Author's note: I would like to point out straight away that I originally came up with this idea half way through working on Altered Path 3 The Dark Reaper. It was suppose to be a scene that took place when Tigress got the note to meet Po in the Training Hall, but after a while decided it would make for an interesting stand alone story.

Author's note 2: Also this story takes place before Altered Path 3

It has been four months since Po came to stay at the Jade Palace and taken on the title of Dragon Warrior, and though he's accept his new role of valley protector a part of him is still unsure about going out in broad day light and fighting bandits. His relationship with Tigress was on the rise, often found sharing a meal near the Peach Tree of Wisdom in between training. On the surface Shifu appeared to tolerate the idea of them spending time, yet Po still noticed the ever twitching eye of the grandmaster and promise to keep their relationship purely on a friendship level.

Tai Lung's return to the valley had put several people on edge, constantly backing away into the shadows or slowly closing the doors and windows of their home whenever he walked by, but after a few weeks seeing him with his loving family they gradually opened up to him, accepting him back to the valley as their protector, though Shifu was still unwilling to rename them as the Furious Seven…much to Po's displeasure often saying how awesome it would be.

Like their relationship, Po's training in kung fu was processing at considerable pace. He had already mastered the first hundred scrolls of kung fu and his use of Chi control was more than impressive, even Tai Lung who had already mastered every scroll had to admit how amazing his skills were. Shifu had commented several time how Po had an inherit ability to master any kung fu technique after seeing it only once or looking over one of the kung fu scrolls.

There was still once scroll that puzzled him however, and that was the Dragon Scroll itself that was held high above him in the Hall of Heroes clutched in the mouth of gold serpentine dragon. How was even possible for anyone to get it down, without damaging the statue? He remembered when Shifu had ordered him to take the Dragon Scroll and flee the valley to keep it from Tai Lung. Now he wish he had taken him up on that if only to gaze upon for a brief moment, but knew he had to first master the rest of the scrolls before he could even understand what the old turtle Oogway had written on that one.

Down in the valley…

Po and the others were their way back to the Jade Palace after a long day of patrolling the valley. It had been a quiet day; turns out word had already begun to spread about the appearance of the Dragon Warrior.

Tigress took the lead as usually, friendly nodding to the villagers who were out and about, the rest of the five plus Tai Lung followed on either side, the snow leopard doing his best to appear friendly, though Tigress could make out the underlining sense of nerviness in her step-brother's demur. That all changed though when they passed Mr. Pings shop and he spotted his little girl. After moving to the valley, Mea had opened up a clothing shop on the other side of the market place and Lilly offered to help out with the noodle loving goose to give Po more free time to work on his training.

Their recent battle with Fung and his croc bandits proved to be a walk in the park to him…other than Fung cousin, Lidong, she never seen a croc that massive. She was glad that both Po and Tai Lung were there to help with a few quick jabs and nerve attacks.

Speaking of the lovable panda, Tigress glanced over her shoulder and sigh at the sight of Po bringing up the rear…the far rear while staying close to the shadows, wearing his oversize tan robe and large cone straw hat.

"You guys go on ahead," She whispered to the others, "I'll catch up with you later."

Before any of them could muster a reply, Tigress dashed off down a nearby alleyway.

Po traveled down the streets of the Valley of Peace, keeping a fair distance from the Furious Five and Tai Lung, staying close to the walls, more importantly the shadow. Though he had been welcomed as the Dragon Warrior, he still felt a little uneasy with being out in the open, and so he kept close to the building, his tan robe helped him to blend in and whenever someone were to pass by, he leaned back, tilted his hat down to hide his face. He felt a little bad about hiding who he was. These people didn't seem so bad really. Ping was the first one who really accepted him, and he had nothing to fear from his Master Shifu or the rest of his friends. They had gone on several missions together so he knew they had his back, but if word starting spreading that a panda was still alive, it wouldn't take much for it to reach one the late Shen's followers seeking revenge.

And so, Po kept to the shadows, leaving all the fame of their many victories to the Furious Five and Tai Lung, and leave the truth of the Dragon Warrior a mystery.

A large group of people were making way down the street, most likely heading for Mr. Ping's noodle shop. Moving quickly, Po turned down a narrow alley only to come to a sudden halt as he came face to face with Tigress.

