As you may, or may not, know: Ming-Na Wen was the voice for Fa Mulan in the Disney movie of 1998. You're more likely to be aware of the fact that nowadays Ming-Na Wen plays the part of Melinda May on Marvel's Agents of SHIELD.
These two ordinary facts, and a little bit of craziness and too much Mulan songs on replay on my half, results in this. Enjoy!
Skye was practically dancing when she entered the lab holding her laptop triumphantically above her head. "Jemma Simmons," she called out to her friend. "You are never going to believe this." The scientist in question looked up from her microscope, curious as to what Skye might have for her this time. Last time Skye came down to the lab like this she'd hacked into the security cameras of the Avengers tower. On the screen of the laptop put in front of her this time wasn't anything like Thor flexing his muscles, though. Instead there was a girl, or actually a drawing of a girl, with her face painted white. "An animated movie?" Jemma questioned her friend, not particularly impressed yet.
Skye's enthusiasm faltered for a moment. "An animated movie? This is not just any animated movie, it's Mulan, Jems," she told the scientist. Jemma shook her head, "never seen it." Skye's mouth fell slightly open, her previous triumph forgotten for a moment. "You've got to be kidding me," she said, loud enough to attract the attention of everyone else in the lab. "I will educate you on Disney movies later, right now there's something more important." Skye pressed play on the video on her laptop.
Jemma watched as the girl with the white face paint -Mulan, Skye pointed out- put a cricket in her mouth, and spitting it out again. Then she recited some of the lines on her arm written in Chinese. "Fulfil your duties, calmly and ref-spectfully. And, ehm, reflect before you snack, ACT. This shall bring you honour and glory." That's when Skye paused it. "See what I mean?" Skye practically yelled. Jemma shook her head again, an apologetic look on her face.
"Melinda May is a Disney princess!" Skye was squealing at this point. That was when she picked up her laptop and exited the lab before a baffled Jemma could even respond. "What was that all about?" Fitz asked, pointing at their excited friend. A confused looking Jemma responded: "I have not even the slightest idea."
Skye's next stop was Coulson's office, "DC, have you seen May?" Coulson shook his head no, and Skye sighed at how much no's she was getting on such a good day. "Well then, have you seen this?" she asked the director, showing him the same scene she showed Jemma. "Don't think I ever have, what's so special about it?" he replied. Skye sighed, did she have to explain everything around here. "That, DC, is the discovery of the century," she answered vaguely before continuing to find May.
The next person she bumped into was Trip, who was on his way to the director's office. "Girl, what got you so excited?" he asked. One glance at her laptop was enough for him to recognize the movie. "Ah Mulan, I dig that movie." Skye's smile widened, if that was even possible. "Trip, I knew there was a reason I liked you. Listen carefully," she said before showing the same footage as she'd shown Jemma and Coulson. "That voice," Trip wondered out loud. If it wasn't for her laptop in her hands Skye would've jumped in the air. "Melinda May is a Disney princess," Skye was almost yelling. Trip was too surprised to respond, he might be able to recite the movie by heart, but never did he make this connection. Skye was already moving on, when he mumbled: "My whole life is a lie."
Skye finally found May in the gym. "Melinda May, mysterious like the dark side of the moon," she announced solemnly as she walked in. To the untrained eye it would've seemed like May didn't response, but Skye noticed the split second pause in between May's fists hitting the punching bag. "How's your reflection these days, May?" Skye continued, apparently satisfied with the little reply she got. The other agent threw one more punch at the bag and then turned around. It annoyed Skye slightly when she noticed that the other woman didn't even have so much as a hair out of place after her work out. Then she remembered why she was here, and contained her urge to jump up and down. "You're Mulan!" Melinda May sighed, of course this part of her life would come out someday. "It was another time," she weakly defended herself. Skye nodded; "I know, it was in the year before you joined SHIELD." May grunted something that sounded a lot like stalker, but Skye let it slide. "Mulan is like my favourite Disney movie ever!" Skye continued excitedly. "You are like my childhood hero!"
