Author note: I own nothing! Sorry for the delay. Though this is probably the longest chapter I've written. Anyway, I've got some family issues an for the past week we've been nearly living in the hospital. I don't know when I'll be able to update again...sorry.

I found a shorter version of lunar rainbow so I put it this chapter.

*The Panda Who Leapt Through Time*

-Mystery of a Lunar Rainbow

All of them were in shock, expect for Oogway who was smiling. This just wasn't possible. It...it couldn't be.

"Tigress?"

The woman in front of them smiled and nodded, removing her hood. It was indeed Tigress. Only…she was different. Her features were softer for one thing...kinder. There was a gentleness in her eyes that seemed so…strange on her. Motherly almost. This Tigress also looked a few years older…and peaceful.

"It's great to see you all again…" Her voice echoed around and sounded distant…yet so close as well.

"Tigress? But…uhhhh…you're…" Shifu looked down at the unconscious tiger on the floor. The rest looked at her too.

It couldn't be…

Luckily, the other Tigress saw what was happening. "Oh, no, no, no. She's okay. Really. She's just…her spirit's not here at the moment. I myself am…well…hehehe…"

The rest of the Five looked at her like she had grown a second head. Tigress never had problems explaining something before…at least not while they were around. Shifu on the other hand was having a little flashback. He hadn't seen Tigress behave this way since….

No…he wouldn't go down that path not now. Too much was already happening. Inner peace…inner peace…inner peace…

"Easy, child. Just start with where—or when—you are from." Oogway smiled glad to see that Tigress would allow herself to be happy again.

"Right. Thank you Grandmaster." She paused to bow. "I…am Tigress. I'm just not from this time…I come from the future. Just five years ahead since this very day actually."

"Yes…but you don't go by Tigress anymore…do you?" Oogway grinned and motioned for her to continue.

Grinning "Tigress" continued. "Right Master. In my time I go by a name someone…special…gave to me. Yuèqiú Hóng."

"Lunar rainbow…whoever gave you this name sees you as the rare beauty you are. I am happy for the life you have found…though I wish we had—or should I say would have been—under different circumstances. Even more so if you're wearing what I think you're wearing under that cloak of yours." Oogway had a sorrowful smile on his face.

A sad look crossed Tigr—Yuèqiú Hóng's face.

"W-what?" Viper asked…still in shock over what this woman in front of them claimed. The others were too, but they still weren't ready to speak. Shifu especially.

Until that moment.

"Whoever you are…show us what you have under your cloak," Shifu hoarsely barked.

Slowly the woman in front of them left the cloak revealing the clothing she had spent her final moments in.

"Oh…my…"

Other than gasps that was all that any of them said.

Sympathy for the tiger in front of them showed on their faces. Even if she hadn't been their friend, the day of her death would have still sickened them.

There, Yuèqiú Hóng stood in front of them in tradition wedding robes.

Kung Fu Panda

"Whoa…" Tigress said, amazed at what she was seeing.

It was her friends and herself…and that panda. There he was after defeating Tai Lung and she bowed to him. There was another with him and her guarding a statue from a group of bandits.

One made her double take, because it included her hugging the panda. Her hugging him. Another showed him hugging her and she didn't kill him…or even maim him.

Tigress felt like she was having a sensory overload. She wasn't just seeing these things she was feeling them. It was like she had experienced all this. She was certain that she didn't, but she kept getting that same felling of déjà vu. So weird…

Then she hit the really impossible vision. They just had to be. There was just no way that this would ever happen.

These contained her and that panda…as a…as…a couple. There were several different visions of them at the noodle shop, in the village, the two of them holding hands and looking at each other lovingly.

Strangely it wasn't the images themselves that disturbed her. No, it was the fact that she felt a yearning for what this panda and this other…Tigress had. She could feel herself wanting to actually be part of these strange visions, not just feel ghost emotions radiating from them. This was so out of character for her.

Another vision caught her attention. It was that panda and herself again. They were just sitting at the base of the Peach tree, talking. They looked really intimate, like they could get a fill just being near each other. She could tell they were connected in a way that two people couldn't reach through physical passion alone. She could tell they loved each very much.

