Crowns of Highcastle

6

EXT. GAUNTLET FIELD – DAY

In the front row of the bleachers, Mulan can barely sit still among other students trying out for the Gauntlet team. Kronk, Kuzko, Flynn Rider, PHILIP, HUNTER, and LI SHANG.

COACH YAO stands before them holding a clipboard with the assistant coaches CHIEN-PO and LING standing behind him. They're both suited up in silver and blue armor with a blue heart on their chests. The damage meters.

COACH YAO

My name is Coach Yao. These are my sidekicks Chein-Po and Ling. We will be preparing you for battle, training you to be the best Gauntlet player you can be. Yada yada yada. Teamwork. Enough speech talk. It's time to show me what you've got. (referring to clipboard) Li Shang. You're up.

Li gets up and moves to the field.

PHILIP

I heard he's even better than his father. His dad is a legend.

Mulan focuses on Li, interest piqued.

Li takes out his sword and gets into position as Chein-Po and Ling approach him with their own weapons. Coach Yao blows his whistle and Li attacks his opponents with swiftness and ease until the heart-shaped damage meters on their chests blink from blue, to yellow, to orange. With two hard strikes, their meters blink red and both assistant coaches go down.

The onlookers applaud him. Even Mulan is amazed. Kuzko isn't impressed.

KUZKO

Show off.

COACH YAO

Impressive. Looks like daddy's genes came through.

LI

Or maybe I just worked for it.

Li sticks his sword back in its sheath and takes a seat. Mulan acknowledges him with a smile.

MULAN

Good job.

LI

Thanks.

Coach Yao looks at his assistants pitifully as they stagger to their feet.

COACH YAO

Will you two knuckleheads shake it off. (refers to clipboard)Fa Mulan.

Pumped, Mulan grabs her sword and makes her way to the front. The guys begin to whisper to each other. Some even snicker.

COACH YAO (CONT'D)

That's enough! (to Mulan) You're Fa Mulan?

MULAN

Yes. Daughter of Fa Zhou.

Even more whispers. Coach Yao treads carefully.

COACH YAO

There must have been some mistake. I can't let you join this team.

MULAN

What? Why not?

COACH YAO

There are rules and regulations and...you don't meet the qualifications.

Mulan searches the faces in the bleachers. All boys.

MULAN

If you would just let me show you what I can do.

COACH YAO

I'm sorry. I don't make the rules.

KUZKO

We don't want you to break an eyelash. Am I right, pal? Up top.

He offers a high five to Li. Li ignores him, feeling sorry for Mulan.

KUZKO (CONT'D)

You're going to leave me hanging? I was going to fake you out anyway.

He grumpily folds his arms. 

Mulan composes herself, not willing to give up yet.

MULAN

Please. You don't know how much this means to me.

COACH YAO

It's not my call.

MULAN

Then it's your loss.

Head high, she walks off the field.

INT. MULAN/RAPUNZEL/MERIDA'S CHAMBER – DAY

Mulan bursts into her room in tears. She closes the door and crumbles in front of it. She sits her sword in her lap, pulls it out of its sheath and stares at it, defeated...until she notices her reflection. She moves and tilts her head in different angles. Touches her cheekbones.

INT. BATHROOM – DAY

Mulan stares at herself in the mirror, wipes her tears. She reaches for her hair, grabs a handful. In her other hand, she raises a pair of scissors. And snips.