Chapter 52: Be A Man

Flynn collapsed spread eagle. Motionless, he spoke into the ground. "I have no more feeling from the eyebrows down. My muscles have turned to Jell-O. Make the bad man stop!"

"I may never be able have kids." Aladdin moaned, falling backwards onto Flynn. Painfully he raised his legs into the air. "Air out guys. Air out. Ouch!"

"Would you two get up?" Mulan said, poking Aladdin and Flynn with her sneaker. Leaning over, she smoothed fly-aways into her sweaty hair. "Come on. We still have ten minutes to go."

"Rambo is over there." Flynn lifted a finger in Shang's direction. " Besides; Coach Phil already kicked the crap out of us in Warrior Class."

"Um hello? Hellllo? You're Warriors?" Mushu – Mulan's magical pet dragon – suddenly said. Haughtily, Mushu swung off Mulan's tank top. "It's called double training, ya limp noodle!"

"I think." Aladdin mumbled flexing his legs over his face. "I'd rather die. Then maybe get a slushy."

"Guys!" Mulan growled. Exasperated, she turned as Jim approached. He was panting and drenched in sweat. "Never mind. Come on Mushu. Jim. Let's go."

"Five more minutes!" Mushu roared, clicking a stop watch. "Come on hup, hup, hup!"

"That lizard ever shut up?" Jim aked. Sweat trickled between his shoulder blades as he jogged after Mulan.

"Hey dra-gon, not lizard!" Mushu said, bouncing on Mulan's shoulder. "I don't do that tongue thing. Wup, here's another hill! Sprint!"

Like a firecracker, Mulan charged up the hill. She waited for Jim at the top.

"Come on." Mulan encouraged, running in place. "Five more minutes. Down the hill and twenty push ups. Then we're done."

Jim nodded. Sweat stung in his eyes. "You really get into this, huh?"

"If you were a girl from East Sector," Mulan said between breathes. "You would too."

Jim tied to keep up. "Why?" he panted, trailing Mulan down the hill.

Gradually, Mulan slowed to a trot. "Because it's all about honor in the East Sector. Honor for boys comes through physical and mental strength. Honor for girls…" Mulan spit. The lather stuck to her lips like cotton. "Honor for girls comes through marriage. Ready for the push ups?"

Jim grunted. Dropping, he began the set. "Sounds like fun."

Mulan shook her head. "Jasmine and Esmeralda – whew – are from the Eastern Sector too. Phew. They know – aiya!"

"Come on, Girl!" Mushu jumped on her back. "He's showing you up!"

Grimacing, Mulan pumped her body up and down. "In Eastern Sector – phew – girls are supposed to be – whew – quiet – demure – graceful – polite – delicate – refined – poised – "

"STUDENTS! Freeze! Everyone freeze!"

Jim stopped. He rested on his knees Captain Li Shang marched over Mulan.

"Fa? What were those?"

Mulan wiped her brow. Mushu darted for cover. "Push ups."

"Really? You call those push ups? Students! Over here, Everyone assemble."

Sun gleaming over his uniform, Shang waited for the students to gather. Then, he pointed to the ground. "Okay Fa. Show everyone your push up."

Mulan obeyed, without hesitation.

"And that." Shang said, turning to the students. "Is the wrong way to do a push up. Did you all see how her elbows were pointed to the sides instead of pointed towards her feet? And her back? It was arched! I want all backs straight as a plank. And eyes up! Look up, not down! And her chest – "

The girls in the front jumped as Shang thumped his perfectly sculpted pectorals. "I want to see everybody's chest hit the ground. Honestly – that was the most disgraceful push up I have ever seen. Well no more excuses! Fa!"

Mulan looked up. Her jaw was tight.

"Fa! Do another push up, but do it correctly! I want to see perfect upper body form, so…" Shang crossed his arms. His biceps bulged. "…so do them on your knees. Girl style."

"Oh no." said Yao, Ling, and Chien-Po. They stepped back. "Unwise."

Mulan stared at Shang. Then, assuming the correct posture, she lifted off her knees and performed a push up.

"Did you hear me?" Shang said. His shadow fell over Mulan. "I said on your knees, Fa!"

Mulan glared straight ahead. Again, she did a push up. "I don't need – to do them – on my knees – Captain."

"Your form is disgraceful!" Shang knelt. He pulled Mulan back by the hips. "How dare you disobey your commanding offi – "

"I can beat you!" Mulan spun around. "Anytime, anywhere! Think because you're a man you can do a perfect push up?"

Mulan slapped down into quadruped. "Fine! First one to go down looses!"