Suddenly the panda stood up, gently pulling her up with him. Then, in a flash, she wasn't observing the lovers, she was now seeing through the other Tigress' eyes. It felt so strange—surreal even. Yet, it felt…right. A sense of security and peace washed over Tigress.

Then, the panda got down on one knee and asked Tigress something she felt certain she would never hear directed at her. At, least she was certain of it before this panda came into her life.

"Will you marry me?" the panda looked so humble, meek even. Yet, she could see a world of promises in his eyes. As lame and cliché as it may sound, she felt she could just live completely content staring into his eyes.

Strangely, she found she wasn't really as mad as before that he had quite literally dropped in on her life. She felt content about it, peaceful even.

Kung Fu Panda

The room's atmosphere was deafly silent. If these had been normal circumstances—"normal" being loosely used—Yuèqiú Hóng might've laughed. However, these weren't "normal" or even good circumstances.

Taking a deep breath, Yuèqiú Hóng spoke, breaking the silence.

"Call me blunt, but I'd rather just get this…detail…out of the way. I was murdered on my wedding day."

"Being murdered on your wedding day is not a detail!" Crane yelled, shocking the others out of their dumbfound trance.

Oogway nodded slightly, still smiling, "What terrible timing, child. But I'm sure that you didn't come hear to tell us of your untimely demise. No, I since something much darker…and I can tell you sense it too."

Yuèqiú Hóng looked down, gravely. She looked like the weight of the world rested on her shoulders just then.

"Yes, Master…something has come up and unfortunately this information didn't make itself cleat until…well, my death day."

…The day had been going so well, the best day of my life. It wasn't a fancy wedding but we didn't elope either. Both my love and I didn't need anything like that and it wasn't like we were going to run away from the Valley. We just wanted ours friends and loved ones too celebrate with us.

Sorry, I'm losing rambling…aren't I? Anyway, it was at the end of the ceremony. We were just taking our finally bows when I looked up into my new husband's loving eyes. In those green eyes I felt like I was safe and loved. But at that moment all hell came spewing out of the earth.

\

My husband and I had always told one another that we couldn't save everyone. It's not that we didn't know that, because we did. It was just that…no matter what our heads would tell us it was our hearts that had more control.

I sensed that spear before he did and I know he's kicked himself for that. I didn't think I only acted. The spear pierced my heart, soaking my garments thoroughly with my own blood. I died instantly, hearing my love scream in agony and mourning. That hurt much more than any blade ever could.

It was in this half-state that I found out what had killed me and massacred the rest of the Valley. A demonic impression of all of Tai Lung's rage, anger, greed, jealousy, and apathy had come to life and sought to destroy everything.

When I saw that my love had traveled into the past to stop this from ever happening I had to stop him. A spirit told me something and I must pass this massage to him.

That spirit was Tai Lung himself.

Kung Fu Panda

Po was outside when he felt a shift. It wasn't that big and barely noticeable, but he felt it.

Yuèqiú Hóng.

He ran back into the Palace, searching for his wife.

Kung Fu Panda

"So many memories…" Mr. Ping sighed, reminiscing in all that good times he had had in this noodle shop. One would have thought he hadn't seen the shop in years…not a day. But that was Mr. Ping. One never knew what to expect when it came to Mr. Ping.

Going through some old paintings of him and Po as he grew up, he saw something flash across his peripheral vision. Something…familiar…

Grabbing a wok, the old goose slowly walked over to the shadow. The shadow was actually a dark, grayed figured without any eyes. It almost seemed like a shell, with no soul in it. He couldn't tell what the figure was supposed to be since it was too disfigured to tell.

Mr. Ping cautiously poked the body. Nothing happened. He tried again but still nothing happened. Once more and…

…an eerie violet glow shined in the hollow eyes and the figure

From the outside, electric blue flames sparked from within.

Kung Fu Panda

"How long is Tigress going to stay like that?" Viper asked Yuèqiú Hóng after everyone had digested what she had told them.

