Artist's Comments

I don't put artist's comments at the top unless I'm certain that I think you need to know something prior to reading a fiction.

Apologies in advance for not mentioning all of this sooner, especially for those who were supposed to be given credit as well as the curious.

#1. Why I'm Here was partly inspired by a rumor I had heard prior to actually watching Kung Fu Panda 3, the rumor revolving around Mei-Mei being Po's fiance through betrothal. Much to the relief of my TiPo fanatic side, I can assure you that none of this is actually true, but it was a good kick of inspiration.

#2. Why I'm Here's second piece of inspiration (primarily the basic idea itself) came from another fiction piece: a one-shot titled Almost Wedding, by MasterTigress4444. A little forewarning though - her take on the basic idea revolves more around Tigress, not Po. I did Po simply because of the Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special and how Po acted in that short film - it was a good start for ideas and what to write. If you've seen the short film, you'll understand, and probably have a better idea where this fiction would be going anyway.

Forgive me for saying so, but when you're like me and spent too much time reading fanfiction on a regular basis, your standards on what's good and what sucks becomes a little higher than those who can handle the average one-thousand to about two-thousand in word count one-shots. Don't get me wrong, I've read some fiction pieces that still carry that average word count that are actually good and tear-jerking, but for the others...

I suppose you can say that while I did enjoy MasterTigress4444's take on the idea, and the writing is commendable, I was still bothered by the fact that it was... well... short.

Are all short fictions bad? No

The point is that I wanted more, and I came to the conclusion that if I wanted more, I would have to do it myself.

#3. Why I'm Here's cover page was designed by Wolf-Chalk. The artist was really nice to me and offered to make a cover for this piece after I had gained permission to use her Gongmen's Scars piece for another short story I have, also titled Gongmen's Scars. If you don't believe me, look up Wolf-Chalk on DeviantArt and take it up with the artist.

So now that we have a basic understanding of inspiration and permission, I will not take up anymore of your time for why you originally clicked this link in the first place.

Without further ado - Why I'm Here.

Marriage...
That sacred vow knit together by promise and love...
The passion of the union, and the happiness of the witnesses that would later testify about the holy matrimony. In fact, the passion was in everything about the wedding itself: the decorations, the magic of the neatly lit lanterns, the effort that was put into the feast to later celebrate the new husband and wife, and just sharing the one moment that occurred once but lasted forever.

So was the way of marriage: putting down everything for a significant other, from one's interests to one's very life. It would be as if they had become one being.

Today was no different – everything had been set for the glorious day. Due to the couple themselves, it was all the more promising to be a moment not only remembered in the hearts of the relatives, but in the history of China itself.

Yes, these people were that well-known.
Well, to be more specific, the groom was that well-known across the face of China. Perhaps that's why there were more people than even the relatives knew. Of course the relatives would be there, but within one night's time, the Valley of Peace had become less peaceful due to the sea of faces, the number of people numbering almost in infinity. If one could count the grains of rice in a rice-field, so were the number of people that were intending to be there to see the marriage.

It would be hard enough to get the groom and his bride through the large crowd towards the Jade Palace, but the present circumstances was trying to just let the family through. Out of respect for the groom and bride, the family was going through first, the sea of faces parting for the escort that was leading an all too familiar goose and a great number of pandas behind him.

Strangely enough, the groom had two fathers – the one who had raised him for twenty years, and the biological father who had just found him. By now, both fathers had a goofy, mutual understanding for one another, and had come to accept that they were both his fathers. It only made the situation more tranquil, as neither the adopted or biological father would miss their son's wedding for all of China, and likely the whole world.

Well, at least as tranquil as it could ever be. With as many people that were coming, it might be anything but tranquil – at least until the ceremony actually happens.

The arrangements had long since been decided before this fateful day: just like how he was carried the first time as the Dragon Warrior, it was decided that the bride would be carried in a similar fashion, except there would be more of a flower design and a white veil to cover the bride from the cheering crowd. Long before then, the groom would be waiting for his bride at the top of the stairs inside of the Jade Palace. It was rather strange for a location, but he had insisted that he wanted to be married there – not just because of the serenity that was in the palace due to its jade color, but the memories that he had made there.

Po had decided that he would walk up the stairs to wait for his bride, but coming down would not be the same fashion: after all, they had another seat waiting for the newfound couple once they were married. Due to the previous predicament of trying to get a panda up one thousand steps, it had been decided that not only the bride would be brought up not by geese or pigs (much less bunnies), but by more stronger creatures, such as the gorillas that surpassed pandas in size and, in many cases, strength.

After the defeat of Lord Shen, some of the gorillas had submitted to the authority of China, some even trying to exceed their beginning standards when they tried to start over. Due to this effort, some had won the attention of the palace, and since some of the special guests had greater girth than what they were accustom to, it had been decided that they volunteer for special occasions.

To be at the wedding of the Dragon Warrior, and to carry his bride, that was an honor.

Exactly why the groom was not there yet, no one really knew, but what they did know was that he had to come, and would be there. The only people who knew more than usual was the Furious Five, looking at the groom with worry as he was leaning against the rock, Tigress rubbing his back in comfort as the midnight snack he had just a few hours ago was coming back up his mouth and into the river. No one really wanted to look, and thus didn't, but rubbing the groom-to-be's back was something Tigress had learned from Po's father – a rather common sense thing, but still something she took into consideration in case something like this happened.

