Kung Fu singing part 1

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Part 1

 

Tigress awoke angry, again, at the sound of birds squawking angrily and fleeing the Jade Palace. It was for one reason, and one alone, that these birds always acted so heatedly. Po was singing. Tigress got up, throwing her door aside and marching outside. Po stood beneath the sacred peach tree, singing a tuneless melody out to the rising sun.

“Po!” Tigress said authoritatively over the racket. No effect.

“PO!” Tigress yelled, Po stopped and listened.

“Oh good morning Tigressss!” Po hollered in a sing-song fashion, skipping around the irritated feline.

“Po, stop….PO!” Tigress said, trying to get the skipping bear to hear her.

Tigress barred her teeth and reached out, grabbing the panda and shook him forcefully. “POO!!”

The sound of her voice echoed past the tree, through the mountains, and caused some more birds to scatter.

Po stopped. “Could you stop singing, PLEASE?” Tigress asked rhetorically.

Po was undaunted by the plea, and said “Oh come on Master Tigress. You’re no fun! You should try this, seriously.” he meant that.

“No, Po,” Tigress said, annoyed, “I don’t want to-”

“Ok, then let’s dance!” Po said, putting one hand on Tigress’ waist, since she hadn’t taken her hands off his shoulders yet, the other hand grabbing hers as they turned in circles. First Tigress was abhorred by the quick action of both Po’s hands, but later disgusted by the actual dancing. As Tigress moaned with annoyance as they turned, Po exclaiming the wonders of the art, the rest of the Five climbed the hill and saw the two. Monkey was the first up, and watched the spectacle with a shocked expression. The rest did the same as they joined beside him.

Shifu strode forwards the furthest, and as Viper tried to slither past him, Shifu held up a hand to stop him. “This….must….end….today.” Shifu said, set on stopping Po’s song and dance antics once and for all.

Po hefted Tigress up and swung her, which was a new sensation for Tigress. “Woah!!” She said, at first quite surprised with the dizzying feeling. Po laughed as they did so, and Tigress began to feel a sort of strange pleasure in being swung so.

Tigress yelled with joy, feeling content with this new sensation, which Master Shifu mistook for an urgent cry and yelled, “Dragon Warrior, put her down this instant!!”

The two stopped immediately, noting with shocked expressions the new arrivals to the peach tree grounds. Po practically dropped Tigress, who immediately composed herself and jabbed Po in the stomach. “Don’t ever do that AGAIN, Po!” With an angry expression she stomped off, being followed by the rest of the Five and Shifu, who each in turn looked at the shocked panda. Po sat down as the group left, in a sort of daze over all that had transpired.

 

The day went on uneventfully, with no more singing or dancing from Po. Po ambled, cooked, trained, slept, all those things without much expression. Dinner was silent, each person in their own thoughts.

Shifu cleared his throat, not looking at anyone in particular as he said “there is talk that a winter storm will blow in soon. I would like to spend our training time tomorrow,” he looked up, “whether there is snow on the ground or not, to collect wood for the Palace. The storm may keep us inside.”

There was a murmur of ‘yes master’s. After a few minutes, Viper looked up and said “What sort of dancing would you call your earlier performance, Po?”

Po looked up, completely mortified. “Um, uh, it’s ballroom.” He said sheepishly and quickly, looking at everyone in the room.

“Mmm,” Viper said thoughtfully, “I learned ribbon dancing as a child for my father.”

“Oh, you did?” Po asked, trying to sound interested but worried all the more about Shifu and Tigress’ reactions. Both looked down at their bowls eating.

Viper nodded, swallowing. “I should try it again sometime, it’s been awhile since I performed.”

“Ah huh.” Po said, nodding, but was more thinking of just leaving the table. “I think I’ll be turning in early-” Po said, getting out of his chair.

He was about to go when Tigress, stern-faced, said “Po, a word with you?”

Po looked pale, even more than normal, then he didn’t even try and smile weakly as Tigress got up from the table.

“Outside.” Tigress said steely as they walked towards the door. Po stayed relatively calm until they reached the door. Upon opening it, Po uttered as many excuses as possible.

“Hey, I’m sorry I got carried away, I just went with it, alright? I wasn’t thinking.”

Tigress shoved Po outside. “You never do” she said, then exited, closing the door behind her. Tigress was secretly doing this for theatrics. She actually wanted to talk to Po about dancing.

Po stood a few yards away, down on the courtyard, looking up at Tigress. Night was falling, but it was light enough to see Po clearly. He looked pretty scared. Tigress smirked. She could probably have some fun with that.

“Sit down Po.” Tigress said, sitting on the steps. Po tentatively joined her, twiddling his fingers nervously.

“I wanted to talk to you about your actions this morning.”

Po sat there, awaiting his judgment.

Tigress smiled. “I loved it.” She said calmly, with some softness to her voice.

Po looked at her with a shocked expression, eyes the size of dinner plates. “Huh?” Po asked.

“Po,” Tigress said, rising, “I know I’ve given you little credit as a student here,” she began pacing in a military-like fashion in front of Po, “but I want you to know that I had never danced before in my life, and what you showed me today was quite special.” She looked down at Po while saying ‘quite special’.

“Um, uh,” Po said, unsure of what to do, “I don’t know what to say.”

Tigress took Po’s arm and made him stand. “Don’t say anything, just show me.”

Po looked shocked. “You know,” Tigress said, raising her eyebrows, “that ‘ballroom’ dancing you were talking about it. Now show me, I want to learn.”

Po nodded, still frightened. “Well, um, it’s like this….”

 

A few minutes later the rest of the Five, including Master Shifu (with air of Monkey’s back) were watching the two dance together as snow began to fall around them.

“Po’s actually pretty good.” Crane said.

Viper watched the scene with some level of happiness about her. “I just wish I were the one out there. I’m so jealous of Tigress.”

“Maybe he could teach me something,” Mantis said hopefully.

“What? So you could dance with lady bugs?” Monkey asked, then received a hit to the head from Mantis. Monkey rocked for a moment, then Shifu spoke up.

“Hold still Monkey.” Shifu didn’t look too happy with the scene before him, but not necessarily angry either. More, contemplative, you could say.

As the night wore on, the two kung fu masters outside continued their dancing, long after the other masters politely excused themselves. Things started to draw to a close outside, and Tigress suddenly felt a calming feeling come over her, unlike any she’d ever felt. The dancing they’d had was exhilarating, very upbeat and exciting. Now, as the soft silent snow fell about Tigress, she felt herself being drawn to slow her dance down.

Tigress slowed, Po followed. Tigress slid her hand from Po’s to his shoulder. It was then that Tigress understood. For years she’d been fighting inadequacy, being bitter and jealous of those that were more joyful than her. But here, right now, she was able to see how she needed to change. A smile came to her lips as she thought that maybe it starts with Po, doing what they were right then.

Tigress embraced Po in a hug, who was a little confused, but didn’t say anything either. “Thank you Po.” Tigress said in all sincerity.

Po slowly hugged Tigress. “You’re welcome Tigress.” The two departed then, both thinking their own thoughts.

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Glad you think it's interesting. I had, I think, the whole thing on FA, I'll try to bring it here.