At the camp, the captain wasn't there yet, so the other soldiers fooled around like college students on Spring Break. "Order!" Chi-Fu called as the girls were on their way. "People, order!" "I'd like a fried noodle!" one guy said. "Sweet and pungent shrimp!" the chubby man from yesterday added, making everyone laugh. "That's not funny!" Chi-Fu hissed, walking off as he was everyone's punching bag. The men laughed. Then Ling, the tall, thin guy noticed the trio arrive. "Why, hello Ping, Wei, and Mack. Are you hungry?" "Yeah, cuz I owe you each a knuckle sandwich!" Yao added, grabbing Miyabi by her collar, ready to punch her in the face. "Soldiers!" the captain called. The group stood in straight lines to await orders as Yao let go of Miyabi. "You will assemble swiftly and silently every morning." the captain instructed. "Anyone who does otherwise will answer to me." "Ooh, tough guy." Yao mocked. "Yao..." one of the men murmured. The captain took out his bow and arrow. The other troops stepped back as the captain aimed his arrow at the short, aggressive man. He looked worried for his life, but then the captain pointed the arrow to a tall pole in the middle of the campground. "Yao. Thank you for volunteering." the captain smiled at the man. "Retrieve the arrow."
"I'll get that arrow, pretty boy, and I'll do it with my shirt on." Yao cracked his knuckles as the captain commanded him. He walked to the pole to climb up and get the arrow as instructed. "One moment," the captain, Shang, came forth as Chi-Fu held golden disks. Shang put each disk around Yao's wrists and demonstrating in front of the men. "This represents discipline, and this represents strength. You need both to reach the arrow." Yao looked a little shy once the disks were around him like they were heavy. He grabbed the pole with them, but started to slip. Yao noticed he was slipping and bit the pole to hold on, but he slid down suddenly. Ling had a turn, but hit his head as he fell off. The chubby man suddenly fell on the ground with the pole nearly hopping off the ground, then back in. Mulan fell on her butt and grunted, walking off the pain and rubbing it. Miyabi landed flat on her stomach and Sakura landed on top of her. "We've got a long way to go." Shang said to himself. One of the men threw staffs to the soldiers. Each caught their respected staffs. Miyabi and Sakura caught their's. Mulan was about to catch her's, but Yao grabbed it and kept it away from her. Shane stood in front of everyone to demonstrate what they were doing.
Shang: Let's get down to business
To defeat the Huns
"HA!" the troops called back, holding their staffs like he did.
Ling grinned wickedly and put a beetle in Mulan's shirt to make her jerk and knock down the other troops. Miyabi and Sakura glared at him, seeing what he had done.
Shang: Did they send me daughters
When I asked for sons?
You're the saddest bunch, I ever met
But you can bet before we're through
Shang was hit in the stomach by Mulan, but it was an accident. Miyabi and Sakura tried to defend her, but Shang didn't want to listen to them. Shang grabbed Mulan by the collar to scold her.
Shang: Mister, I'll make a man, out of you
In the next training course, Shang demonstrated their next task. He threw three apples and hit three targets with three arrows. Miyabi and Sakura had perfect aims.
Shang: Tranquil as a forest
But on fire, within
Mulan was about to shoot, and Mushu put an apple on the arrow so that when she would launch it no matter what, she would have a good shot. However, before she did anything, Shang saw the trick and looked at her, firmly. Mulan noticed his gaze and smiled innocently and nervously.
At the next training course, Shang was in the water with a bucket of water on his head for balance with a pole in his hands. The soldiers threw pebbles at him and Shang hit the pebbles swiftly without spilling the bucket. Mulan was next, but it didn't go as well as the men eagerly threw against her and made her fall, and reveal she was really scared.
Shang: Once you find your center
You are sure to win
You're a spineless, pale, pathetic lot
And you haven't got a clue
How could I make a man out of you?
That night, the soldiers did their best to dash from flaming arrows and more, strenuous training such as hitting concrete blocks.
Men: I'm never gonna catch my breath
Say goodbye to those who knew me
Boy, was I a fool in school for cutting gym
Mulan and Shang practiced martial arts. Due to Shang not knowing Mulan was a girl, Shang without hesitation punched her and gave her a black eye as she swung back against a tree. Miyabi and Sakura shuddered at that. Crickey and Mushu provided air and water for Mulan.
Mushu: This guy's got 'em scared to death
Mulan: Hope he doesn't see right through us
The men kept training and it was really stressful. They did firework practice against dummies for attacking the Huns. The men really seemed to not like their new-comers and always did what they could to give them the worst hard time of their lives.