The happiness of everyone else's was at an all-time high, but so were the nerves of the groom, and the only ones who were aware of Po's personal predicament was the very five that were with him now.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Viper asked, who had been on the rock Po was leaning against, yet didn't look whenever he gagged up more of his food.

"Don't worry, I'll be-" Po said before hurling up what could have been yesterday's dinner (or lunch), "-fine…"

He even needed a minute to gasp to make up for the air he lost throwing up, not turning around to face the others – just lifting his paw in reassurance as he continued, "Just nervous… that's all."

"Yeah, but normally… you don't throw up when you're nervous," Crane pointed out, "You just… eat a lot… well… more than usual."

"I just overdid it on the breakfast this morning," Po insisted, coughing up what was left in his system and washing his mouth of any of the excess with the river-water that had not been polluted by what had just been delivered from his insides before turning to face his friends with his signature cocky smile, "Even I have a limit with food, but don't you worry about a thing – soon we'll all be laughing about this after I'm… well… you know… with her."

"Married, Po," Tigress corrected, putting a paw of reassurance on his shoulder, "You're going to be married."

"Yeah…" Po agreed nervously, "…M-Married…"

"I just think he's letting his nerves get the best of him," Mantis said rather bluntly, "I mean, your girlfriend is pretty good-looking for a panda."

"Mantis is right," Monkey agreed, "You and Mei-Mei make a cute couple."

"Thanks guys," Po said with a small smile, "I'm just really nervous right now."

"Po," Viper explained in a reassuring manner, "It's perfectly normal to feels this way on your wedding way – just about every groom feels this way, yet are extremely happy that they're getting married to someone they care the most about."

"I wouldn't," Mantis chimed in.

"That's because you haven't been in Po's shoes," Crane remarked, "Besides, your head would be eaten off by then."

"Good point."

"Look, guys," Po reassured, "I'm going to be okay… Viper's right – this happens to everyone who's going to… you know… get married…"

"Just don't throw up when you get to the altar," Monkey reminded him, "And you'll do fine."

Po smiled at his friends, considering himself rather fortunate as he remembered what good friends he had before him. Sure, they didn't necessarily have the best start, but that didn't stop their awesome friendships to develop. Heck, it didn't even stop Master Tigress from obtaining a level of respect for the panda warrior. From when he fell into her life (literally) up until now, Po had improved much, many of those cases involving Tigress – from beating some sense into him (literally) to just mentally getting through him in the words that came out of her mouth.

If there was anyone just as close to him as Mei-Mei (perhaps even closer), it was, in the strangest sense to those who didn't understand their relationship, the Master Tigress.

As everyone was heading back to the Jade Palace to witness the union of Po and Mei-Mei, he mentally stopped himself, realizing that the thought that just went through his head didn't make any sense to him. If the Dragon Warrior would stop fighting and be completely honest with himself, the only person in all of China (except his adopted goose father) who knew him extremely well and took it even better was Tigress. He would even dare to admit to himself that Tigress was probably the most understanding in the whole world, and that was amazing if one were to look at the beginning of their relationship.

Yes, out of all the people to have a rough start, Po and Tigress were the worst. She wasn't the most expressive about how she was really feeling about the panda when he was chosen by Master Oogway to be the Dragon Warrior, but for her, everything seemed to crash the moment she laid her eyes on that panda.

Even after she gave him her respect, and later friendship, everything started to crash, but not in the same way. More than even she would care to admit, there were some moments were it was just too close.

Exactly who thought it was too close more for the other was debatable.
Then again, only one knew so much about how the other was feeling when they thought they had lost them to boundaries they couldn't reach.

Why it was making him frown, he wasn't so sure, but he realized that, in a twisted sense, he felt like he was losing Tigress. No, she wasn't in any physical danger, like they had endured with Tai-Lung, Lord Shen, and Kai, but there was something about the moment that felt threatening, yet he was able to reason with himself that there was nothing to worry about – no one was physically hurt.

Why, then, did his heart ache so much at the thought of being married? Mei-Mei was likeable, and very pretty in her own sense, but something seemed off, like something was added to the noodle soup that ruined the entire flavor, or perhaps a secret ingredient that was bothering him.

Then again, he knew that there was no such thing as a secret ingredient – he had learned that in his first quest as the Dragon Warrior… actually, just his first mission in Kung-Fu altogether.

He had hidden his doubts behind his smile as to not worry his friends. Heck, he was even trying to smile to himself on the inside because he knew what he was doing was right. Everyone approved of their relationship, and even approved of their marriage, so what the heck was bugging him so much?

If only he could answer his own question – he didn't want to ask anyone, least to disappoint the number of people that came far and wide to see this holy union.

Why exactly wasn't he happy? In his head, the only reason why he felt off about this primarily had to do with what was going on in his heart.

He kept pushing it off as butterflies in his stomach, but he was starting to doubt that it was anything but that anymore.

Maybe it was the fact that he had suddenly agreed to this? Sure, he got to know Mei-Mei, but he sincerely doubted that he actually knew her. After all, he was only acquainted with her for what seemed to be a short time before he came to realize the inevitable.

Nonetheless, the debate of off feelings or just his ignorance began to battle with him. It's not like he knew what to do at this point except take a vow, but if there was one thing that was true, it was the fact that Po had come to understand the power of words – the way they can make or break anyone.

Odd, it was words that Po started to remember the most as he walked with his friends through the bamboo forest and to the Jade Palace, glancing at a certain feline as he began to remember words that she had said to him so long ago.

"Po, why are you really out here?"

Where I'm going is without you...