"Isn't the way to the Jade Palace through the market street?" Tigress said in a calm tone.

"Uh…yeah…" Po stammered, his straw hat thankfully hiding his nerves expression, "I was just taking…uh…a short cut. Yeah that's it, a short cut."

"Normally short cuts, do not force people to go away from where they're trying to reach," Tigress said with a faint smile.

"Okay you got me," Po said lowering his gaze, "but there were a group of people coming and I—"

His statement was cut short as Tigress reached up and gently removed his hat. "Po you need to get over your fear of being out in the open like this."

"Hey," Po said tilting his head back up, his jade eye gazing deep into her amber ones, "who ever said I was afraid. I never go around running from a fight."

"Yes I know," Tigress said slowly placing a hand along the side of Po's face, leaning closer to him, "in the midst of battle you are the most fearless warrior I know, but when you're around normal people you tend to stray away from them. Just what are you hiding Po? You've never told me the whole story about where you came from. What did you do commit murder?"

"No!" Po snapped jumping back slapping Tigress's hand away. "I just don't want to talk about it is all," he paused to turn away and whispered, "it's too painful."

Tigress leaned closer to Po, taking hold of face once more to turn him back to her. "I understand Po, I really do, and I'm willing to wait," she then pressed her lips against his. When she broke the kiss, she smiled for a moment, "but you really need to learn to stop hiding from the people. As the Dragon Warrior, you give the people hope that there is someone watching over them and keep them safe. Trust them, show them who you really are, the panda I fell in love with, and you might be very surprised by what follows."

With that she turned around and jumped to the roof and disappeared from view.

Po thought deeply about what Tigress said. Could he really stand openly around the people of this village like he does with the Furious Five, Master Shifu, and Tai Lung? He turned back to the open market street, there were more people clustered about then before. A sense of nerviness came over him as he turned his straw hat about his fingers. No I can't. He was about to rush off when he heard a sudden thump and heard several harsh words tossed back and forth.

Slowly making his way back to open street he could see a pair of pigs standing next to cart loaded up with a number of stone brick, upon closer look Po noticed that the cart had a broken rear axle.

"Oh this is great," one of the pigs said, "I told you something didn't feel right."

"Ah this awful," the other one cried, "how are we going to bring this load to Mea now?"

Mea? Po thought and before he knew what happened, he walked out, dropping his hat. "Excuse me, but I couldn't help but over hear, but are you taking these stone to Mea?"

The two pigs turned and a look of shock quickly formed. "A panda?" One of them stammered.

Po quickly slapped himself. Great, just great. He waited for them to scream and run away, like so many other people he came across in his travels who he thought be trusted to know what he was, but these pig merely stood there gazing up at with wonder in their eyes, and as Po cast his gaze about him, he noticed that several other people barely gave him a second glance, some even smile and waved at him.

"Sorry," one of the pigs said, "it's just that I've never seen a panda before."

"Yeah we heard you all died off."

"Yeah," Po said in a sheepish voice, "I'm something of a rarity. So is there anything I can do to help."

"I don't know, these stone are really heavy, took us hours to load them up."

"Yeah," the other one said, "and Mea's shop is on the other side of the market place. Even with your help it would be nightfall before we could deliver them what with all the trips we have to make."

Po moved to stand beside the cart, eyeing cart pondering the total amount of weight. He took several deep breathes focusing his chi and bent over pressing his hand underneath it and slowly rose back to his full height taking the cart with him. Positioning the cart so that it rested on his right shoulder, bringing his free hand up to keep the stones in place he gazed back down at the two pigs who now look even more shocked.

"I think I can manage," Po said as he walked off toward Mea's clothing shop.

"Did you see what that panda did?" one of the pigs asked.

"Yeah I know," the other said, his voice riddle with shock.

"Do you know who that is?"

"No, who?"

"That can only be the Dragon Warrior?"

"What no way."

"Yeah, I heard they name one, and only the Dragon Warrior could be that strong."

"Well we better catch up with him," one of the pigs said with a cheerful tone, "Dragon Warrior or not, we can't let him do all the work."

Tigress knelt atop a nearby building, smiling as Po carried off the cart without so much as an effort. Though he still wore his rob, she was pleased to see him helping out where his vast strength could do the most good.