The Ticking Contingent: The Countdown vo.2

Trouble abrewing

Back at the Jade Palace, the masters and Zhen worked on their training with Po and then retreated back for lunch. While there, a messenger came for Po from Mrs. Jun to remind him about the second meeting with Master Croc and Master Sheep in order to trade artifacts and discuss a new display for Master Unveroou who had just recently passed away. (They were still figuring out which province to set the statue since he had helped so many). Mrs. Jun was heading to lunch with a new friend she had made and she wanted to make sure Po was full informed of his schedule before heading out. Po was, of course, excited, though his mind was still a bit preoccupied with his fight with Tigress. Zhen, still feeling bad about ditching the meeting when Po offered the first time, told him she would be okay with sitting in on the next one, especially since it seemed smaller than the first one. Po was excited about that and told her that it was fine. By the afternoon, Po, the five, and Zhen were sitting around a small table to greet the two masters as the others were busy prepping to head home and hear what the arrangements would be. 

"This must be your new student," Croc noted upon seeing Zhen who simply bowed. Noticing the nervous expression on her face, he gave her an assuring look and promise that there was to be no awkwardness.

"I used to be part of a criminal gang myself," he told her. "And I know turning over a new leaf can be difficult. Fortunately I had a very patient master." 

"Yeah, Po gets kinda' snippy with me, but I honestly kinda' deserve it," Zhen admitted. "I gave him a run for it for a couple of weeks."

Master Croc chuckled. "Sounds me and Ox the first two years," he reminisced. "I gave him such a hard time.... I hid his favorite shirt for a month just because I thought it would be funny." 

Zhen started laughing and told him a few things she did when she first came to the Jade Palace, but Sheep interrupted the two in order to get to the matter on hand. Croc apologized and had everyone sit down around the table in order to get matters straightened out. Zhen didn't say much as Po and the Five were more familiar with the recently deceased master and had more input to offer them about decisions. She was immensely curious about the different artifacts that the masters were trading with each other since the only one she was familiar with was the shift stone Po had used earlier to capture her a month and a half earlier. She took particular interested in the Orb of Dismay which was kept safe in a reinforced glass box with iron pillars covered in gold. 

As the masters talked and bounced ideas back and forth, Po's thoughts wandered back to Tigress for a bit, going over in his head about what he was going to say to apologize to her about the fight. The masters could tell he was a bit distracted and often had to pull him out of his thoughts in order to get him to concentrate on the meeting. When it finally ended, Po apologized for the inattentiveness and then quickly ran out of the Sacred Hall of Warriors to find Tigress. 

"Where is Master Tigress?" Croc asked in surprise. "It's not like her to skip an important meeting." 

"We don't know," Viper admitted. "She left the Jade Palace early  this morning to blow off some steam and we haven't seen her since then."

"You know, she might have gone to see Shifu," Crane considered. "He lives pretty far out, so she might be walking back." 

"Oh. Yeah, that would make sense." 

"Does it have anything to do with the nasty mark on Master Po's face?" Sheep asked worriedly. "I didn't want to ask, but the bandage tells me it's a recent injury."

"Tigress and Po did some sparring," Zhen answered before the other masters could. "But I think she was frustrated about something beforehand, so she accidentally hurt him. Hence the alone sparring." 

"Ah. I see. Makes sense. I've met with tiger masters before, more in the southern regions. They do quite a bit of meditating before fights, I noticed. That must be why." 

"That and Tigress has a naturally fiery disposition," Monkey added. 

Crane nudged him and shot him a warning look to keep him from saying anything too personal about the master. 

Po decided to check the iron wood trees around the Jade Palace for Tigress, but when he didn't see her there, he decided to go through the village and take the long way around to the road that led to Shifu's house. He didn't have to do much searching though since, as he reached the village's center, he saw Tigress walking through a crowd of people, casually waving to anyone who got too close. Lei-Lei, seeing her from the front porch of the children's home she was staying at, immediately pushed through the crowd and hugged her leg. 

"Easy, kiddo," Tigress said with a laugh, gently pulling her off. "Impressive tackle, but let's do that another day."

She glanced up at Po who immediately let out a sheepish wave. "Hey," he said. "I...uh...."

"Was looking for me?" 

"Yeah." 

Tigress pushed through the crowd of people and walked over to Po, asking Po to walk to the stairs with her so they could talk. She had stuff to say. Po was a little nervous, but when they reached the stairs, Tigress simply said, "I'm sorry about yesterday. How's the scratch?" 

"Oh. Uh...it's okay. Still healing. You got me really good." 

"I know. I'm sorry about that. I...was just frustrated. That's all." 

"Hey, don't worry about it. I'm sorry too. I've just had a lot on my plate lately, and I was worried about you guys leaving. But...I did some thinking yesterday, and...I realized that I wouldn't be the first master to defend people without students. I mean, Oogway did it. Right?"

Tigress smirked. "You're just realizing this?" she asked jokingly. 

"Well...yes. I guess I've just been so used to you guys being around...I can't see myself being a teacher without you." 

Tigress squeezed his shoulder. "That is one of the sweetest things you have ever said," she told him with a smile. "And I appreciate the compliment, really. But I love a challenge, you know. And as much as I love it here...I know I could help out a lot better somewhere else. Besides, city life is fast paced. I could use the adrenaline." 

"What, iron wood trees aren't hard enough?" Po joked. 

"Easy Po. Let's not go back over that." 

"Right. Sorry." 

The master glanced back down the stairs and asked if Tigress had seen Mrs. Jun, since she still hadn't come back from lunch.

"She was hanging out at one of the cafes with some old rabbit lady I didn't recognize," Tigress admitted. "I don't know if she's new here or just someone I haven't gotten the chance to meet. Though you'd think I would have with all this time." 

"Ah, don't worry. It happens. Sometimes I don't realize people have moved here until I bump into them.  Hey, you know, Master Croc and Master Sheep are still here if you want to say goodbye before they head out."

"Sure. I'd feel bad not show my respects before they leave. I wasn't expecting to be out so long. Just point me in the right direction when we get up there." 

"Will do."