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Tigress tapped her paw on the table, the rough wooden grain against worn calloused paw pads, a familiar feeling. The ever familiar voices of her friends surrounded her, as well as the Dragon Warriors famous cooking. Crane and Monkey were sitting across from her at the table, a game of checkers set out in front of them (Crane was losing terribly, that was one thing he would never be good at.) Mantis perched up on the tip of Crane's hat, 'helping' (yelling vague threats, really,) Crane to make his next moves. Po moved skillfully around the kitchen, Viper hanging off his shoulder.
Tigress leaned back in her chair, watching as Crane finally made his move, shuffling a small piece across the board with the tip of his beak. Monkey quickly responded by taking three of Crane's pieces, leaving the bird in turmoil, before he rested his head in his hand, gazing out the wide open windows.
"Hey," He spoke, his eyes squinting in confusion. "Where is Master Shifu? I have not seen him all evening."
Viper abandoned her spot on Po's shoulder, draping herself across the back of a wooden chair. "It isn't like him to miss dinner, especially Po's cooking."
"I'm sure he's fine! Though, Vi is right, we should not eat without him. He would end us all, he loves dumplings." Po said, turning from where he was standing, a mixing bowl cradled in his arms. Monkey laughed, and Tigress cracked a smile.
"I will go find him," Tigress said, as she stood. She stretched her paws above her head, feeling her bones pop- she had been sitting for far too long. "It is late, I doubt he has gone far."
She took in a deep breath as the cold stone floor hit her paw pads as she left the kitchen, an ever familiar feeling that reminded her far more of her childhood then it should. Late nights were, as a kitten in a new big and open palace, scary. So, she would leave her room and seek out her father, wandering the Jade Palace until she found him. More often than not she was welcomed to curl up on the foot of Shifu's (or on one rare occasion, Oogways,) bed roll to sleep, a small bunny stuffed pet cradled in her tiny paws.
Light spilled out from the kitchen into the hall, lighting her way all the way to the foyer. Pulling a lantern from its hook near the door, and she didn't have to look twice to realize one was already gone.
Tigress pushed open the massive huanghuali wood doors, sneaking out through the right side, before letting them fall shut behind her. She did not need to look far before she spotted her father, standing at the top of the thousand stairs, cane held in his hand, a gentle smile on his face. His tail moved softly back and forth, a constant habit of movement he had sense long before Tigress had even known him, soft white and faded orange fur brushed the dirt and dust around on the ground.
Tigress did not hesitate to take a few steps further, joining him where he stood. Lights of the village reached her eyes, gleaming in all their glory. As she looked down on the magnificence of the village, she knew someone else down there was looking up at the Jade Palace in all the same way.
If she truly strained her ears, she might be able to hear the chatter coming from Mr. Pings restaurant, ever popular even late at night.
Shifu adjusted the lantern he was holding to hang from the branched end of his staff, and Tigress smiled softly. The staff, despite her knowing it as Master Oogways for most of her life, truly fit her father. As much as it was a walking aid, it was a weapon and a decoration to his dramatics all the same.
“Come, child.”
Tigress didn't argue, she truly had nowhere to be. Po would not be finished cooking for near another hour, and she was growing bored of watching Crane lose at checkers far too many times over.
She squinted into the inky black night, and followed her Master with nothing but their shared lanterns to guide them. The wind was moving their fur gently, she could hear her father's ears twitching back and forth, from the corner of her eye she could see his ever present limp affect his walking- a familiar motion where he leaned further into his cane then he ever did his left foot.
She continued to follow his path, however opted to gaze out onto the valley as they walked, only stopping when her foot hit something. Looking down she quickly realized they were at the sacred peach tree, many peaches present (and some underfoot) she quickly side stepped, careful to not squish it completely. The animals could have it, now when she did not wish to.
Shifu had sat, his lantern now hanging from a low branch, his staff leaning against the tree itself. His bad leg was stretched out, so as not to hurt, with his hands clasped in his lap. His tail curled around his own waist, his ears were angled slightly down.
Was. . . Something wrong?
Tigress knew her father, and therefore she also knew how much of his emption was conveyed through his body language- namely his tail and ears.
Tigress sat down next to him, pulling a flower gently from the ground and twirling it between her fingers- she could never quite sit still, she had always preferred to hold something.
Shifu smiled softly, clasping the remaining half of the flower stem in his hands, letting golden glowing light flow from his body into the flower. When he pulled away, more flowers existed then before, littering the ground where there was only a single one.
