I got the inspiration for this one shot after reading the short comic 'Pong' which can be found in issue 2.
Tigress woke up in the middle of the night.
She scowled as the panda sleeping in the room across the hall continued to snore, creating a disturbance that didn't seem to affect the other sleepers.
Tigress prepared to lie back down and try to get at least a little more sleep when she realized that her mouth was as dry as a barren desert, most likely as a result of the very salty tofu she had eaten the night before.
Sighing in annoyance, she got up from her bed. Before she left her room to get a cup of water, she smoothed out the largest creases of her sleeping outfit, the same red and black color scheme of her training uniform except slightly looser.
As she walked silently down the corridor, she thought she heard a creak coming from Po's room. She paid it no mind: in the five weeks he had lived at the palace, she had learned that Po had a habit of tossing and turning.
Tigress stepped into the kitchen and was surprised to find a large cup of clear water already waiting for her on the table.
That's odd… Tigress thought. It's almost as if someone was expecting me to get up in the middle of the night.
She drank the water, quenching her thirst, and swiftly made her way back to her bedroom.
She froze when she heard a noise coming from inside the room.
"Rrrr… so… tight… man, I really need to find out what her diet is…"
Tigress knew that voice.
She rushed to her room and stopped dead in the doorway when she looked inside.
She let out a yell that woke everyone in the Jade Palace.
"PANDA!"
Po whirled round with a cry of fright.
"Tigress!" He gulped.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
"Er…"
"I NEED TO WEAR THAT TOMORROW!"
Tigress's training vest was currently stretched round Po's wide torso, split in the seam in several places, the chain clasps snapping from the strain.
"I just wanted to try it on!" Po exclaimed nervously as the other members of the five and Shifu gathered outside the room to watch the splendid scene.
"Tigress, what is all the yelling about?" Shifu demanded.
"That giant monochromatic dumpling has just ruined my uniform!" Tigress yelled furiously. "Look at it! It's split beyond repair!"
"Panda, how could you be so stupid?" Shifu snapped angrily. "She needs that vest for training tomorrow! She has nothing else to wear! What are you smiling at, panda?"
With a sly grin, Po held up a brown paper package.
"Or does she?"
Tigress blinked.
"What is that?" she asked.
"Open and see for yourself."
Reluctantly, Tigress took the package and ripped it open.
She gasped slightly as she held up the shimmering green vest with golden trim. The wrists of the long sleeves were embroidered with a ferocious looking golden dragon which curled all around. It was the most beautiful piece of clothing Tigress had ever held.
"Happy birthday, Tigress." Po smiled sweetly.
"H-how did you know it was my birthday?" she asked.
"I've told you a hundred times, I'm a big fan." Po shrugged. "I was worried that you would refuse, so I needed to make sure you had nothing else to wear."
"Is that why you ruined my vest?" Tigress scowled.
"Sort of."
She was suddenly struck with a suspicion.
"You were waiting for me to get up, weren't you?"
"Yep. That's why I made you that salty tofu."
"Wait, was it you who left that cup of water for me?"
"Yep."
For a moment, Tigress considered flinging him through the paper wall. But then she looked again at the beautiful vest.
"Thank you for the present, Po." She smiled softly.
"I would have got it sooner, but I was stuck on which color I should get. That's sorta why I was bugging you on what your favorite color was the other day. Oh, and you're welcome."
"You're still going to be punished come dawn." Shifu spoke up.
"Fair enough." Said Po. "As long as she wears the vest tomorrow."
"Like I have a choice?" Tigress gestured to the ruined vest round Po's middle.
"Don't worry, I'll buy you a new training vest once I've saved up."
"Make sure it's the same color."
"Got it."