The Stuff of Dreams

Is It Worth the Chase?

"That's amazing!" Crane blurted out. "So you got a job as a corporate editor?" 

"It's more of a large-scale copy editor, but yeah. Viper showed me the ropes and I start after the weekend," Po explained. 

"I'm glad that you managed to get the job, Mr. Po," Tai-Lung said, writing from his desk in front of the class. "But I would say to keep your attention up. No slacking, both on your writing or your job."

"Yes, Mr. Tai-Lung," Po said dutifully. As Crane and Po were walking out the door, the panda suddenly stopped. "Oh! I forgot to give you this." He produced a large bag with packed cooked food. "Mei wanted to give you this." Tai-Lung's eyebrow rose. "Yeah, I don't understand either, but she insisted on it," Po said with a roll of his eyes. "It's okay if you don't like it. She just wanted to give it to you."

"Well... tell her that I'm very grateful for the food," Tai-Lung answered. Po nodded and left with Crane. The snow leopard continued writing, but his eyes drifted to the bag in front of him. He peered inside and saw the immaculate food that she prepared. Cooked beans, fluffy bread with a secret dip, even a small side of dessert. His stomach growled again. "I can finish these papers at home," he said. Pausing for a moment, the spotted feline couldn't stop a bemused snort escape his nose. He didn't need to find an excuse to eat it, why was he coming up with one? 

The next day, Po walked into work with a sky blue button-down dress shirt and black pants. He would be working on the fourth level, above Viper's office. As the panda rode the elevator up, the doors opened to a small hall that split left and right. Po went left and entered the small office suite at the end. The receptionist showed him his office. It was big enough to make a panda feel comfortable. A dark brown shelf behind the sturdy chair, a small desk wide enough for him to fit, and a medium-sized window looking out at the East, toward the high skyscrapers of downtown that pierced the sky with dazzling metals. A large pile of papers laid in an "In" bin on his desk. Po thanked the receptionist and sat down to work. 

The content was a little difficult to interpret at first, but Po managed to correct a lot of the mistakes that were in it. He started at 7:00 am and it was already nine when a knock came at his door. "How are you settling in?" Mrs. Viper said. 

"Oh! Yes, I'm nearly halfway done with these papers. What would I do after this?" Po asked. 

"Well, I still have to tell Mr. Wang that you're officially working here."

"I'm sorry what?"

"You're in the system, don't worry. It's just... Mr. Wang doesn't really know that we have you as an editor," Viper said. Po blinked several times.

"So... I have a job, but I don't have one." 

Viper tittered, "You have one. Don't worry. Mr. Wang is very easy to get along with."

"R-Really?"

"Of course, everyone here likes him," Viper chimed. Po blinked several times. "Okay, there are some people who believe that his passiveness can get in the way, but he's really nice."

"Huh," Po mumbled as Viper slithered off. That was something he didn't expect. Boqin's father being a total tool would be the first thing on his mind. He shook his head. It didn't matter for now. He got through the papers around lunchtime when he decided to eat the lunch Mei gave him. Of course, he had two bags. 

"Do not eat Tai-Lung's bag!" She had shouted. Po couldn't figure out what was going on with her, but he simply shrugged and left it alone. His sister did weirder things like trying to mix two different spices in orange juice to see if it tasted better. Needless to say, she went to the hospital because of that.

Po got up and went to the elevator. Crumbs or juice could spill on his computer... like the other times. Po walked to the elevator and as the door was about to close-

"WAIT!" shouted someone. Po grabbed the door, holding it open, and in rushed the one person he did not expect to see. "Thank you. Oh! It's you." 

"H-H-H-Hi... hello, Mrs... I mean Tigress," Po stuttered. She had a red knitted shawl over her white blouse, and her crimson pencil skirt fitted well. Po jostled his head awake. "Up or down?"

"Down, please. First floor." 

"Right," Po shakily smiled, hitting the button. 

"So you're working here?"

"Ye-Yes. Editor actually."

"Oh!" Though she was surprised, Po couldn't tell whether it was a good or bad thing, "I didn't know we needed one."

"Well... I... might have corrected some of the errors on Viper's papers."

"Oh, that would explain why it's easier to read," Tigress smiled gently. "She normally makes a lot of mistakes around the end of the quarter. Stress." 

"Right," Po quickly answered. He stared at his black leather shoes. "Your outfit looks... lovely." 

The tiger smiled, "There's no reason to be anxious, Po. Everyone's nervous the first day."

"Yeah," Po sighed, glancing at the elevator button. The dream of the tiger came to his mind. In fact, it had been pressing at his mind like a brick on a spider. He looked at Tigress through the corner of his eyes. Come on, say something, Po. There was only one question he thought to ask. "Could I... ask you a question?" Tigress cautiously nodded. "If you were trying to catch, I mean, find something but you didn't know what it was or why you were chasing it, what would you do?" 

She was silent for a moment as the elevator finally reached the bottom. "That's... not something I would have asked."

"I'm sorry if it makes you upset-"

"No, no, I just... that's not usually a question that people ask me."

"What do they ask you?"

"Heh," Tigress lightly chuckled, telling herself a joke. "To answer your question, I don't know. I don't think I would chase something if I didn't know why I was chasing it." They stepped out of the elevator into the spacious lobby. "Why do you ask?" 

Po scratched the side of his face. "I knew you were smart so I figured that you have a solution I could use." 

Tigress smirked, "I didn't think you would compliment someone so easily."

"What do you mean? I'm just telling the truth," Po said, confused.

"Thank you, Mr. Po. I'm glad you're a part of our corporation."

"Thank you for choosing me," Po said brightly, but then he narrowed his eyes as his smile disappeared. "But why did you choose me?" Tigress's lips curled into the slyest small smile that Po had ever seen. Her eyes, half-lidded and full of mischievous glint, could see right through him.

"I heard good stories about you from the employees. And I knew the lies that Boqin told me about you were wrong," She said. "Besides, there was just... something that told me you would be a good choice. I'm glad I was right." Tigress turned around and walked out the door, saying, "Goodbye, Po."

"G-Goodbye," Po sighed, grinning. For whatever reason, he felt closer to his goal, which was part of the problem. What was his goal? Just to date the woman that looks like the mysterious tiger in his dreams sounded ridiculously shallow. Po frowned as he sat down in the lobby chair. Tigress had a point. He had to figure out what his ACTUAL goal was or stop chasing it. 

Growllll!

But right now, he needed to eat. His stomach was growling. 

To Be continued...