Tigress smiled down at the patch of wildlife- Chi magic was truly a wonderful thing, and Master Shifu had mastered it much faster and better as any of his students did (besides Po, much to Shifu's own dismay.)
Tigress took a deep breath and opened her mouth, “Father?” Her own voice sounded nearly foreign, she still struggled with calling her master ‘father' even after spending her life so desperately wanting to. “Will you be joining us for dinner?
Shifu remained silent for all of thirty seconds, before his voice broke the quiet night air. “Not this time, I think.”
Tigress watched him- something gnawed at her.
Something was not right.
Shifu took a deep breath, he smiled softly at the ground, his hands twisted in his lap, his ears flicking downward just a little more. He echoed words that had broken him not even ten years ago, spoken by his own master under the very same tree.
“I believe my time has come.”
Tigress felt her heart stop beating, her voice and breath trapped in her own body.
What?
Tigress felt as though she was stuck to the ground, a part of roots holding a tree to the earth. She could only bring herself to swallow heavily, the silence in the night air felt constricting. Tears beaded in her eyes, she tried desperately to hold them back and not make a sound.
Shifu looked at her, knoticing the weak expression on her face and the tears in her eyes. He smiled softly, moving to sit closer to her, holding her soft fuzzy paw in his small hand.
Tigress’s voice came back to her, a small broken weak whisper was all that she could muster, “ Why?”
Shifu sighed, a small worried smile in his face, though in his eyes Tigress could easily see hope.
“I have done everything I want to here in life; in the mortal realm.” He looked off towards the village, his tail brushed the ground behind him. “I have mastered Kung Fu, Chi, teaching, found inner peace, raised two children, am grandmaster of the Jade Palace and known as the greatest teacher in all of China. . . There is nothing left for me here, child.”
Tigress’s brow furrowed, she shook her head. “No, there- there must be more, I'm sure of it!
“Tigress." He looked back to her, mouth still drawn into a small smile. “There is more. Much more. Though it is simply. . Not here. Only the Spirit Realm can offer me what is next.”
Tigress slowly shut her mouth, and nodded sharply. Her tail curled around herself from the back, she held her Masters hand just a little tighter. Almost not willing to let go.
"I'm an old man, Tigress, we both know this." Shifu chuckled lightly, and Tigress cracked a small weak smile. "I was never meant to live for centuries as Oogway had. I never wanted to, either.”
Tigress nodded. She had known this, she had always known this. Shifu was a Red Panda, he was certainly not expected to carry out the same lifespan that the previous Grandmaster had; and yet, something about the idea of her father being gone ? It pulled at her sharply, foreign, invasive and unwelcome, like a weed that was not meant to be in a garden of flowers.
Yet, hee voice carried on without her mind catching up.
“I understand.”
And she did. As much as she wished she didn't have to.
“I knew you would. You are a smart girl. That is why,” Shifu paused and turned around, grabbing his staff from where it had been leaning against the tree, and passed it into Tigress's paw. "This is for you.”
He let out a small sharp sigh, though not an unhappy one. “Now, I know some people will be upset that I didn't give this to Po, but I want you to be the next Grandmaster of the Jade Palace.” He closed Tigress's paw around it, allowing his hand to linger on top of hers. “I have known you since you were just a little girl, and I trust you with this, more than I could trust anyone else."
Tigress gripped the long familiar staff as hard as she could, her hands shaking, she shook her head, looking back up at her father. "No I- I can't take this, Master, i'm not the Dragon Warrior-"
Shifu cut her off swiftly, spare hand raising to silence her. "No, you're right, you're not the dragon warrior.” His hand fell back down, clasping hers in his own, the staff faling to her lap.
“That is why I give this to you. Po- he has his own troubles to deal with, his own destiny to follow and his own successor to train, but you? You on the other hand, you're perfect for this. You have done everything your whole life to protect the Palace, you know it like the back of your paw and it has been your home much longer than it has been Po's. So, now I want you to take it."
He looked around as the wind picked up again, blowing in his hair, making the petals fall from the tree. He stood, brushing off his familiar jade green robes. “You will do well.”
Tigress stood with him, the Staff of Wisdom held in her left paw tightly.
What was she supposed to say? A thank you didn't seem like enough, and yet no other words came to mind. All she could muster was a nod, and an echo of his words, “I will.”
Shifu smiled wide, turned, and held open his arms. His ears were flat against his head, yet his eyes spoke nothing but encouragement.
