to help someone cope," Viper answered. "Like when I was being teased by the other masters about my kindness. I was crying like a baby I'll admit. Po just came and hugged me. He picked me off the ground and tried his best to hug me."

"His best?" Tigress questioned.

"I was squirming a bit, trying to get out of his grip and he couldn't get a firm grip on me. But he tried so hard to comfort me and understood what I needed. He didn't say a thing. He just hugged me, and as funny and ridiculous as it sounds, it felt like I was being hugged by my father."

"So... you're saying that Po felt like a snake?" Mantis asked, bluntly. Viper rolled her eyes.

"No, I mean that Po just knew what to do," Viper replied.

"You see, how on earth can someone know just how to help someone cope?" Monkey questioned.

"You forget that Po is our friend and has been for at least five years," Tigress reminded the monkey.

"Yes, but it still doesn't make any sense. How can someone just be that understanding? Even when he doesn't seem to understand at all?" Monkey asked. Tigress's expression saddened.

"Well, I've always wondered that myself and I've had a theory as to why he knows what it's like," Tigress replied. "After we nearly lost him at during the fight of Kai, I was still coming to grips with him being gone."

"Oh, you care that much about him?" Monkey smirked. Tigress glared with intense rage at the monkey.

"Monkey," Viper harshly corrected, "You were saying Tigress?"

"Somehow Po knew that I was having this problem. I was in the Training Hall one day, trying to get the feeling off my mind. He came in with a small plate of dumplings and waited for me to stop training. Once I did, we ate together in complete silence. I didn't feel like saying a word, but he didn't say anything either. Once we were done eating the stuff off our plates, he looked at me, patted me on the shoulder and gave me a smile. I...greatly appreciated what he did. It helped." She didn't want to tell them that she ended up hugging him and crying a bit. "And he knows when to keep it a secret as well."

"So what's your theory?" Monkey asked.

"I think that Po knows and understands what's wrong with someone because he's been in multiple situations where it's happened before. In other words," Tigress said sadly, "He knows what it's like to be each and every one of us."

"That's not true," Crane spoke. The whole table looked at him. "I've personally talked to Po about it, and he's always said that his life has always been great. Whether or not that was really actually true, he didn't mention any tragedy in his life other than his home village and when he was first chosen as Dragon Warrior. "

"How was getting chosen as Dragon Warrior a tragedy?" Mantis asked.

"Well, one: the way we treated him, two: the mental, spiritual, and physical struggle that was almost too much for him to bear, and the enormous responsibility that he now has," Crane explained.

"Right," Mantis quieted.

"Like for instance," Crane continued. "When I was having girl problems...again. One of my crushes was paired off with another and I felt really angry and betrayed about it because I knew her for a long time. Po came up to me, put up a blank canvas in front of me, gave me a paint and brush, and told me to paint the anger I had. Not only did it help, I was able to sell the painting for a lot."

"You see, something as specific as that, Po knows exactly how to help with it. How does he understand people like that," Monkey asked.

"Maybe because he's simply that way," Mantis said, "Like when he understood my situation with my ex. He simply said, as emotionless as Tigress, 'get over it. You're not dead yet.' That comment alone helped me get through so quickly, and I never even thought of her again." Then Tigress looked at Master Shifu.

"Master Shifu, has Po ever helped you?" She asked. Shifu smiled.

"Every day," Shifu answered. "Sometimes I wish I could try to understand how to help some of you, but I can't even help myself. But Po seems to do it so effortlessly. I think it's because he actually just wants to understand people. It's his challenge. That's why he doesn't give up. He wants to be able to understand everyone and if he doesn't, he at least fakes it," Shifu explained.

"I never thought of it like that," Viper commented.

"I appreciate Po's work. I really do," Shifu replied. Just then, Po came in.

"PO!" They all said in a celebratory fashion. Needless to say, Po was surprised.

"Hey everyone, what's up?" Po asked, surprised that they were this excited to see him. He was just down in the village.

"Nothing, just come on and sit down," Monkey smiled. Po shrugged and did so.

It's still quite a mystery why Po is so understanding, but I guess some things are just left better not understood.

The End