Men: Be a man
Shang: We must be swift as a coursing river
Men: Be a man
Shang: With all the force of a great typhoon
Men: Be a man
Shang: With all the strenght of a raging fire
Mysterious as the dark side of the moon
The next morning, nearly at the crack of dawn, Miyabi, Mulan, and Sakura weakly carried bags of grain attached to poles on their backs as they came up the mountains. Mulan was the weakest of them all though, she passed out right in the middle of the ground. The girls, Mushu and Crickey tried to wake her up, but it was no use. Mulan did wake up though once Shang came and collected their bags for them, losing nearly all faith in them.
Shang: Time is racing for us
Til the Huns arrive
Heed my every warning
And you might survive
That night, Mulan felt like a failure. Shang came to the girls with Khan to collect and go back home. They could not restore Mulan's family honor.
Shang: You're unsuited for the rage of war
So pack up, go home, you're through
How could I make a man out of you?
Shang left to get some rest. Mulan took the horse's reigns and put Miyabi and Sakura on the horse. She then looked up and noticed there was the arrow from this morning still left on the pole. Miyabi and Sakura looked up as Mulan latched the disks on her wrists and climbed up the pole. She nearly slipped, but wasn't going to give up. The girls cheered, as did the men as they woke up and saw Mulan prove herself worthy. Shane heard the fuss and dodged an arrow to the ground and looked up to see Mulan retrieved the arrow and everyone cheered her on!
The following time was actually a good time. The girls got to stay and they trained a lot better than they did before, as did the other men. All the apples were hit on target, Mulan, Miyabi, and Sakura could fight back, even topping Shane, they could catch the fish, and they could jump over the racing waters. It was a great time. They felt like they could do this and defeat the Huns for Mulan's family honor. The girls grabbed their staffs and looked like real karate masters as their training was nearly complete.
That night, the girls wore the sweat of hard work, determination, and training. It was time for a good soaking. The girls walked with Kahn toward the water to take a nice, cool, refreshing dip. "Hey, this is not a good idea." Mushu spoke up. "What if somebody sees you?" Miyabi suddenly felt vulnerable with this idea and firmly grasped her towel in embarrassment. "Just because we look like men doesn't mean we have to smell like them." Mulan said as she went behind a bush to dispose of her towel. "I smell just fine" said Sakura. Miyabi cringed and went to drop her towel and cool off too. "So a couple guys don't rinse out their socks." Mushu covered his eyes with his ears as the girls undressed. "Picky, picky, picky. Myself, I kinda like that corn chip smell." The girls jumped into the water, splashing the dragon. They felt very relaxed and relieved now. "Okay, alright, alright, that's enough." Mushu stood over them. "Now come on before you get all pruney and stuff." "Mushu, if you're so worried, go stand watch!" said Miyabi. "Yeah, yeah." Mushu walked off, feeling offended. "'Stand and watch, Mushu, while I blow our secret with my stupid, girly habit'! Hygiene..."
Crickey suddenly chirped. Everyone turned to see three of the men coming over, ditching their clothes. "We're doomed! There're a couple of things I know they're bound to notice!" said Mushu. Miyabi and Sakura took deep breaths and pulled themselves underwater. "Hey, Ping!" Yao greeted her as she hid behind a rock with a lily pad. "Oh, hi, guys," Mulan said in her best man voice. "I didn't know you were here... I was just washing, so now I'm clean and I'm gonna go. Bye-bye!" "Come back here!" Ling pulled her arm. "I know we were jerks to you, Mack, and Wei before, so let's start over. Speaking of which, where are those guys? I know I saw them here with you!" Miyabi and Sakura couldn't hold their breath much longer so they went over the water, gasping for air and coughing up water. "There you are!" Ling felt relieved. "Now, let's start over. I'm Ling." he shook with Mulan's hand. "And I'm Chein-Po." the chubby man said, as he came behind Mulan. "Hello, Chein-Po." the girls said. "And I'm Yao!" the shorter man stood on a rock, which made the girls cover their eyes. "King of the Rock! And there's nothing you girls can do about it!" "Oh, yeah? I bet Ping and I could take ya!" Ling challenged. "I really don't wanna take him anywhere..." Mulan swam away. "But Ping! We have to fight!" "No, we don't. We can just close our eyes and swim around..." "Come on," Ling grabbed her arms. "Don't be such an- OW!" Ling let go, feeling a sore spot. "Something bit me!" Mushu came from underwater, spitting up some water. "What a nasty flavor..." "SNAKE!" Ling ran out of the water. Mulan whistled for her horse so they could get out. Since the guys thought Mushu was a snake, it was probably a good, safe idea. The men were together on the rock, seeming scared and overwhelmed. "Some king of the rock." Ling muttered. Yao pushed him into the water.