A miniscule smile could be detected around May's lips. This was the reason she initially joined the project, that and her half dream to make it big in Hollywood. She liked Mulan because the character wasn't so princess-y, Fa Mulan kicked ass and made her own future. Sacrificed herself for her family. Melinda saw Skye still looking at her expectantly. And in spite of how much she loved the character when she did the part, it was the past and she wasn't all for this getting out around the base. "Are you waiting for me to perform Reflection? Because I didn't do the singing. And I won't do the lines of the movie for you either."
"Just wanted to let you know," Skye shrugged, she wasn't really expecting anything. It was the surprise and excitement that had led her here. "A different time though, then how do you explain Mulan 2?" Skye continued, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "I won't," May replied shortly and returned to her punching bag. Clearly this conversation was over.
ooo
It wasn't until a week later that the rest of the base got wind of it. Well, it wasn't all by coincidence. It was one of those boring in-between-missions weeks, and Skye had set up a movie night. "We're watching Disney?" Hunter complained as he walked in noticed the castle on the screen. The answer he got was a pillow in his face. He quickly noticed he was the only one opposed to Disney, so he dropped himself on the couch and prepared for the cheerfulness and singing.
Someone had already pressed play when May walked in, only to stop dead in her tracks when she saw the Huns climbing over the Chinese wall on the screen. "May!" Skye said with a grin on her face, to others it might look inviting but Melinda May could only describe this grin as evil. "Join us," Skye said cheerfully. Oh if looks could kill. With one glance at the audience she knew there were still people unaware of her role in the franchise. And she wanted to keep it that way. "Disney, really?" she tried. "Yes, we're watching this. I dig this movie." To some people's surprise, that was Trip defending Mulan. Only Skye and May were aware that the grin on his face was there for more reasons than just because he liked this particular Disney movie. "Mate, you've seen this already?" Hunter joked. Trip looked slightly offended, "of course I've seen this." Hunter held up his hands in defence "alright, shutting up."
May sighed loudly and turned around. She wouldn't hang about for this public humiliation she supposed Skye was planning. Somewhere May hoped Skye was intimidated enough to keep her mouth shut to the rest of the team. Then again, how bad was it really that she did a voice in a Disney movie? And a great one, that is.
It was Bobbi who noticed it first, and she whispered it to Hunter. Just to check if she wasn't the only one hearing this. Lance Hunter, never one to be quiet, heard it too now that he was actually playing attention to the movie and not only Bobbi anymore. "Bloody hell," he spoke up loudly. "I'm not sure if this makes her more or less terrifying," Lance mumbled.
"Can someone just say what's going on with this film?" Jemma called out. "This is what you showed me the clip from right?" Jemma turned at Skye. "Do you not hear that!" was Hunter's loud reply. Still looking at the screen baffled, even though his realisation was a good ten minutes ago.
"May did the voice of Mulan," Skye told the oblivious Jemma. For a scientist, she sure wasn't all that observant. And finally Jemma's mouth fell open too, and then Fitz's, who was following the conversation closely. "You've got to be kidding me!" Coulson said, when finally, he, too, was hit with the realisation.
The last one got up immediately in search of his second hand, who he apparently did not know as well as he thought he did.
And there's that. Everyone who tried to bring it up to May, got a glare and knew better than to push the subject. Well, everyone but Skye. Who was childishly proud of her Mulan colouring that May laughingly put up on the inside of her bunk door. And who, for months, started every training with May with singing 'let's get down to business!' And maybe, just maybe, when no one else was in the gym, and if you listened really closely, Melinda May might've hummed I'll make a man out of you under her breath during those particular trainings.
If you thought this was any more than completely random, or ridiculous. Or not. Please, let me know! I love reviews. Have a wonderful day.