Walt Disney Academy ✔

Chapter 6: Basketball Tryouts

Mulan watched with glee as new year boys dribbled the ball playfully in the hard floors of the gym, waiting for the Basketball elders to come and begin the auditioning.

Her hands rubbed together against each other. From the bleachers, she could see her roommate, Esmeralda on the other side of the gymnasium, in the middle of her gymnastic practice alongside other girls. There were about six to seven in total. A petite, chubby looking one with short, dark hair and the cutest of faces, a dark and very beautiful Arabian looking girl, another dark beauty with white hair and a blue highlight, a fair ginger red head, another fair girl with the longest hair Mulan had ever seen and another fair girl with wonderful golden locks.

She watched on as Esmeralda threw a very graceful aerial somersault, landing on her feet and spreading her arm out for balance.
The short dark haired girl lifted one leg behind her back, allowing the back of her knee rest on her shoulder.

Mulan winced. That had to hurt!
Eagerly, she waved at Esmeralda, who in turn, sent a smile and waved back.

"That's my girlfriend," someone said from behind her.  Quickly, she turned round to see the source of it. A blonde haired macho sat next to her, his eyes fixed on Esmeralda.

"Who, Esmeralda?"

"Uh huh. Feel like I gotta boast about her every time I see her."

Mulan looked again as her roommate did a back flip.

Seemed like she was someone to be boasted about.

"That's nice, she's my roommate,"

"No kidding. I should introduce myself then," he brought out his hand for a shake. "I'm Phoebus,"

"Last name?" She received the handshake.

He paused. "Oh. Phoebus is my name. I-It means 'Sun god'"

"I'm Mulan. I don't know what it means," she chuckled.

"No biggie. So you here to try out for gymnastics, huh?"

"Gymn—uh, no. I'm here for..."

"NEWBIES!" A voice roared from the other end of the gym.

The fellows playing the Basketball stopped at once, letting the orange ball roll to the floor.

"There's my cue" Phoebus whispered into Mulan's ear as he rose to join the person who shouted.

Looking up, Mulan could see a tall, lean man in gym overalls, his platinum blonde hair coated with blue streaks here and there and a scowl on his wrinkled face. Following him were five tall, men-like structures.
Mulan noticed that the leader of the five was an Asian looking boy, much like herself, but he had this air of authority round him.

"Line up!" The old man, who was clearly the gym teacher ordered. The boys who came for tryouts quickly obeyed.
Phoebus had already teamed up with the five guys, hi-5ing them and laughing about something behind the coach's back.

Mulan quickly jumped up and ran to where the new to-be-players were, unnoticed by them.

"I am Coach Hades. I am in charge of all the sporting activities that go on in this school and I always get the very BEST from my players," he looked dully at the portfolio in his hand. "Now, we will be needing five players from this team, that is picking five from all of you to represent in this year's Freshman Basketball team. I do hope I do not get disappointment in turn,"

"Yes sir!" The new players shouted, some even smirking. Mulan didn't bother to answer, she knew she'd make the team.

"Now, meet our star player, Li Shang. He'll be the one to recruit you while I'll..." He rolled his eyes, "watch. Li?!"

The tall Asian boy stepped forward, a frown following, probably to mimic his coach.

"It's General Li Shang, fellas, as the Captain of the team," one of the boys with brown dreadlocks huffed.

Shang smiled at his friend at faced the team sternly. "OK, so these are our new basketball players, huh?" He began to access them, walking slowly in front of each of them. "Well, don't think being a player is all about dancing around with an orange ball, wearing sweatbands and cool sneakers. This team expects fire and passion. We do not recruit girly daughters. We expect SONS!" He bent to pick the fallen ball and shoved it into the face of one of the players, a fair boy with a goatee. "This is not a toy, it's a weapon, know that, and I—"
His voice trailed off when he came to Mulan.

Phoebus already had his eyes wide open from behind Shang, as well as the other boys who were with him. Coach Hades was already glaring at her.

"What is this?" Shang demanded. "The dancers are–" he pointed to were the girls carried on with their stunts. "That way,"

"No," Mulan forced her voice to boom. "I'm here for basketball tryouts,"

At first, there was silence. Then everyone bursted out laughing, even the coach. Even Phoebus. Mulan frowned. "I don't get it. What's funny?"

Shang stopped laughing and looked her straight in the eye. "You're not kidding,"

"No, I'm not!"

Shang sighed. "Listen, lemme explain something to you. This is a sport for men. I mean, women play too, but not in this school,"

"Really?" She folded her arms. "Where is that rule in the school handbook? Cos I read it, and there's no such rule,"

"It's unwritten, but it's known. Besides, you're not even tall enough to reach the ball," he brought out a palm to her head level, earning a few laughs from the other boys.

Mulan squinted her eyes in anger. "You know that's just sexist,"

"Potato, po-tah-to, girl's aren't allowed here. Thus is serious business, we don't gave time to waste for girls who'd cry when they miss a basket or due when they break a nail or—" before he could finish, she had already stolen the ball from him.

Shang watched on in disbelief as the girl dribbled the ball while running backwards, eyes on him, a surprised Coach and a confused looking set of boys. As gracefully as possible, she leapt up in the air, dunking the ball through the basket. When she landed, she smirked at them.

Bending to pick the ball again, she put a hip on her waist, smiling, then she flicked the ball backwards in the air. The ball went again into the basket, bouncing noisily on the wooden floor.

"You were saying?" She teased.

A few wolf whistles erupted from the boys while the 'General' kept on staring, admiration gleaming in his eyes.
Only Phoebus was able to speak and when he did, "What a woman," was the only thing he could cough out.