INT. MR. PING'S NOODLE SHOP - MIDDAY
The scene opens in tense silence. Po and Li Shan stare each other down from across a table laden with dozens of full dumpling bowls. The Furious Five, Zhen, and Mr. Ping stand around them.
MR. PING: (Whispering dramatically) "The ultimate Panda Showdown. On your marks... get set..." (Shouting) "EAT!"
Intense, fast-paced music begins. The next moments are a blur of pure eating fury. Po is a machine, grabbing bowls and tossing the empty ones over his shoulder. Li Shan remains a picture of serene focus.
Po devours his final bowl, slams it down, and thumps his hand on the table with a triumphant roar. He grins, his cheeks still puffed with food.
PO: (Through a mouthful of dumplings) "Haha! Beat that, Dad! The Spiritual Leader is now the Dumpling... hrmph... Emperor!"
He beams with pride. He turns to his father with a smug grin, but as he sees his dad's side of the table, his smile falters. His triumphant expression melts into one of pure, slack-jawed disbelief.
The camera shifts to Li Shan. He isn't panting or messy. He delicately licks a single stray grain of rice from his thumb. Behind him sits an impossibly huge, perfectly stacked mountain of hundreds of empty bowls.
LI SHAN: (Smiling calmly) "You were saying, son?"
The camera snaps back to Po. His mouth hangs wide open in shock.
Plop.
A half-chewed dumpling falls from his mouth and lands back in his bowl. Monkey falls over laughing. The others are simply stunned.
MANTIS: "How do you guys do that? I can barely fit one in my mouth!"
ZHEN: (Shaking her head in disbelief) "And I thought I was good at making things disappear."
CRANE: "Po, are you sure you're okay? That's... a lot of dumplings."
As the laughter subsides, Po sinks into his chair, staring blankly at the mountain of bowls. He has a thoughtful, faraway look on his face. Tigress steps closer, her expression concerned.
TIGRESS: "Po? Are you alright?"
Po visibly startles, snapping out of his trance.
PO: (Quickly, avoiding her eyes) "Huh? Oh, yeah! Totally fine!"
He immediately turns away, leaving the question hanging in the air. Just then, the beaded curtain at the shop's entrance is pushed aside. Master Shifu stands there, his expression unusually grave. The cheerful noise of the shop instantly fades.
SHIFU: "Po."
His voice is quiet, but it cuts through the room. Po jumps in his seat and tries to stand up into a formal, respectful pose but is so full from the contest that he groans and sinks back down.
PO: (Flustered, patting his stomach) "Master Shifu! Uh... greetings! Perfect timing! I was just... centering my chi. It appears to have centered... heavily... in my stomach region. It's a new, very advanced technique!"
Shifu gives him an unimpressed look, his eyebrow slightly raised.
SHIFU: "Indeed. Come. We must talk."