WARNING, WARNING THIS IS NOT A DRILL I REPEAT THIS IS NOT A DRILL.

An update?! HI, miss me? i miss me too. wow what a year and something so many things happen and at the same time...nothing has. Thought you'd never see me again? well i'm still here baby! how about that. hope you guys are having a good time. I'm...wow not having a fun time BUT i finally found time to do this and i love it. i'm getting back in the game baby and i have special news...WE HAVE A COVER! YES i love it and i'm so glad about it as well. thank you for the awesome cover and the fanfic of this fanfic Today is a gift. He's an avid supporter of Tuzi as a contestant and wow. frankly i blush for that, it's a small group but they are out there. *grabs pompoms* Tuzi, Tuzi go,go. He draws AMAZAH link to his dev page (cant spell devi...that page) magister-kekko deviantart com. Go take a look at his stuff.

Mantel, robe, food, Gāoguì nodded as she stared at the items before her. The peahen was nervous for touching such uncharted territory but this was what she was trained for her whole life, she was confident she would pull it off without much hard work.

Being raised in a traditional home, Gāoguì could easily pass any wife test thrown her way. She had been formally groomed and molded to fill the perfect wife mold. She could sew, clean, cook and manage house work before she could even seat properly. However now she had been accepted as the dragon warrior's wife and things she knew had to be applied further more. She knew she would have to put on even more effort to proof she could handle being a wife specially since it involved handling the dragon warrior and the Jade Palace under her own wing.

Before everything in her life took a turn for the worst, Gāoguì handled lines of possible suitors that came to ask for her hand in marriage. However, after Shen, suitors had become none existent. Gāoguì hadn't really felt anything for the suitors but according to her own family none had seem to fill the role of proper husband that would carry the name, making Gāoguì reach an age where not even her youth could save her as a prospective wife. After the suitors dissipated, her family had tried to pick up the pieces with no success, she was an old unmarried peahen with no future. Then everything changed as soon as the mark appeared on her back. Suddenly she was the big fuss of the house once more, she was pampered and groomed under the money and title they not longer had.

Gāoguì felt overwhelmed by the sudden change, however it needed to be done, as her father had stated, it was her responsibility to save the family by joining the dragon warrior in marriage and proving them she was superior. She had to marry the dragon warrior. She had to come at top. She would have to dig her family out of the hole they had sunken after her cousin's incident...after...Shen…

Gāoguì startled awake as she heard a knock on her door. She raised her wings from her futon only to notice the dents on it made by her metal feather knives. She sighed and turned to the door, gently she opened it and saw Zeng at the other side. The deliver goose bowed and rose quickly.

"Mistress Gāoguì, the package has been delivered," he said.

Gāoguì smiled and bowed, "Thank you master Zeng."

Zeng bowed and began waddling away. Gāoguì slid her door closed and turned back to her basket and belongings. She reached out for them noticing the metal knives coming out of her wings. She turned her wing and began to pull them out but sighed, picked her things and walked out towards the town.

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Po waited in front of his father's noddle shop in the most exquisite piece of clothing he's ever owned. This morning Zeng -the messenger from the Jade Palace- had arrived with a parcel containing the robe. It was a red robe with black dragon designs across it. Several golden accents across it made the dragons pop as the sun hit them in just the right angle they would show off the complex embroidery of their bodies. Po swallowed hard then held it half way, afraid that any action he took would rip the fabric. He tried to scratch him back side before he remembered he was wearing the matching black pants of the robe. They were the simplest thing of the entire ensemble but still looked and felt like a little too much, for Po at least. Not like he didn't like the entire attire but it was a little too much for just a normal outing.

"Dragon warrior," he heard someone mention. He turned and his eyes grew wide at the peahen.

She had a similar ensemble but with inverted colors. The designs running along the edges were golden with black accents lotus blooms instead of dragons. Po jaw dropped. How long had she worked on both pieces?

"Have you been waiting long?" asked Gāoguì.

Po shook his head slowly as the peahen's eyes grew concerned, "Dragon warrior, are you well?"

Po blinked and nodded enthusiastically, "Yeah, yes. Yes! I'm ok. I just...ahem...didn't suspect we'd dress up this well."

Gāoguì looked down embarrassed, "If the warrior wishes we could revert to any other attire."

Po raised his paws quickly, "No, that's not what I meant. I mean...what do you have there?" He finished pointing at the basket on her wings.

Gāoguì looked startled, "Well I believed master Po would be pleased if I brought snacks for the day."

Po perked at this before looking down, "We're going to do how many things today?"

Gāoguì blinked, "I was expecting to get to know more from the dragon warrior's life?"

Po perked up at this, "You want to listen to my tales?"

Gāoguì smile grew wider, "But of course."

And that was how their date started, Po and Gāoguì walked through different areas of the valley while Po retold his tales of awesomeness while she listened attentively and made proper questions, smiled and seemed genuinely interested in everything he had to say. However as the day drove on Po noticed she was not exactly interested in talking about herself. He had asked but always encountered the subject changed back to him in one way of the other. It was a little bit...frustrating. The point of knowing the blossoms wasn't to brag about his heroics, it was about forming a connection with the ladies and so far...nothing.

