Disney: Modern Times: Mulan

Chapter 2. Humiliation

Mulan made her way to her locker to put her things up and reapply her smudged makeup. She looked in her makeup mirror and found that she saw a girl who was unrecognizable by herself. As much as she wanted to take the makeup off she knew that she couldn't, as she wanted to make her family proud. 

Just then a spitball the size of an accessory bead hit the back of Mulan's head.

Mulan turned around to see a pink dressed girl with her hair tied in two buns holding a straw. The girl's name was Mei, and the other two girls behind her were wearing orange and purple dresses. They were Mei's sisters.

The one in the purple was the oldest of the triplets, Ting-Ting. She had her hair in two long bunny ears. She believes other girls should act like girls and not do adventurous things.

The one in the orange was the youngest of the triplets, making Mei the middle child, Su. She had her hair in the way seen in Mulan 2 with a few streaks down on her forehead. Despite having a smug look on her face like her sisters, Su deep down wanted to be friends with Mulan but she knew that her sisters would bully her too. 

Anyway back to the plot, Mulan was standing right in front of the three teenage triplets of the mayor of Mulan's town

"Well well well, look at who decided to be a girl today." Mei said, her voice dripping with shallowness.

Mulan rolled her eyes in annoyance. She really hated how the sisters acted to her.

"What do you want?" She asked very annoyed 

"Now now Mulan, let's not get all aggravated" Ting-Ting said smugly. "We only wanted to wish you well in school since you're gonna need it."  

Mei then took her straw again and spit balled Mulan right in her forehead.

Mulan groaned angrily.

"Hey leave her alone!" A voice said angrily 

The four girls turned to see Mushu walking up to them along with Cricket. 

"Mulan's only trying to make her family proud". Cricket said

"Well she's doing a great job of that." Ting-Ting said sarcastically 

Her sisters laughed while Mushu frowned in annoyance.

"Hey don't worry, she'll probably cause a scene, get to go home, and hide her face in shame." Su said, though she didn't really mean it.

Just then the school bell rang and all the students started making their way to their respective classes. 

"You three better hurry up or else you'll be late for class". Mei said as she flicked her straw at Mushu, before she and her sisters went off to their classes. 

Mulan, Cricket, and Mushu went off in the opposite direction but not before Ting-Ting stuck her foot out and tripped Mulan, but this time Mushu and Cricket were quick to catch her. They helped her back on her feet as Ting-Ting growled in anger.

The first part of school went pretty well for Mulan. She was focused and concentrated on her classes, was getting answers right, and best of all looked and acted like a proper lady. Maybe this time she could do it, maybe she could finally make her family proud of her, but those feelings all came to a stop when she had her next class with Ms. Dragon right after lunch.

Now Ms. Dragon was the meanest, strictest lady in town, and to have her as a teacher, oh boy I would not want to be in Mulan's shoes. What's worse, Mulan had to share that classroom with Mei from earlier. What rotten luck! But also Cricket was there too, so Mulan felt relaxed

Now back to the story, Mulan was sitting right in front of Mei's desk which was on the third row, making Mulan's on the second row. Today Ms. Dragon was teaching the class the history of matchmaking but that was impossible for Mulan because Mei kept kicking the bottom of her seat.

"Dang it Mei, stop kicking!" She shouted whispering.

"Fa Mulan." Ms. Dragon called

Mulan instantly turned around towards the pompous teacher.

"Yes?" She asked innocently 

"Speaking without permission." Ms. Dragon noted

Mulan facepalmed herself as she forgot that Ms. Dragon didn't't like it when people chatted. 

Ms. Dragon motioned her to come up front, so Mulan did and stood directly beside the teacher.

"Now watch and observe class as I use this girl to show you how to impress a matchmaker." She said grabbing Mulan's hand. 

Words appeared on the smartboard behind both of them.

"Recite these words Fa Mulan" she instructed 

Mulan looked over the words before saying, "fulfill your duties calmly, and respectfully, reflect before you snack...I mean act, this shall bring you honor and glory".

A few students snickered at the "snack" part.

Ms. Dragon then sat down on her seat with a teacup and a teapot, she handed the teapot to Mulan.

"Now pour the tea" she said to Mulan, and then turned to the class, "now pay attention class. This is how it was back in ancient China. 

While Mulan was about to pour the tea, Mei had other plans, she wanted to make trouble with Ms. Dragon and get Mulan in trouble, and she knew just how to do it.

Taking out a new straw she turned to a boy right next to her.

"Watch this" she told him as she spit another spit ball while Mulan's back was turned.

Just when Mulan  was about to pour the tea into Ms. Dragon's cup, the spit ball shot Mulan right in the back of her neck making Mulan lose her balance as she spilled tea all over Ms. Dragon's lap.

Ms. Dragon started jumping up and down in hot pain while shouting unintelligible things.

"I'm sorry I'm sorry!" Mulan said frantically as she tried to help.

While other students laughed at this, Cricket saw the dilemma and grabbed his water bottle to stop the burning. Although while he was succa essful, Mulan slipped on the wet floor in her heels and accidentally flung Ms. Dragon's lunch tray into the air, and with a "SPLAT!" Ms. Dragon was covered in her own chicken and rice she was saving.

Cricket escaped to his seat but Mulan wasn't so lucky as Ms. Dragon was coming right towards her.

The students wildly laughed their organs out but that all stopped when Ms. Dragon shouted at Mulan.

"You are a disgrace!" She yelled throwing her teapot on the ground shattering it. "Principal's office now! And I'm calling your parents. They're sure to take you home early."  

Mulan sadly nodded her head. "Yes ma'am." She said sadly and left the room in shame. 

While Mei snorted and said "good riddance" Cricket saw the sadness in Mulan and tried to stop her but he was held back by some of his friends. He could only see the sadness and tears in Mulan's eyes as she made her way out of the room. 

Down at the principal's office, Mulan was sitting sadly in a chair with her arms crossed over her chest while her mother, Fa Li talked to the principal. There were sound of intelligible speech which was good news for Mulan because she didn't want to hear it. 

When the Parent-Principal conference was over, Fa Li went out the door to pick up her daughter and found her sulking in the chair. Li put her hand under her daughter's chin and raised Mulan's head up to her head length. 

"It's not your fault" she said softly "let's just go home and you can change into something more comfortable." 

Mulan just sadly nodded, got up, and followed her mother out the school and to their car.

With a quick turn of the keys the car started up and the mother and daughter started driving home.

Mulan, who was in the back seat still refused to let her tears fall out as she looked back at the school. She had disgraced herself, her friends, and her family, all she could do now was go home and get something comfortable to change in.

All in all it was not a pleasant day for Mulan.