Chapter Text
A Visit Home
Chapter One: The Invitation
It was a beautiful autumn day. The air had crisp, refreshing coolness, but the sun was shining. Aden was sitting, rocking on his front porch while sipping a lovely jasmine tea while enjoying his hilltop view overlooking the Valley of Peace.
Though even more wonderful than the vista was his stunning wife Tigress and their young adopted daughter Vera. They were training. Tigress' movement was like deadly poetry in motion, and Vera was starting to develop some skills herself!
Usually Aden would be training right there with them, but today's lesson made heavy use of claws, which was something he couldn't help with. Still, any day with his family was a day well spent!
"Hey, Lyric! Tigress!" A familiar, if out of breath voice called out from the road.
"Po!" Aden exclaimed with a grin, leaping out of his seat.
"Uncle Po!" Squealed Vera, running across the yard toward the panda.
"Good afternoon, Master Po!" Tigress greeted with a smile of her own.
"Seriously... huff... do you guys really have to... puff... live all the way at the top of the mountain!"
"Turn around and look at the view, and then ask that question!" Aden replied with a chuckle.
"I just want to know how it is you can perform acrobatic kung fu all day long without any issue, but a little hill takes the wind right out of you!" Tigress said with an amused smirk.
"Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up!" Po retorted before Vera tackled him with a big hug. The winded panda teetered on the spot for a moment before toppling backwards with a thud!
"Alright, let's get you inside and something in your belly!" At the mention of food, Po's ears perked up.
"You never change," Tigress said with a chuckle, also approaching to help him up.
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While Aden and Tigress helped Po inside, Vera got to work getting together some tea and a pile of dumplings. They watched in awe as Po downed the food at a pace that never failed to impress, and always made Vera laugh!
"Ah, that was good. Thanks!" He said when he had finished.
"You're welcome," Tigress murmured, blinking rapidly after the display of gluttony.
"So, what brings you all the way up here?" Asked Aden when he'd recovered from his own awe. Po grinned.
"Something that me and Master Shifu have been working on for a while..." he replied, leering cryptically.
"Alright, what is it?"
"You're gonna have to wait until tomorrow. He wants you to meet us at the Jade Palace at noon tomorrow." Po suddenly rubbed the back of his neck bashfully. "I was personally sent because he thought I need the exercise," he mumbled and the family laughed. Dragon warrior or not, Shifu was still senior master!
After the laughter died down, the room was quiet as Aden and Tigress started to wonder what Master Shifu could be planning.
"Anyway, I should get going if I'm gonna make it back before dark," Po said, pulling them from their thoughts. “Thanks for the tea and dumplings!”
"It was nice to see you again, Master Po," Tigress said as we all got up. Vera ran up and gave the panda a hug, then Tigress, Aden, and Po bowed respectfully to each other before the Dragon Warrior left.
The rest of the evening went by normally, even though the next day was at the forefront of everyone's thoughts.
Later that night, like most nights, Aden told Vera a story while playing his guitar. The story of the evening was of when he defeated Bang the boar. It was one of her favorites. Tigress listened from the doorway as it was one of hers too, especially the ending! Aden had long since developed a storytelling style accompanied by music and light, punctuating the tale with a dramatic flair that had captivated many audiences over the years.
After the story was done and their daughter went to sleep, Aden and Tigress went to bed too.
"So what do you think Master Shifu is planning?" Asked Tigress as she snuggled up to her husband, her fur soft against his bare chest.
"I dunno, beats me. I guess we'll find out tomorrow."
"I guess so."
Aden pulled her closer and was quickly lulled to sleep by the soothing rumble of his wife's gentle purring.