Big or Little Ears?

By corset-rebellion-follower

Disclaimer: I don't own Kung Fu Panda

--

Chapter 1- Heart of Stone

Tigress sat in full lotus on the floor of the training hall, breathing calmly and smoothly. Usually she would be smashing through wood and sparring with Crane or Monkey, but she liked to take a day off from heavy training every now and then.

"Hi-YAH! Hoi-WAH! YAH! Take that! And this! And some of that!! And how about a little bit more of panda foot! Ha!"

Tigress opened her eyes and looked to the disturbance. Po had entered the training hall and was attacking the Adversary. And being very noisy about it. Tigress took a deep breath and gritted her teeth. Just ignore him, he's just an insignificant other. Focus on inner peace and enlightenment.

"Get ready! You don't got no chance! Ha ha! DIE, DUMMY, DIEEEEEE!!"

Her eyes snapped open. "Do you MIND? I'm trying to meditate, and it's not any easier with you over there, being a NUISANCE!" she yelled.

"Sorry," Po whispered. Tigress could barely hear him, but it was enough for her. She loosened her shoulders and took a few deep, calming breaths and closed her eyes again.

"Hey Tigress."

"WHAT is it?" she yelled, opening her eyes again. It was Viper, who slid back a little.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you," she said quietly, beginning to leave.

"Stay, stay, I'm just a little on edge right now. Po's acting like an idiot again," Tigress explained. They turned to where Po was "training". He ran towards the Adversary and jumped on it, causing it to tilt backwards and send Po into the back wall of the training hall.

"OW! I'm ok," he said groggily.

"Yeah, well, he's like that sometimes. But he's an ok guy. And you two get along well most of the time," Viper said supportively.

Tigress sighed. "I know, I just wish he would take training more seriously. Like actually training instead of playing around with that thing. And I definitely wish he would do it more quietly," she groaned.

Viper laughed. "Yeah. He is a little goofy sometimes. Like how he's always muttering, 'see the cookie, want the cookie,' whenever he does train?" she added.

"And how he always hums 'Camptown Races' right before he wakes up?" Tigress added. They both laughed together.

"And did you ever notice his ears?" Viper asked.

"What do you mean?"

"They just sort of sit there most of the time. I mean, some people's ear's move all the time. Like Master Shifu's," Viper explained. Tigress agreed about that. Shifu's ears were always twitching and turning towards sounds. "So whose ears do you like better? Shifu's big ears or Po's little ones?" Viper asked.

"Why does that matter?" Tigress asked.

"It doesn't. It's just… you know, girl stuff. Talking about makeup, clothes, guys, that kind of thing," Viper explained.

Tigress sighed quietly. She had never been one to be interested in that kind of thing, since she had started training at the tender age of five. She had spent most of her time practicing kicks and combination rather than fussing about her hair and clothes. And before she went to the Jade Palace, many of the little and big girls in the Valley of Peace had made fun of her for her tomboy ways. She just wasn't girly. And when they teased her, she never knew what she had done or said to deserve it.

"I don't know. What does that have to do with anything, anyway?" she asked.

"It doesn't. But it's fun!"

Tigress bit her lip. "Well… if I had to choose… I'm a sucker for big ears," she said. Viper giggled.

"Really? I always thought that Master Shifu's ears were really funny looking," she said.

"I like them. They look so soft, and…" Tigress stopped. A warm blush set across her cheeks.

"Ooh, soft?" Viper asked.

"Well, I… I mean… I just…"

"What's soft?" Both of them jumped. Crane looked at them as if they were crazy. "What are you guys talking about?" he asked.

"Nothing. Why?" Tigress asked quickly.

"No reason. But hey, do either of you feel like your arms are about to fall off?" he asked. Viper glared at him.

"That's not really a problem for me."

He smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, Viper. I just flew up and down the steps to the Jade Palace fifty times."

"All of them?" Viper asked in disbelief.

"Yeah. I'm beat. What about you, Tigress? All your limbs fully attached?" he asked.

"Meditation day. I haven't punched, kicked, destroyed, or jumped off anything all day," she reported.

"Ugh, I wish I had done that. But Master Shifu said that I need to pick up my speed." Viper snickered and glanced back at Tigress at the mention of Shifu, whose blush darkened.

"I don't see why. You're really fast already," Viper said.

Crane chuckled shyly. "Yeah, well, there's always room for improvement." This time it was Tigress who smirked and cast her glance from Crane to Viper.

"I'd better get back to training before Shifu comes down on me and makes me do wing-ups. I'll talk to you at dinner." Crane flew off.

"Well?" Tigress asked.

"I think I like Po's ears better," Viper said pensievely. Tigress rolled her eyes. She would bring up the subject of Crane's and Viper's subtle flirting later. Even I know love when I see it.

"So, since when do you think Master Shifu's ears are soft?" Viper asked, fluttering her eyelashes.

"Oh… I don't know… I just… well, never mind," she stuttered. This is something I'd never thought I'd be discussing.

"Oh, come on! You can tell me!" Viper pressed.

"Well… alright. When I was younger, I might have had a small crush on Master Shifu." Tigress looked at Viper for her reaction.

"Seriously? A crush? On Master Shifu?" Viper asked.

"Well… yeah. I mean, he's my hero. He was cold, and very quiet, but still. Besides, I was young and foolish," Tigress defended.

"Well, I think it's nice to find out that your heart of stone is softening up. I think this is the first time you've ever shown any feeling towards males that wasn't respect or friendship," Viper said quietly. They both watched Po bounce off the Adversary and into the Jade Tortoise. "And maybe some sourness. But sometimes I can't blame you for that."

Tigress grimaced. A heart of stone? Am I really that insensitive to everybody? Tigress made a mental pact with herself to be nicer to everyone, especially Po, who she had been very hard on these past few days. But I guess it matches my stone heart. She got up out of full lotus and left the training hall to get ready for dinner.

A/N: This is my first Kung Fu Panda story, and I'm really excited. And yes, I know what you're thinking, Shifu is way to old to be with anyone in the movie, but if you don't like it, keep your comments to yourself. I mean it! No flames, please! I wouldn't do it to you, so don't do it to me! Besides, I'm almost certain that this is going to end up being Tigress/Po, or Pigress, as I like to call it. And it's definitely Crane/Viper. But seriously guys, review!! I love ya all! Holla!