By lunch they had both arrived back to the Jade Palace and Po had come up with a brilliant plan. He had suggested they both have lunch in the courtyard under the shade of the trees he had seen her pass so much time before.

"Should I accompany the dragon warrior on his kitchen duties?" she had asked but Po had declined in favor on working on his own.

When he came back, Gāoguì had settled well under the trees. She had prepared the area and was watching as the leaves swayed with the wind. Po approached with caution and settled everything.

"Comfortable?"

Gāoguì blinked quickly and turned to him with a smile, "I am, dragon warrior."

Po placed a plate in front of the peahen and one in front of him. Both got ready and began to eat their lunch slowly while the afternoon moved forward. Po tried to ignite a sort of conversation from Gāoguì to no avail. It was like she was afraid of speaking of herself. He sighed, which got her attention.

"Is everything well dragon warrior?"

Po turned to her and with a serene expression he spoke his mind, "Are you afraid of speaking your mind?"

Gāoguì was taken back by this statement, "Pardon?"

Po lowered his half eaten bowl of noddles and turned to face her, "As much as I like talking about my amazing feats of awesomeness. I'd like to know more about you. I always see you here sitting...lost in thought..."

"Do not worry about that my dragon warrior, however I do not wish to be an inconvenience."

Po laughed, "If any one is an inconvenience in the Jade Palace is me, and I'm here aren't I. I just thought it might have something with the whole...Shen being your cousin. Let me tell you I tried to evade the subject for the longest time but I think it's about time I told you that it's fine and no one blames you for the things he did. If anything, I would have to apologize for what I did to him. I tried to help I did but..."

Gāoguì clenched her wings but she interrupted Po, a first for the panda, this startled Po a little but kinda made him happy that she was finally opening up to him.

"You have nothing to apologize for...It was his fault! He did that to himself! To us! He didn't think about anything! He was a selfish and brute of a ruler and he...it's all his fault!"

Po blinked in surprise at her outburst. He was expecting something just not this much. However as she had her outburst she had stood and the light had caught on her metal feathers. Po's attention fell on them in an instant but now it wasn't the time for those.

"What do you mean it was his fault?"

Gāoguì's eyes grew wide and she took a step back frightened, "I'm sorry."

Po quickly stood and grabbed her wing before she could sprint away, "It's ok. I wanted you to express yourself. I didn't expect it to blow up like that but..."

"It's his fault I'm here...I..I...I hate him."

Po blinked and gently pulled her close to sit next to him as she spoke her mind, "It was always, Gāoguì proper diction, Gāoguì be more polite, Gāoguì think ahead. I was pushed to be the perfect template of what a wife should. I was raised to be the perfect daughter and nothing more. Picture you only being able to do these things and suddenly your crazed up cousin decides to take over China? I went form most desirable wife to the crazy cousin of the guy that tried to rule China."

She sighed and hid her face with her wings, "I went from family jewel to family stuck up. This mark...it's what kept me from being thrown to the gutter by my own family."

Po turned from Gāoguì to the courtyard before him. He was lost in thought as he spoke his next words, "Well...that's something."

Gāoguì turned to him, a curious expression in her face.

"Perhaps you're here for more than just becoming my wife."

Gāoguì still looked puzzled.

"I mean, hear me out, I know it sounds mad but...the son of a noddle maker becoming the dragon warrior can happen to anyone. Even to you. Perhaps you can find something else you like...something that can give you further purpose than just being my wife."

Gāoguì looked at Po as if he had lost his mind, "Isn't the purpose of this tournament to find you a mate?"

Po rolled his eyes, "But you forget I'm the dragon warrior. I also help people, and I want to help you Gāo."

"Gāo?"

"Yes! That's what we gonna do, we gonna help you fit in. That way you can be in the tournament for more than just wanting to be my wife to restore your family's missing honor."

"I never said that."

Po shook his head, "You're the only cautious, try hard blossom of them all."

Gāoguì blushed and allowed Po to pick her up.

"Please Gāo. I don't want to meet the you made for this. I wanna meet the real you."

Gāoguì watched Po's jade eyes for a long while. The words and meaning behind each word easily written on them. She allowed herself to smile a little and nod.

"Whatever you wish dragon warrior."

Po fist bump in triumph, "Yes! This is gonna be awesome."

He quickly picked up the pace and started towards the village with Gāoguì in tow, both a fit of giggles and laughter.

"By the way," he said as they climbed down the stairs. "It's Po."

Gāoguì smiled, "Po."

The quest took longer than expected, to no one's surprise. They tried everything in the village but to no avail. Gāoguì was simply not into many of the things. They tried different things with no results for either Gāoguì or Po. Po wanted Gāoguì to click on something just like he did with kung fu but Gāoguì was just happy to follow anything that she could do on her own. Not to mention that it gave them something to enjoy for the day and she even got to know further the extent of the dragon's warrior affection and devotion to not only kung fu but also to his people.

