( . . 𝑨𝑪𝑻 𝑶𝑵𝑬; 𝐶𝐻 𝑇𝑊𝐸𝐿𝑉𝐸 ━━━━━ ! ﹆◞ ❫
THE INTERVIEW / 面试
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" Oh to see without my eyes, The first time that you kissed me, Boundless by the time I cried, I built your walls around me, White noise, what an awful sound, — "
AS MULAN'S HIPS SWAYED, THEY CAUGHT THE LAST ECHOS OF THE PELTING COOL DROPS OF RAIN OF THE OVERCLOUDED NEW YORK AFTERNOON. The clicking of her heels causing uproar in the puddles taking over the pavement, she enjoyed the misty air as the quiet click of splashes shot twinkling beads of water onto the nearby tarnished and rusty newspaper stand. With the dainty hand not holding her umbrella, Mulan rubbed her arm, as she shivered slightly in the cool wind she scolded herself for forgetting her jacket. As she looked down at his, now her, wristwatch, the layered clouds that hid the rays of sunlight shined on it and she noticed she was running late. Her pace quickened slightly, trying to reach her destination in time.
The room was bustling with activity as Mulan sat cross-legged on the striped velvet beige couch with a few throw pillows for decoration, picking at a loose thread by the silk material of her black skirt. The echoing bang of a piece of the camera equipment meeting the floor startled Mulan, breaking her hypnosis from the thread. That made her jerk in her seat, pearl necklace shifting across her collarbones, and eyes snap up to the source of the noise. She sighed trying to calm her breathing and attempted to roll out her neck -the stress, tension, and anxiety- nipped violently at the muscles in her neck going down to her shoulders. Mulan cleared her throat then moved more backward on the couch, her back meeting its own, as she regained her composure.
Her tongue went dry when she felt tingles of anxiety rush to her palms forcing her to grip them, wishing for the feeling to go away. Mulan cursed herself silently for being so frightened. It had been seven years since she was in any sort of violent or dangerous activity and she was still suffering its consequences. She thought she was getting better with the whole time heals all wounds thing, but the wounds stayed opened, steadily gushing with blood, hissing from grief. Mulan knew she had some form of PTSD from her old Chinese wars but it felt different this time around. It was like she got her own sampling of its variations, all for her. Oh Bucky, why'd you leave without stitching me up?
"Miss Fa, we're ready to begin now. Do you need a minute or anything before we get started?" The interviewer asked as he approached the chair placed in front of Mulan and sat in it.
She blinked feverishly and adjusted her long-sleeved black blouse, pearl necklace, and waist-long hair before she responded, "Yes, yes I'm ready."
"Quiet everyone please!" A voice announced. Then recording equipment fired up as the cameras turned on, now all attention focused on her.
"Good afternoon, Mulan." The interviewer greeted.
"Good afternoon to you too." Mulan grinned.
"Again thank you for sitting down with us today."
"'No need for all of that, it's fine really."
"So we spoke a great deal about the SSR and your journey to Agent Peggy Carter a week back, about your early days of S.H.I.E.L.D. Today we would like to move on to-"
"Steve and James, correct?"
"Yeah."
"Yeah."
"What was your initial reaction when you heard about project rebirth?"
"Oh I was worried, for sure. My dear small friend was going to be put in a life-threatening procedure and shot up with god knows what. I felt like a worried mom sending their child away for the first time. It was a mess really."
"So you were-you were skeptical?"
"That's a delicate way to put it but yes. Then I met Dr. Erskine and Howard Stark and my opinion changed after that. Plus, I became an agent myself so if I didn't trust anything I could've just figured it out myself."
"But at first, and correct me if I'm wrong, but the intention was to create an entire army of super-soldiers, correct right?"
"Yes but uh Steve filled in that gap."
"Many of his ventures are still classified."
"Well, not every hero out there gets a bright gold 'good job!' sticker, but that's how Steve liked it. He liked to earn his spot. The world would be a very different place if he wasn't there to protect it."
"I hear you're taking on a new role in S.H.I.E.L.D. with Agent Carter as its director next to Howard Stark."
"Yes, I uh had a lengthy break after the war and Peggy told me to come when I'm ready so I'm here ready to work. I'm very proud of both Peggy and Howard, excited for the organization's future."
"Do Captain America or Sergeant James Barnes have an effect on you personally?"
"...Excuse me?" Mulan's eyebrow raised.
"I'm sorry I just mean it must have been a remarkable experience getting to work with them."
"...Well it was an experience yes. I knew Steve and James before the war even started we were very good friends...James and I were um-we were together actually. They were both amazing people and in the military they strived for the best versions of themselves. Being a woman then adding Asian to the mix, and being in the military required a level of detachment and made it necessary to give and receive orders without dwelling on its cost. The individual, the mission conquers all. The two of them never let me forget that these were real lives and...and real deaths that we were dealing with. They treated me with so much respect, which was very appreciated."
"Were you there during those times of bravery with the Captain and his squad?"
"Yes I was actually, they never made a day on the job uninteresting, they could crack jokes while bullets rain down on 'em. It was a unique thing seeing that group take action as a whole and to be part of that was an experience I've never felt before. If I wasn't helping them in action I was recording or documenting the action."
"What were Steve and James like in their youth?"
"...Uh two peas in a pod, absolute best friends. They were practically brothers, they would joke, tease, comfort each other. It was a special connection they shared y'know? Steve was shy and courageous and Bucky was, well he was cocky, a goof, and so....so sweet a-and kind...."
"So by together I'm assuming you and James were partners, how did your relationship maintain during his enlistment and active missions?"
Mulan could feel her emotions breaking out of her but tried to refrain and act professionally. "When you love and care for someone as much as we did for one another you will find ways to make things work, to not drown in your surroundings, to know that no matter what if anything happens your partner is....is always going to be t-there for you."
"I understand that you received an honorable discharge after Sergeant Barnes's death and four days later received the news of the Captain's death, yes?"
Mulan looked down, her vision blurred from her misty eyes, the emotions broke free, then looked back forward. "I was...I did yes."
"Would you tell us what had happened with those situations?" Mulan's mouth moved to try to find the answers to his question. She didn't even notice the tears streaking down her cheekbones. She bowed her head to her chest as her shoulders tensed then sniffled.
After a few moments, she patted the tears away and looked up once more, "No. I don't think I want to. Is that all of your questions?"
"Yes, than you so much for your time Mulan."
𝖬𝗒𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗒 𝗈𝖿 𝖫𝗈𝗏𝖾 𝖻𝗒: 𝖲𝗎𝖿𝗃𝖺𝗇
𝖲𝗍𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇𝗌
" How much sorrow can i take?
Blackbird on my shoulder, And
what difference does it make,
When this love is over? Shall I
sleep within your bed? River of
unhappiness— "
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𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲 ／i'm really happy how this turned out i really wanted to do a chapter of mulan's take on the iconic peggy interview and it hurt a bit, hope y'all enjoyed