Kneeling by her younger self, Yuèqiú Hóng shook her head. "I do not know, but since she is wearing my wedding ring I believe she is experiencing my memories and, perhaps, a sensory overload as well." Yuèqiú Hóng smiled a ghost of a smile before whipping her head around toward the door.

Panting, with a shocked look on his face, stood the panda staring at Yuèqiú Hóng like he was seeing a ghost, which he has in a sense. The two locked eyes and the ring on Tigress's hand started sparking up a storm.

The others just stood still watching for what might happen now. It was odd, since it almost felt like the two were talking about something just by looking at one another. To the Five and Shifu, it was like they were intruding on a private conversation, even though they could understand it.

Oogway simply grinned.

"Yuèqiú Hóng…"

Slowly, the woman nodded.

Sprinting across the room, the panda now stood next to the ashen-colored figure. Carefully he stroked her cheek, bring tears to her eyes.

"Po…"

"It is you…but how?

Grabbing his head, she made him look her in the eyes. "I was sent to stop you from running away from your destiny. Your father has told you this already and I'm sure Oogway has hinted at it too. Please..." she choked a sod"…don't leave."

Po was about to answer when Mantis interrupted.

"Wait! He's the guy you married!" The Five and Shifu were all…shocked to say the least.

"Yes…I did" said Yuèqiú Hóng, not look at them, but into Po's eyes. Fiercely, like she was trying to get a message across to him. "And I won't leave him either…no matter what happens."

Guiltily, Po looked away. A mistake on his part. The tiger's eyes widened in horror.

"Po…is that a curse mark?"

Po stood there in silence while his wife looked at him with eyes of anger, worry, concern, and fear.

There on his neck in red was the worldsǐwáng (death).

Kung Fu Panda

Injured and exhausted, Mr. Ping flew toward the Jade Palace. He was almost unable to carry his own weight. Vaguely he wondered how much blood a person could lose before they died.

Please, he prayed to whatever deity was bothering to listen, Please, let me get to them. Let me warn my son and daughter in-law, and their friends. Please…

Kung Fu Panda

"So this is why you left. The Shadow of Tai Lung cursed you!" This was the Tigress they knew…sort of. Frankly, the others found it somewhat comforting to see Yuèqiú Hóng getting so worked up and angry.

"Yes, it is. You know very well that under this curse anyone I love that didn't raise me will die just from being around me."

"Where is your father?"

"At his shop…now please calm down." Po thought for a moment. "Where's Tigress at?"

With a blasé expression, Yuèqiú Hóng said "Look down."

"Huh…ooohhh…" said Po, finally getting it.

Well, thoughtYuèqiú Hóng, at least he's not completely jaded.

"What happened to the ring?"

"Dad charmed it so anytime I wore it…I'd remember all the times we shared. Both the good and bad."

The tigress in front of him smiled faintly before turning back to her younger self.

"So, she would be experiencing an overload then."

"Yeah…but I'm not sure how to fix that. Dad you know. He can do it for you, but explaining it is another thing entirely."

They were silent, ignoring their confused friends, trying to find a way to wake Tigress up. Both of them came up with something.

"Maybe I could—"

"Absolutely not! Yuèqiú Hóng, that's crazy. You might not come out." Po was stern but not angry.

Understanding him, she grabbed his hand said "Sweetie." They never used pet names unless they were about to do something extremely stupid. It was their tell-tale for each other.

"Please," said Po, desperately.

"Sweetie," she repeated, "if she stays in this state…what will happen to me?"

Now he knew she was goading him. No one exactly knew what would happen when the time stream was altered. That was the beauty of the Time Paradox as Mr. Ping had called it several times.

"Be careful." There was a world of pleading in the panda's eyes that betrayed those two little words. He held her head in his hands.

"You know I will," said Yuèqiú Hóng placing her own paws on top of his.

Two sighs brought their attention to the others. One was from Viper and the other…Mantis?

"What?" he yelled when everyone started staring at him.

