Lion's Oneshot of Kung Fu Panda Oneshots

Alone

Tigress was on the floor in the middle of the Training Hall. The silence, at first, creeped her out, but the occasional sound of Zeng singing comforted her until Zeng went away again. She was all alone after that. Po was at his father's shop, the rest of the Furious Five had to go on a mission, Master Shifu was busy at a convention (He was actually going to the geek festival), and she was here. Usually, Tigress would have welcomed the silence and calm peacefulness. But there was something so saddening about it. She stopped meditating for a while. "Well, I'm alone," She said to herself. "I am alone." She sat on the ground with her legs curled up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. Then she shook it off and got back into her lotus sitting position. "I'm Master Tigress. I don't get lonely. Besides, Po will eventually come and barge in on the peace." Just as she thought that who should come but the panda himself. Tigress heard him from a mile. She groaned as he walked towards the Training Hall. "Maybe if I just sit here, he'll go away." Tigress shut her eyes and pretended to be meditating. Po walked inside, noticed Tigress meditating, and then walked away. He didn't want to disturb her.

But this shocked Tigress. She looked behind her and the panda was gone. She rushed towards the doors and looked out to see a shade of black and white going to the barracks. "Oh, well," She said quite sadly. "I guess that worked." She went back to the floor and tried to meditate, but she couldn't. She started to think when all of her friends would be gone. They would move on to become masters of their academies and schools. Master Shifu would be long passed and Po. Gosh! Po would out pass all of them. Probably going to the far reaches of the universe. And she... she would be like she is right now. Alone. Usually, Tigress would combat this feeling with training. But she let it fester too long. That lonely crippling feeling now ached and wretched her gut. She didn't want to move or anything.

It didn't help that she kept pushing people away too. Every time someone tried to get near her, she would push them away. And Po, who had pushed the hardest, she had pushed away too. Why? Why did she both want company, but wanted to be alone? Such is the way of the tiger, she guessed. To be alone. Then she did something she didn't think she would do in a long time. She cried. She softly and quietly cried, but she cried trying to restrain it. She was so preoccupied with the painful feeling of her loneliness that she failed to notice the smell in the air. She jumped when she heard the door open up.

"Tigress?"

"PO!" She exclaimed, rubbing her eyes. "Don't scare me like that Po!"

"Sorry," Po shrank back a bit. He was facing her back, so he couldn't see her face. "I thought I could bring you some soup I made."

"Sure yes," Tigress said quickly waving him off, "Just leave it at the door." Po noticed the anger in her voice, but he chose to ignore it. He walked over to her, sat right next to her, and gave her the soup. "I said just leave it at the door."

"I know, but you've been alone for the whole day and I think you need some company," Po said with a smile. Tigress groaned.

"Po, I was meditating," Tigress replied.

"No, you weren't," Po answered calmly. "Otherwise, you would have heard me coming and you wouldn't have been scared."

"I wasn't scared."

"But you said-"

"I was...startled," Tigress replied. Po rolled his eyes as he gave her the soup. "Thanks."

"You know, you have to worry less about your 'strong hardcore' reputation. You work harder and train harder than anybody else I know. You really need to learn to let your muscles, say it with me, relax," Po said jokingly.

"I know how to relax. That's why I was meditating," Tigress replied.

"I know, but you need to get out more with your friends and partners. It's not good for you to stay here for this long. It'll become depressing," Po warned. Tigress's ears perked up. She was careful not to look at Po.

"Explain." She already knew but she wanted to know what Po had to say.

"Well, you begin to notice how alone you are and you begin to become very sad," Po said.

"And you've experienced this?"

"Oh, a lot of times. It's hard being the only panda in the area. You have the Furious Five and Shifu but back then, I only had my father and he wasn't always there," Po said eating his soup.

"I'm... I'm sorry that happened," Tigress said slowly eating her soup.

"It's all in the past. I'm just glad I'm with you guys," Po smiled at her. Tigress glanced at Po and smiled just a hint. That was her mistake. "Tigress? Your eyes are red." She quickly looked down at the ground.

"My pupils have always been-"

"No, I mean it looks like you've been crying," Po clarified.

"Well, I haven't," Tigress shot back. Po was silent for a moment, but he continued to look at Tigress.

"You let it get to you, didn't you," Po said.

"Let what get to me?" Tigress asked.

"The loneliness," Po answered. Tigress's head snapped towards him. She had been seen through.

"How... how did you know," Tigress asked. Po scootched closer to her and carefully looked at her eyes, putting his hand on her cheek

"I know those kinds of tears. I know them well," Po said. He unconsciously caressed her cheek. Tigress snatched herself from the caring hand and looked stubbornly at the ground. "It's okay," Po said, guiding her head back towards his. "I won't tell anyone." Before Po knew it, Tigress flung her arms around his neck. She hugged him tightly and trembled, trying to control herself. "It's okay," Po said, rubbing her back.

"I'm sorry, Po," Tigress sobbed. "I'm sorry for pushing you away. You were right. I am so lonely."

"Don't worry, you've got friends," Po said.

"That's not the point," Tigress said, releasing him from the hug and rubbing her eyes. "One day, you'll be gone off to another place, the Furious Five will go their separate ways and I'll be left alone." Po lifted her chin.

"Hey, I'm not going anywhere," Po said seriously.

"You can't guarantee that," Tigress said in remorse.

"I'll fight for it then. You're never alone, Tigress. You're never alone." Po smiled. He kissed her on the head for comfort, but Tigress retracted back shocked. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. I just..." Tigress tackled Po on his back and kissed him on the lips. She was going to make sure he didn't leave her. She quickly bit him on the neck and kissed him again. Po lost himself in the kiss. After they kissed, Po was immensely confused. "Tigress," He said in an asking voice.

"I'm sorry Po. It's just... I love you," Tigress said.

"I love you too." Po replied, pecking her on the lips. "but why did you bite me," Po said, rubbing the bruised area.

"It's a mark. To make sure that the cats and other females that come to town know that you're taken."

"All this because you don't want to be alone?" Po asked. Tigress nodded, feeling a tad bit ashamed. "Good," Po replied, lifting her spirits. "Because I'm not leaving."

"You never do," Tigress smirked.

About three years later, rice was thrown into the air. The cheers and applauds from friends and family echoed all through the town as Po slipped the ring onto Tigress's finger. Tigress wrapped her arms around Po's neck and kissed him. As they parted, Po whispered, "See, you'll never be alone."

"With you around, I know that for sure," Tigress whispered back. And they shared another kiss under the cheering and applauds.

The end.