"Whoa!"

"Dude!"

"Fight! Fight!"

"It's onnnnnnn!"

Shang scoffed. He looked disdainfully at Mulan. "Why did they send me daughters, when I asked for sons?"

Mulan glared. Then she flipped off her tank-top and threw it at Shang.

The ultimate challenge.

"This daughter's not backing down." Mulan got back on her hands and knees. "And if I win...you have to be my date at the ball."

Adding insult to injury.

Shang did not budge. But his eyes flashed.

Then, slowly he removed his shirt.

"Yeeeeee-owzzza!"

"Woot! Woot! Woot! Woot!"

The cat calls stopped immediately under the captain's death stare.

Turning, Shang held up an arm. "This, represents discipline!" he said, placing the hand behind the small of his back.

Then, falling forward, Shang caught himself with the free hand. "And this," he said looking Mulan in the eye. "represents strength."

Mulan gulped. Teetering, she placed a hand behind her back.

Shang smiled. "Ready?"

"Mushu?" Mulan said.

"Go!" yelled Mushu.

"Go Captain Li Shang!" squealed the mermaids. The pixies flew in synchronized circles like cheerleaders. "Go Shang!"

"Come on Mulan!" Ariel jumped up and down. "Come on! Come on Mulan!"

"Move Fa!" Shang shouted. He blasted through his push ups like a machine. "Dig deep! Swift like a coursing river – "

Mulan gasped. Sweat flicked off her hair.

"—with al the force of a great typhoon!"

Mulan shook. Her wrist looked ready to snap.

"—and all the strength of a raging fire!"

Mulan's face was beat red.

"—mysterious as the dark side of the moon! Come on Fa! Faster! Stronger! Fire within! Find your center! BE A MAN!

"Go-Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Shannnnnnnnng!" cheered half the class.

"Mulan don't give up!" Rapunzel yelled. "Remember your dream!"

"You're almost there!" shouted Tiana.

"OH MY GOD!" wailed Aladdin and Flynn.

"Just stay up!" Ariel screamed. Suddenly, she caught Jim's eye. "Remember! First one down looses!"

Jim's mouth fell open. Before diving to the ground, he nodded at Ariel.

"Mulan!" he screamed. "Mulan! Listen! First one down! First one down looses!"

Imperceptivity, Mulan shook her head. "Ho-nor!"

"To Hell with honor!" Jim yelled, pounding the earth. "You do whatever it takes! Survive! Sur – oh fuck it!"

Seizing Mulan's tank top, Jim looped it around Shang's arm and pulled.

Shang slammed onto his chest.

Mulan did one more push up. Then she collapsed.

"You!" Shang seized Jim. Furiously he jerked and Jim prepared to be launched to another planet. Then, seething, Shang lowered Jim to the ground.

"What. Was. That." Shang hissed, breathing fire down Jim's throat.

Jim glared. "Think you just lost."

"Ohhhhh! Dat means he has to go to tha ball…" Naveen shrunk behind Tiana as Shang bared his teeth.

"That was cowardice." Shang growled, returning to Jim.

"No." Jim raised his chin. "That was teamwork. That was survival. And if that was a battle – " Jim glanced at Mulan. "—then we got out alive. Incidentally – with our shirts on."

Silence.

Then Peter laughed. "He's dead."

Shang's muscles bulged.

"Now listen to me." Shang said, thrusting Jim away. "All of you. And listen well. This is not a game. This is life. Your friend's life. Your mother, father, brother, and sister's life. Your life."

Deathly calm, Shang pointed east. "I've been to the Land of the Others. There they have magic. Black magic. I know what it does. I know how it kills. I know how to train you! And train you I will! And if I have to kill you all first, I will make men out of you! All of you!"

"So!" Shang continued, his shadow lengthening in the evening sun. "Thanks to your new friends Hawkins and Fa, you'll spend the last two hours swimming laps in the pool."

"Whaaaaaaaat? Nooooo!"

"Get inside!" Shang barked. "Run! As hard as you can! And you – "

Shang turned, glaring at a student. "You're late! Very late! Get yourself inside!"

Jogging after Mulan, Jim turned to the late student.

"Wendy!"

sultal's note: some of you know that I love to run. BUT runners have ZERO upper body strength. So, I thought I'd give Mulan the opportunity to show you how I feel about push ups (...not favorable). BUT, this chapter was SOOOOOOOOOOO much fun to write. Mulan is pretty kick ass. Like I kinda want to be her.

more drrrrrrama next chap. lots more. per request!

hope the week's going super.

keep writing.