It was late afternoon that Po and Gāoguì walked into Ping's noodle shop exhausted from the day's journey. Ping watched them from afar as Po watched the scroll on his paws in frustration. Gāoguì kept a close eye on him and gave him a small smile.

"It's ok Po. We tried our best. I guess when you get something so etched in your mind, you can't simply walk away from it."

Po sighed and turned to Gāoguì, "I'm sorry I couldn't help you further."

Gāoguì gave him a small smile, "Hey we can't say we didn't try."

Po slumped on the table, "Well I'm the dragon warrior and when someone needs me I help them."

Gāoguì giggled, "Not entirely true. You did help me, I mean at least now we can talk normally. One step at the time."

Po perked up, "You're right. Perhaps a different tactic is in order?"

Gāoguì rolled her eyes, "Po."

"Alright, alright," said Po rising his arms in surrender. "Geez you make a point."

"I still had fun today Po. Thank you." said Gāoguì leaning to try and reach the panda's paw.

Po gave in and leaned in, his paw making contact with the metal feathers on her wing. Po watched them for a moment as his father brought in a bowl of rice for both of them.

"Sides are coming right up," he said waddling back.

"Thank you Mr. Ping," said Gāoguì.

Mr. Ping nodded and continued on his way to bring back the rest of the meal, however as he did that a noise came from the outside. Gāoguì and Po turned to it and saw a crowd gathering to where the noise was coming from.

Po's eyes grew wide as realization dawned on him.

"Song!" he exclaimed. "She and the ladies of the shade come every night to entertain the people of the valley."

"I know," said Gāoguì. "I've seen them train constantly."

Po thought for a second, "Oh right."

Gāoguì nodded as Po perked up, "Wanna go see em?"

Gāoguì blinked in surprise, "Well… what about the food?"

"We can get something later, let's go."

"Hey son where are you going?" asked Li as Po and Gāoguì rushed out of the restaurant.

"Hey dad no time gotta go see Song we'll come by later for the food." he said disappearing through the crowd.

"Where's Po going?" asked Ping as he watched Po go.

"They are going to see Song?" replied Li.

Ping turned to the food and sighed, "That boy."

"At least he's having fun," chuckled Li.

Po and Gāoguì made their way through the crowd all the way to where the ladies of the shade were. They made it just in time as the ladies had just started their routine. Po and Gāoguì remained in place as the ladies danced and twirled in a similar fashion to when they came to the village. It was as hypnotizing as the first time every time you saw them dance, at least Gāoguì thought so. She was so captivated by performance she didn't notice the eyes of Po drift towards her. He gave a small mischievous smile and turned to the ladies. He knew he stood up too much to not be noticed. So when Song caught his eyes he gestured at Gāoguì and Song understood.

With ease the dance continued however as the ladies moved Gāoguì frowned never seeing that part of their routine before. They seem to have an air of laughter to it but it went unnoticed by the peahen until it was too late. Suddenly an umbrella was in her wing and was in the middle of the ladies of the shade. She panicked but saw Po in the crowd starring back at her. His eyes spoke a million words and she understood all of them.

Taking a deep breath Gāoguì let herself go. She knew the dance she could pull it off, at least she hoped so. She knew the dance but she hadn't practiced it so she might screw up at times but as the dance continued, Gāoguì felt truly free and content. Her movements tho awkward always landed gracefully and right. It was as if she was made for this, her one true calling.

"You knew about this?" asked Song as she watched Gāoguì dancing around the ladies of the shade.

"Not really," replied Po. "But I have seen her watching you guys dance before, it was about time she let herself loose."

Song nodded and turned back to her ladies. She saw Gāoguì in the middle looking like she belonged. She looked great, if only she wasn't so stubborn she could find a place among the ladies and moved even further in her own life.

The crowd watched in awe as the peahen led the ladies into the dance. Song noticed, Po noticed, the ladies noticed, everyone noticed except for the peahen who kept dancing to her hearts content without a worry in the world until the dance came to an end and the crowd went wild.

"That was amazing!" mentioned the peahen as the dragon warrior and her walked back to the Jade Palace. "It was indeed as fun and wonderful as I ever imagined. I have to thank Song when I see her...and I guess...thank you too Po."

"Me? Why me?" said Po.

Gāoguì shoved the panda a little, "You know what I mean."

Po chuckled a little, "Yeah, I do. I wanted to just...give you a moment."

Gāoguì blushed a little and climbed the last flight of stairs with ease, "Well it's getting late. I should be heading back. I already pushed enough boundaries today."

Po however was not done, "Gāoguì."

She turned to the panda and waited with a curious stare. Po walked up to her and stretched his paw in her direction. She easily held her wing towards him. He looked curiously at her feathers but smiled and let them go.

"Good night," he said in a soft voice.

Gāoguì continued to stare into his jade eyes, Po noticed as his mark began to glow but he was certain she wasn't aware of it. However as she reached her back and he saw the orange glow from under her robes he knew she was aware of what was happening.

"Good night...Po."

She then turned and went inside the Jade Palace.

Unaware, both of them, of a figure that watched them from the valley. Her glowing paw began showing traces of red on it, she didn't want to do this but if that's what it took to get to the next step then, so be it.