Wild's Short Drabbles

Sorrow of a Panda

Prompt: Po learns of Tigress's younger sister in the most unfortunate situation

Po couldn't believe it. The thought fresh on his mind that his best friend was truly gone. It felt like a horrible dream that he couldn't wake himself from. He didn't know how to keep himself composed in front of his friends or father. Everytime he walked by her room or even saw her empty chair at the diner table, his eyes would water up with grief and sorrow.

Master Tigress had taken a direct hit from one of Shen's canons. A hit that should have been for him. She died protecting him from the darn canon. His friends told him it wasn't his fault. That he shouldn't beat himself over it, Tigress wouldn't want that. But how could he not? His best friend was gone because of him. He should have been quicker to move out of the way. Instead she took the hit that ultimately killed her almost instantly.

When Lord Shen was finally defeated, he held her cold, lifeless body in his arms, begging her to wake up. Tears clouded his vision as he looked at her face. To him she seemed as if she was sleeping, her face expressionless.

"Wake up." His friends would hear him mutter in his sleep. Most nights he would spend it in her room, crying himself to sleep. Truly they were all hurting, but to see the most cheerful creature they knew in this condition, truly broke their hearts.

They remembered when Tigress left to train at the Garnet Palace, how truly difficult those two weeks were for all of them. Especially for the Dragon Warrior. He was doing anything to prove to Tigress that he would truly change for her to come back. He held onto the hope that she would return if he changed everything about him. Now it was different.

Master Tigress died in that harbor and Po felt guilt once again for the sole reason that she gave up her life for him. The Dragon Warrior didn't know what his friends were dreading to do. As teens, one of their first missions was in Beijing, where they learned of Tigress's past. A past Po wasn't even aware of since it was kept out of the public eye. Tigress did not wish to make it publicly known until the right time. They discovered Tigress's family, more specifically learning that Tigress had a younger sister, MaSha.

MaSha was only six and Tigress had been six-teen when the two girls met. Quite an age difference that didn't seem to matter to them. After she had been rescued the two girls had kept a close relationship despite only being able to see each other once a year, sometimes twice if the Winter Feast was being held at the Opal Palace, where she lived.

The Four Warriors were going to need to tell Po about her soon. They needed to tell MaSha the news before The Battle of Gongman City reached her Palace. They knew how MaSha was going to react. Tigress was practically the only family the young girl had. They knew she was not going to take it easy, at all.

"Where are we going?" Po asked, his voice was so soft. No longer did it have the lovely enthusiastic tone in it, replaced with sorrow and hurt.

"The Opal Palace." Mantis hopped beside him.

"Oh." Po frowned. Mantis frowned, not hearing the excitement Po would usually have when they were going to visit other temples. Po loved going to them to see new masters. The Opal Palace was a place he had heard of but due to the secrecy the Palace had with new masters, he didn't know who trained there.

When they arrived at the foot of the stairs of the palace, Po didn't even make his joke about his worst enemy. He just sighed and started walking ahead of them up the stairs. The poor panda breathed heavily as they climbed, not even questioning why they were there. He just assumed it was important to inform the other schools personally. His four friends didn't like the silence he so heavily carried. Po slumped down on the ground once he reached the top, breathing heavily in exhaustion.

"Who the heck are you?" A voice asked. Po opened his eyes to see a female tiger standing over him, looking at him angrily.

"Tigress?" Po finally spoke, sitting up to get a better look at her. There was no way this was her, but the female looked and sounded a lot like her.

"Uh...what?" The girl raised a brow at him. "How do you know Tigress?" She asked. Before Po could answer Crane landed beside him. "Crane?"

"Hey MaSha." Crane smiled sadly.

"Care to explain who this is?" She pointed at Po.

"That's Master Po. The Dragon Warrior." Crane explained. "Po, this is MaSha." Crane paused hesitating to say the rest. "She's...Tigress's younger sister."

Sister. Tigress has a sister. A much younger sister. Po could feel the bits and pieces of his world shattering. Tigress never mentioned having a younger sister, probably because of the Opal Palace secrecy. MaSha looked like a much younger Tigress except for the red marking she had under her right eye. Po wanted to speak. To say anything to her. Only words would not register to her brain. He had a part of Tigress living and standing right in front of him and he couldn't say anything.

"What are you guys doing here?" MaSha asked once she saw Monkey, Mantis and Viper. "And where's Tigress?" She quickly added. The four friends frowned, glancing at each other. Po looked at the ground as the memory resurfaced in his mind. MaSha's eyes widened, recognizing that look.

"MaSha." Viper slithered towards her. MaSha took a step back, shaking her head in disbelief.

"No. Say it's not true." MaSha could feel her eyes beginning to tear up. She couldn't remember the last time she cried.

"MaSha, we really wish it wasn't true." Monkey frowned, reaching out for her. MaSha shook her head in disbelief.

"No." MaSha's voice choked up. "Please. Tell me it's not that."

"Unfortunately," Mantis frowned, "it is."

The sounds of a wailing young tigress was all that could be heard throughout the valley that night. She truly had lost everything now.