Chapter 8- Make a man out of you.
He'd left her. After everything he had promised her and Jiminy had left her to battle against this on her own. The explanation on the scroll hadn't been enough. Mulan didn't want to believe that he had no other choice but to leave. She had come to rely on the cricket's friendship to get her through the day. It was his kind words that had eased the harshness of the training. She missed him.
Sitting in between the flaps of her small tent, Mulan had her knees drawn to her chest as she looked out over the camp. The other trainees were no longer attempting that arrow with the sun having set. She didn't see the point in even attempting it. The hardened resolve of that girl who left home was diminishing each day. The hair that had been tight in a bun all day framed her face as she bit her lip in thought.
She didn't know what it was that made her go back down to camp but she was soon standing alone in the shadow of the pole. She glanced at the weighted belt that had been left on the floor beside it. She lifted it hesitantly and scanned around to check that no one was looking. Her eyes went back to the belt that was heavy in her hands, much heavier than she thought. No, she couldn't do this. She went to put it back down.
'You're not giving up already are you?' A soft voice sounded from behind her and she dropped the belt in panic and quickly went to tie her hair that she had left down. The soft tones were almost familiar to her but she couldn't place the reasoning behind it.
'Apologies sir, I was only…' Her eyes were downcast and she shifted into the masculine voice she had adopted. She knew who she was speaking to and didn't want to make a bad impression. She looked up at Archie Hopper, the Emperor's own eyes and ears.
'About to leave without even trying?' The man finished for her tilting his head with a playful, challenging smirk. 'I was kind of hoping more from a Fa.' He stated moving to clean his glasses so that she could see his blue eyes glinting in the moonlight. Of course Mulan should have known that he knew who she was. That only made her even more anxious.
'I doubt I can succeed where others better than I have failed sir.' She answered respectfully with a small bow. The man held up a hand to show that there was no need to bow and she stepped back hoping she could retreat back to her tent.
'There are forces greater than strength,' Archie explained placing his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose. 'Humour me, what would you have done? How would you retrieve the arrow?' He invited with a gesture to the belt. Mulan wasn't sure whether she wanted to answer. A part of her thought that she was over thinking it. She certainly didn't want to look like a fool.
'I would have done the same as the others sir.' She lied hoping that she could just be allowed to leave. The man raised a knowing ginger eyebrow as if he didn't believe her. This man knew nothing of her, why would he think her lying?
'No need to call me sir, no one is around,' He assured her with a smile and Mulan wondered why he was being so kind? Everyone she had met thus far had spoken no more than two words to her. Unless they were insults of course. 'Please?' He urged gently with another gesture to the belt.
There was no way she could now turn down the insistence of the Emperor's insider. Perhaps this was a chance to prove herself? A chance to show that she could and deserved to be here with everyone else. She cleared her throat with a short nod and straightened before taking the belt wordlessly.
Archie Hopper stepped back to allow her space and as she approached the wooden mast he couldn't help but grin. Instead of tying it around her waist as others had done previously she wrapped it around the pole clutching it tight into her hands. She gave one last look to the curly haired man before putting her full concentration on the task at hand. Her feet slipped at first and she sighed in slight frustration but on her second try she balanced her weight against the beam. As she had planned back up at her tent she used the belt as a means of pulling herself up and she continued this technique and gradually got higher.
Halfway up and her arms began to burn. Every move was an effort and she grunted with each pull of the sand heavy belt. The breeze was also stronger this high up and the cold air of the night numbed her fingers and the tips of her ears. The dark shaft of the arrow came into sight and she heard the distant sound of a clap that she thought could only be Hopper. Then a second sounded and another from different hands. She didn't look down in fear of losing focus but suddenly all she could hear was the sound of slow and steady supporting applause. She let out one last elongated grunt and pulled herself up onto the top stump of the thick pole. Once secure she wrestled the arrow free and she grinned as she turned it in her hand. The ground below her erupted into a chorus of rumbling cheers and when she finally looked down she saw that a crowd had gathered around to watch her. Even Captain Shang was among them with a surprised and bemused look on that hard countenance.
When she made it back down the men gathered around her. The looks of scorn now replaced with ones of respect and congratulations. She spied Archie Hopper in the background as Yao pounded a hand at her back. His cheeks were creased into a smile, lifting the frames of his glasses up from his nose. He was suddenly gone from her view when the large figure of Chein Po blocked him to embrace her.
'Congratulations Ping. As promised you may pick your reward on the morrow.' Captain Shang nodded before leaving the crowd and toward his tent. For the first time since she arrived Mulan felt as if she belonged and she owed some of that to Archie Hopper.
The next morning she half expected to be greeted in the usual manner. A few staring looks and then ignorant silence for the rest of the day. Instead she was offered a place among her fellow soldiers. Ling passed her an extra helping of breakfast rice and Yao didn't snarl when he spoke to her.
'So, Ping. What are you going to chose from the weapons tent?' Ling asked scooping the last remaining grains with his fingers. It had been the topic of conversation since she sat down and she hadn't answered as yet.
'I don't really need one. I have a sword.' Mulan answered with a manly sniff. She had been practicing that one.
'Well you can always give it to me.' Yao offered with a smirk, his tongue picking at a blackened tooth.
'Or he could give it to me? Seeing as I was the first to congratulate him.' Ling countered. They hadn't even gotten through breakfast and she could see the possible development of a heated argument. She could see Chein Po readying to break in when needed.
'You? Give me a break you bamboo legged crane. You wouldn't be able to pick it up!' Yao protested his anger building. He was the most hot- tempered man that she had ever known and she had bartered with men at the market back home.
'Bamboo legged…you bulging eyed chimp I'll show you how I hold a sword!' Ling challenged and Mulan swallowed when he began to crack his knuckles. She looked for a quick get away anxiously not wanting to get involved in another fight.
'Excuse me gentleman,' Interrupted a voice that belonged to the creator of the challenge himself. 'Ping, come with me if you will.' Archie instructed and thankful for the breaking of the argument she got up from the bench to follow him outside.
'Sorry if I seem ungrateful, but I already have a sword.' Mulan said as she walked beside him.
'That I know. Which is why I thought you would prefer something else,' He chirped and led her to another tent that smelled strongly of sweat and leather. 'Now this is the best that they have to offer. I'm sure your horse will look dashing in this.' He flashed a toothy grin. Mulan's eyes widened as he held up a handcrafted leather saddle.
'How did you know I…?' She quickly trailed off not wanting to distort her awe of the item. She had never brought her horse down into camp so how the man knew she did not know. It could be possible that he could see him from his tent…she could certainly see the camp…she shook the thoughts from her mind deeming herself foolish. 'I shall use it with honour.'