A Friend Indeed (Kung Fu Panda)

Time and Sands

After Po had finally found a stance where he wouldn't trip over his own feet, the two had started to fall into a rhythm. Po found that he could follow Tigress's movements well enough to keep up at the pace they were going.

"So," Po said, "what exactly did you think of the soup?"

"It was edible," Tigress said, shifting her paws.

Po followed, cringing. "That bad, huh?"

"What? I said it was edible. That means you did your job."

"Well, yeah," Po said, rolling his eyes, "but technically my sandals are edible too. Doesn't mean I'd go out of my way to eat them. Eating something that's just 'edible' means you've ran out of options."

"That's quite the outlook to have."

Po laughed. "Try living with my dad sometime. Actually, no, don't try. The kitchen is crowded enough as is."

Tigress let out a slightly amused huff.

Po looked at the tiger, and smiled at the slight change in her demeanor. "So, are you willing to admit yet that this noodle shop is the best in the valley?" he asked, still following her katas.

"I had one bad experience and one neutral experience thanks to this establishment," Tigress said lightly. "You're going to have to provide better noodles if you want me to admit anything."

Po, on any other day would have been discouraged. Perhaps on some level he was, but something about the exercises, the way he felt his muscles tense and release, made him take the words differently. "Is that a challenge?" He said.

"Only if you can meet it," Tigress said.

"So I guess that means you'll be coming back sometime? Same deal then?" He said. He was starting to pant in exertion. Tigress took that as her cue to leave for the day.

"I suppose we'll find out the next time I run out of options," Tigress said, standing up.

Po shot up and gave a slightly muffled laugh. "Ooo-hoo-hoo, Okay. Fine. I see how it is," he said mock offense.

Oogway was waiting by the counter, playing checkers with Mr. Ping. By the time the two of them were done the sun still hung in the sky, but it was starting to burn orange in the west. Tigress was curt but not impolite in her goodbyes. Oogway gave a bow to Mr. Ping. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ping."

"You too, Oogway," Mr. Ping said, returning the bow.

Po watched the two of them leave, feeling grateful to the both of them. As they left, he noted that the sunset did something interesting to Tigress's fur; the dying sunlight lit her pelt aflame. She looked like a spirit of autumn, all reds and golds.

"So?" Mr. Ping asked. "How did it go? Are they coming back?"

"I'm. . . not really sure. She was kinda vague on it."

Mr. Ping let out a frustrated sigh. "She'd better. This could be a very beneficial business relationship," he said as he started to cook the rest of the waiting orders. "The world runs on connections, Po, business and personal. Never forget that."

Po nodded, and started to observe his dad's cooking with a new intensity. After helping cook and serving tables, Mr. Ping noticed. Clearly, this Kung Shway or whatever it had been called would be a powerful motivator. Hopefully, Po would come to the point that good noodles were their own motivation. Until then, this could be beneficial arrangement for the both of them.

***

Like most days, Master Oogway was looking at her in a way that, while fond, made her feel like she was locked out of the loop. More than that, she didn't like feeling like she was being examined. "What is it Master Oogway?" she eventually asked as they reached the palace steps.