<p>Tigress crashed into her father, holding her arms around him as right as she could. His hand gently pet through her fur, his tail wrapping around hers, and Tigress could've sword they stood there for hours. He took a step back and held her face in his hands,, brushing tears away with his thumbs.
Tigress never liked crying. He knew that.
“You are the best daughter that i could've asked for.” His words were whispered. “Thank you for being in my life. Tell the others the same, of course.” His hands left her face and she squeezed her eyes shut, and when she opened them again, he was gone.
Just like that, he was gone . Nothing but petals remained.
Tigress sat there, watching the flowers fall, she held out her palm to catch a few, holding them close to her heart.
Tigress sighed and stood back up, hooked her lantern onto the end of what was now her staff, just as its previous owners had. Though she knew the candle would burn out, she left her father's lantern hanging under the tree, a light in case he ever lost his way home.
Her body felt heavy as she started to move, her clothes felt as though she had taken a dive into a river. Heavy, holding her down, she felt like she was drowning.
The walk back seemed like it lasted for hours.
Tigress pushed open the familiar doors again, wood worn down right where she put her paw. Warm light and smells of food, miscellaneous books, scrolls and candles laying around the Jade Palace bunking house- it was though the place never changed. She spared a glance towards the living area, to the couch that her father would sit on and read every night, his book awaiting him on the side table.
Her heart hurt.
Before she knew it she was standing in the kitchen doorway, no different then when she had left it. Smiling faces and laughter, a warm atmosphere that she now desperately wished to be a part of.
Their smiles faded as soon as they saw Tigress's tear stained face, a rare sight, her hand gripping Shifu's staff, and a fistful of light petals held close to her chest.
And they knew.
Po was the first to jump up, dropping a plate of dumplings on the floor and the plate shattering- the glass seemed to slice the atmosphere, and Tigress dropped to her knees. Before Tigress could form another thought, she felt arms, paws and wings all around her, holding her tight as her sobs ripped through the cold night air at the Jade Palace.
Tigress took a deep breath and ran her paws down her chest, smoothing out the bright green robes. Jade Green, a color only permitted to be worn by the Grandmaster of the Jade Palace.
She turned, looking at her new clothes from all angles, staff in hand. All of her clothes supported new green elements, delicate green embroidery or patches- but this outfit was far more special.
Formation robes, only to be worn today. She was officially getting sworn in as the third Grandmaster of the Jade Palace. She had a lot to live up to- with her first predecessor being Master Oogway himself, the very inventor of Kung Fu and possibly the greatest mind in all of China, or ever, and of course Master Shifu being her immediate predecessor.
He had left a massive mark upon the Valley and the people of the Palace, his death had hit people hard- Oogway had been alive for so long that most of the valley naturally assumed that Shifu would outlive most of them as well; for or him to pass within the same decade, well, it was hard.
For Tigress especially.
The people of the Jade Palace were lost without Shifu, they were closer to him then they ever had been with Oogway or any of the Palace staff members. To lose their Master, and in Tigress's case, her father; it took a toll on all of them.
It had been two months of simply surviving, finding their own without him (which was much more difficult then they had anticipated, the Kung Fu Masters of the Palace had no idea how much Shifu did for them that they didn't know about) but they were finally able to stand on their feet again.
And, so, it was time for Tigress to officially become the Grandmaster of the Jade Palace.
Tigress had moved into the Grandmaster quarters, her father's old room. The room was full of his presence, from fur sticking to the floor to the robes hung in the closet. Her favorite part, however, was a small photo he had tucked into the corner of a mirror hanging on the wall near the door.
The photo was old and worn, edges torn and a small smudge on the charcoal. Displayed in the drawing was herself (though much younger, she remembered posing for this as a kitten, eager to see the final result.) Master Shifu, a smile on his face, a cane in one hand and his other hand on his students shoulder, wns next to him stood Master Oogway, staff in hand.
She remembered how Shifu had to tell her over and over to stand still, Oogway's warm laugh in her ear.
Tigress brushed a paw pad over the frame, smiling. Her door creaked open, and Crane peaked his head in, Mantis hanging off his straw hat.
“You ready?” Crane's voice was excited but also anxious- he had always hated large crowds and loud noises, he was more than excited for this day to end. A playful smirk appeared on Mantis's face and he quickly bowed, hands together in respect, “Grandmaster Tigress.” his voice held mock respect, though Tigress could tell it was all fun and games.
“Yeah,” Tigress spared one last glance at the photo before following her fellow Masters out of the room, joining the rest of her Palace family. “I am.”