"Anyway…" said Yuèqiú Hóng slowly before turning toward the panda, "I should be off."

Po nodded releasing her, albeit slowly.

She moved to Tigress and then reverted to shadows and black smoke. She then jumped into the body of her past self.

Kung Fu Panda

"Will you marry me?" Tigress honestly felt rather light headed with giddy. And Master Tigress of the Furious Five did not feel giddy.

Then like she had absolutely no control over her body she felt herself say "Of course you idiot!" Then she tackled him and they rolled down the hill landing side by side at the bottom.

This is almost as bad as one of Viper's fluffy romance scrolls, Tigress thought to herself. The almost was only for the fact that she was enjoying it. A lot.

"Nah…Viper's scrolls are way worse."

Tigress snapped her head up. What the…?

In front of her sat herself from the visions. Po and the peach tree had vanished and only Tigress and the other her was there, floating in the void.

"But… how?"

"I will explain all," the older version of herself said, giggling a bit.

"What?" Tigress didn't get what was so funny.

"I was just imagining Po's fan boy expression if I had said that in front of him," said the tiger.

Tigress cracked a smile after thinking it over. He'd probably go nuts over it sounded "profound."

"So then," said Tigress, "Tigress?"

"Actually, I—you—we—go by Yuèqiú Hóng now…er—later."

"Lunar rainbow?"

"Yeah, Po gave it to me. One time he got so mad at monkey when he tried to shorten it to Yuè (moon). At the time it seemed so trivial, but to Po moon and lunar rainbow were so different. He told me 'You can see the moon almost every night, but a lunar rainbow is special. You can only see it if you're lucky and that's what I am, lucky. And you're that rare beauty.'"

"Strange…my first impression of that panda was that of a romantic."

Yuèqiú Hóng smiled, "Po's not really a romantic per say, but he is sweet."

Tigress, despite herself, smiled as well. Then she looked up to Yuèqiú Hóng with a serious expression etched on her face.

"So then…about what's going on?"

Kung Fu Panda

"So…do you think it's working?" asked Monkey.

Po shook his head, looking somewhat defeated, "I don't know…we just have to wait and see."

Tigress started to wake up. She tried to push herself up but her strength faltered a bit.

"Tigress!" Po caught her and helped her sit up. The others clustered around tom ake sure she was okay. She was still out of it.

"ugg…" she opened her eyes, "what the…"

Po eyes widened. This wasn't right…her voice has echoing.

"Yuèqiú Hóng! What are you doing in there?" Po yelled in a tight voice.

"Po…" the tiger looked at him and smiled. "This is only temporary…I had to lead her back after explaining to her what was going on."

"Oh…right."

"Where is she then?" asked Viper.

"She's coming…it just takes a while when your stunned and facing an emotion breakthrough."

Placing a hand on the side of Po's face she said, "My form is growing weak. Soon I will have to pass on. Never forget…the hard core do understand." He nodded.

"I love you-mhhhh"

Yuèqiú Hóng suddenly tackled him in a kiss, causing the Five and Shifu to nearly faint.

A gray mist wrapped around Tigress's body and Yuèqiú Hóng floats away. At first she looks confused but then bursts out in laughter.

The others looked at her like she was crazy when she pointed over to Po and Tigress.

Crane's mouth dropped open.

Tigress hadn't stop the kiss, no, instead she clung to him more even thought it was clear that Po couldn't breathe.

Pulling away from him she looked dazed.

"Whoa…"

Mantis looked over to Yuèqiú Hóng, "You're not jealous…at all?"

She looked down at him with a raised eyebrow, "You want me to be jealous of myself."

"Uhh…"

Crash!

"What was that?" Mantis yelled.

Crack! Shuck! Smash!

Suddenly something long and dlarge burst into the room. Everyone darted out of the way of the beast. (Well everyone except Oogway who had moved to safe spot just a few minutes before.)

Moving some planks and rubble off of themselves, they all (minus Oogway, Po, and Yuèqiú Hóng) looked amazed at what they saw.

"Dad!"

In front of them lay a badly injured, bloody dragon.

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